Silent crisis of men’s mental health and the need to break stigma | Second Opinion

Bottled-up stress and a lack of emotional outlets have triggered what experts call a mental-health epidemic among men — a crisis that’s now damaging physical health too, worsening heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and even increasing suicide risks.

The latest episode of Second Opinion highlighted data showing that globally, someone dies by suicide every 40 seconds — with 75 per cent of those being men. In India, men attempt and complete suicide at nearly three times the rate of women, yet only one in four seeks help.

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This disconnect — between high distress and low help-seeking — is rooted, experts say, in social conditioning that discourages men from expressing vulnerability or seeking emotional support.

Psychologists on the show argued that many boys grow up hearing lines such as “a boy doesn’t cry” or that “boys don’t show emotion.” Over time, this teaching leaves them emotionally illiterate, unable to open up about stress, anxiety or emotional pain.

Instead of expressing sadness or fear, many men learn to channel distress as anger, irritability or withdrawal. Frequent behavioural reactions — anger, substance use, overwork — often replace emotional expression.

Some people who later face addiction or health issues are found to have underlying anxiety that was never addressed. This avoidance worsens as financial or professional stress mounts.

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Doctors explain how chronic stress triggers biological responses that harm the body. The sympathetic nervous system — and stress hormones like cortisol — can lead to elevated blood pressure, disrupted vascular tone, raised blood sugar, insulin resistance and plaque formation in arteries.

These changes make men far more vulnerable to heart disease, diabetes and metabolic disorders. Studies cited show that in over 20 per cent of heart-attack patients, acute stress events preceded the cardiac episode.

The experts stress that stress isn't avoidable — but it must be managed. Avoiding harmful triggers such as stressful social-media content, news overload or negative peer pressure is part of that strategy.

Therapists note that men rarely seek psychotherapy or professional help, unless a crisis becomes unbearable — sometimes only after substance abuse or physical illness.

Many men view reaching out as a sign of weakness, or unsuitable for those expected to be emotional rock. Work and financial pressures, family responsibilities and fear of judgment deter men from discussing their problems.

Consequently, issues remain unresolved until they become dangerous — manifesting in burnout, depression, addiction or even suicide.

Mental-health advocates argue that the first step is normalising conversations about stress and mental wellbeing among men. Families, workplaces and communities must encourage openness instead of stigmatizing emotional expression.

Workplaces should promote mental-health awareness: offering dedicated “mental-health days,” encouraging recreation or exercise, and making therapy accessible without judgment. Such steps can help prevent long-term damage to both mental and physical health.

“Being strong doesn’t mean you cannot feel vulnerable,” a psychologist said. The notion that men must always be tough — the “tough guy” stereotype — is increasingly being questioned.

Recreation, physical activity and social support can help men manage stress — not just as a break from work, but as a vital investment in mental and physical wellbeing.

Men’s mental health is not just a private issue — it’s a looming public-health crisis. Many men continue to suffer in silence, missing out on therapy or support. Experts say breaking the stigma starts with one honest conversation.

Will this growing awareness prompt more men to speak up — before stress turns into serious illness or tragedy?

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)