There’s a moment a lot of people recognize, even if they’ve never lived it themselves. Someone they care about – a father, a brother, a partner, or a friend – is clearly struggling. You can see the tension in the way they carry themselves, the way they go quiet, the irritated knot between their eyebrows, or the heavy sighs they breathe out. You ask if they’re okay. They say they are fine. And the conversation ends there. For many men, it’s not avoidance. It’s the only narrative they were ever given. Unfortunately, this is the reality of men’s mental health, and it’s one that impacts men themselves and those around them.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Think about the little boys in your life, or think back to the boys you grew up around. From a very young age, many of them receive a clear, consistent message: certain emotions should not be shown.
- Fall off your bike? “Shake it off.”
- Feeling scared? “Man up.”
- Crying because you got hurt? “Boys don’t cry.”
The young boys may have watched the other men in the family carry stress and sadness without ever naming it, and quietly absorb the lesson that to be silent and independent is what it means to be strong.
These moments seem small in isolation. But they accumulate. By the time a boy becomes a teenager, he has often already learned to suppress, redirect, or deny what he’s feeling. Sadness becomes anger. Anxiety becomes irritability. Loneliness becomes withdrawal. The emotions don’t disappear. They just get pushed down.
Psychologists call this Normative Male Alexithymia, and the research consistently shows that boys are given far less permission than girls to express vulnerable emotions (Csat-S, 2021). They receive less comfort when they cry. They are steered toward stoicism early and often. The message they absorb is not just that emotions are uncomfortable; it’s that having them makes you less of a man. That’s a heavy thing for a child to carry, and it becomes an even heavier thing for an adult to unlearn.
The Cost of Silence In Men’s Mental Health
4,394 deaths by suicide were calculated within Canada in 2024. Males make up approximately half of the population, yet the suicide rate among males is almost 3 times the rate among females and account for nearly 75% of suicide deaths (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2026). Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 50. Not car accidents, not cancer, but suicide.
These numbers are the measurable consequence of a society that has encouraged men that their pain is not worth naming for generations. According to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, approximately one million men suffer from major depression in Canada each year (Red Cross Talks, 2023). Despite this, males are less likely to reach out and get professional help compared to females. When men are taught from boyhood that vulnerability is weakness, the emotions do not disappear; they find other outlets. These hidden emotional struggles leak through dangerous manifestations, including dependence of alcohol or other substances, anger issues, or physical maladies. And as a result, the cycle continues.
Men’s Mental Health Support Is Here
The statistics are heavy, but they are not the whole story. Behind every number is a person who, at some point, made the decision to reach out. That decision is never easy, especially for men who have spent years being told that needing support is something to be ashamed of. But it is always worth it.
At Insight Psychological, we understand that walking through the door for the first time takes courage. Our team of certified psychologists has supported countless men in learning to understand their emotions and build lives that feel more like their own.
Men’s mental health is not a niche concern. It is urgent. It is real. If something resonated with you so far, or if there is a man in your life you have been quietly worrying about, consider this your sign to take the next step.
Support is here. Reach out to Insight Psychological to book your first appointment at 780-461-1717 or book now.
References
Csat-S, K. B. P. C. P. (2021, December 9). Understanding male alexithymia, and how to get past it. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-intersection-of-mental-health-relationships-and-sexuality-in-the-modern-world/202112/why
Levant, R. F., Kiselica, M. S., & Pryor, S. (2024). Assessing and treating emotionally inexpressive men. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003378518
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2026, January 12). Suicide and Self-Harm – Suicide mortality — Canada.ca. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/mental-health/suicide-self-harm/suicide-mortality.html
Red Cross Talks (2023, January 26). Mental health and men: how to support your loved ones. Red Cross Canada. https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2023/1/mental-health-and-men-how-to-support-your-loved-ones