12 Mental Health Messages All Men Need to Hear

In 2013, 41,149 Americans died by suicide.

In 2013, 77.9 percent of Americans who died by suicide were men.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the suicide rate has been about 4 times higher among men than among women for years now. Yet, men are still less likely than women to seek help for mental health issues.

So on International Men’s Day, let’s talk about men’s mental health.

Here are some messages you or a man in your life might need to hear:

1.

#Men, don't cower to the #stigma of #mentalillness! Seek help! Talking is healing. ? #InternationalMensDay #mentalhealth #MensDay

— Nicholas Trandahl (@AuthorTrandahl) November 19, 2015

2. “I found that with depression one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it. I wish I had someone at that time who could just pull me aside and [say], ‘Hey, it’s going to be OK.’” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, on “Master Class”

3.

On #InternationalMensDay, why not stop telling boys to “man up”, when what you really mean is “deny your feelings till they kill you”?

— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) November 19, 2015

4.

It helps to get to where you can talk to family and friends. And you’ll be strong enough to carry it. #MentalHealth #InternationalMensDay

— Derek S (@DerekActual) November 19, 2015

5. “To combat depression, you must get help. Asking for help is strong because it leads directly to staying alive, which is our goal. Not asking for help is as fear-based a decision as a human being can make and can lead you swiftly in a bad direction.” — Rob Delaney, comedian, in “Prevention.”

6.

The stats speak for themselves. If you feel shit, talk to someone about it. No shame in it. #InternationalMensDay pic.twitter.com/VhSyRpW0X9

— Jimmy Havoc (@JimmyHavoc) November 19, 2015

7. “1 out of 4 of us are affected by mental illness at some point in our lives, yet near two-thirds of us will never seek help — especially men. We pride outselves on courage and the ability to never show weakness, but mental health touches us all.” — Brandon Marshall, NFL player, in a Bring Change 2 Mind PSA.

8.

Everybody should be treated equally when it comes to mental health, and nobody should suffer in silence. #InternationalMensDay

— HazNailArt☾ (@HazNailArt) November 19, 2015

9. “De-stigmatizing it is not equivalent to trivializing it. De-stigmatizing it involves saying ‘The fact that you feel this way is not a character failing,’ ‘The fact that you are having these problems doesn’t reflect that you aren’t trying hard enough,’ or ‘The fact that you are going through this doesn’t mean you are a pathetic loser.’” — Andrew Solomon, writer, on The Good Men Project

10.

Mental health issues, emotions and traumatic events don’t make you any less of a man.
Your problems matter.#InternationalMensDay

— Nika (@LeorinaOCE) November 19, 2015

11.

#InternationalMensDay mental health affects men just as much as women. Mental health problems are not weakness or taboo. It’s OK to talk.

— Katie Whale (@WhaleKatie) November 19, 2015

12. “I am no less a man because there is an obstacle too high or wide for me to cross. I am no less a man because I may weep openly. I am no less a man because I fear. I am no less a man because I am mentally ill. I am no less a man because only I get to decide what it means for me to be a man. I will not be defined by a label. Instead, I choose to define the labels applied to me.” — Shawn Henfling, writer

For more information on men’s mental health, visit Heads Up Guys.