Men's Mental Health Awareness Month

On average, men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women.

Statistics
On average, men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2024b; National Alliance on Mental Health [NAMI], 2025; Newport Institute, 2024). In general, they are diagnosed with mental illnesses less than women, but there are some that men are diagnosed with equally or even at a higher rate (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024). There are certain symptoms that occur more frequently in men, and an illness’ trajectory can be impacted by an individual’s sex.

Most Common Mental Illnesses
Some of the illnesses most common in men are depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and bipolar disorder (Anxiety and Depression Association of America [ADAA], n.d.; Catholic Health, 2025). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is another common one (Kripalani, 2022), and the main symptoms of it are based on male presentation. It has been found that 90% of those diagnosed with schizophrenia are men as well (McCrackin, 2026).

Men and Mental Health Treatment
According to the ADAA (n.d.), “Nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, but less than half receive treatment.” In fact, men are less likely to get mental health treatment than women in general (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2024; NAMI, 2025). This is important for many reasons, such as the toll untreated mental illness takes on cardiovascular health. In men in particular, this is dangerous because men are especially vulnerable to cardiovascular health issues and heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States (CDC, 2024a).
The symptoms can manifest differently, particularly with depression. In particular, men are more likely to illustrate irritation or anger rather than sadness when suffering from depression, as well as having a similar contrast with anxiety disorder (Johnson, 2024). That does not mean that depression alone is the only illness for which there are gender differences in presentation, however. For example, ADHD has notable gender differences in its symptoms. Men often show the more hyperactive or impulsive symptoms while women frequently show the more inattentive symptoms (Kripalani, 2022). Male ADHD is diagnosed more often, so it is typically a mental illness that men have treatment for more than women.
More than just the symptoms can be affected by gender differences as well. The way men handle mental health issues can be very different from women. For instance, men with an anxiety disorder are more likely to have externalized behaviors such as turning to substance abuse while women are more likely to have internal responses (Johnson, 2024). 

Cultural Influences
Part of why men are less likely to seek mental health support is due to their culture and the emphasis on machismo. The general societal belief is that if a man shows emotional vulnerability or admits that he needs support, he is weak (McCrackin, 2026). Often, men are blamed for struggling (Griffith et al., 2024). In addition, men often have an emotional barrier that prevents them from recognizing the need for support (Monarch, 2023).
There is a very noticeable difference in how emotional vulnerability and help-seeking behaviors are perceived in men compared with women. Phrases such as “be a man” and “you’re acting like a sissy” reinforce the expectation that men should suppress their emotions, implying that openly expressing vulnerability is a betrayal of traditional masculinity and, by extension, a source of shame for their gender. Masculine insults are associated with strength and self-reliance while feminine ones are ways to call others weak. This serves to subtly reinforce the notion that men do not need support nor struggle with mental health via the vernacular used by society.
In addition, men are more hesitant to speak of their struggles and are often not even taught how to open up (McCrackin, 2026). Toxic masculinity is especially related to this (Horton et al., 2026). The lack of emotional vulnerability, and how societal stereotypes and norms enforce it, is at such an extent that men struggle to have close relationships with anyone, a phenomenon referred to as the male loneliness epidemic (Shiyamsaran, 2021).
Regardless of the common stigmas associated with men seeking mental health treatment, that does not mean that there is no chance. Conversations about mental health are becoming increasingly open, and more and more people are realizing that men need support too. In addition, more research is being conducted on gender differences in mental illnesses, and thus on how support might need to be different. The ADAA has some links pertaining to men’s mental health support, with the link to the ADAA in the reference list.

References
Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Men’s mental health resources. https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/mens-mental-health
Catholic Health. (2025, May 22). Men’s mental health should be a priority. https://www.catholichealthli.org/blog/mens-mental-health-should-be-priority
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). About men and heart disease. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/men-and-heart-disease.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://wisqars.cdc.gov/reports/?o=MORT&y1=2024&y2=2024&t=0&i=2&m=20810&g=00&me=0&s=0&r=0&ry=2&e=0&yp=65&a=ALL&g1=0&g2=199&a1=0&a2=199&r1=SEX&r2=NONE&r3=NONE&r4=NONE
Griffith, D.M., Ogunbiyi, A., & Jaeger, E. (2024, April 2). Men and mental health: What are we missing? AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news/men-and-mental-health-what-are-we-missing
Horton, E.K.J., Schermerhorn, N.E.C., & Hanel, P.H.P. (2026). The impact of toxic masculinity on restrictive emotionality and mental health seeking support. Personality and Individual Differences, 248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113459
Johnson, B.E. (2024). Gender differences in mental health. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/gender-differences-mental-health
Kripalani, M. (2022, December 21). Female vs male ADHD. The ADHD Centre. https://www.adhdcentre.co.uk/female-vs-male-adhd/
McCrackin, C. (2026, January 8). Men and mental health stigma. AddictionCenter. https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/men-mental-health-stigma/
Monarch. (2023, May 31). Men’s mental health: Breaking the stigma and seeking support. https://monarchnc.org/mens-mental-health-breaking-the-stigma-and-seeking-support/
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2025). Mental health by the numbers. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://www.nami.org/mental-health-by-the-numbers/
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, May). Men and mental health. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health
Newport Institute. (2024, May 13). Mental illness in men: Signs, common disorders, and help. https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/treatment/male-mental-health-disorders/
Shiyamsaran, A. (2021, November 12). Toxic masculinity and the loneliness epidemic. Reporter. https://reporter.rit.edu/6495/print-edition-november-2021/toxic-masculinity-and-the-loneliness-epidemic/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2024) Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed tables, Samhsa, CBHSQ. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt56484/NSDUHDetailedTabs2024/NSDUHDetailedTabs2024/2024-nsduh-detailed-tables-sect6pe.htm