According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety but less than half will receive treatment and more than 4 times as many men as women die by suicide every year.
These numbers are alarming, and yet men are less likely to reach out for help. This is because as we have made great strides toward lifting the stigma, we still have a long way to go. For generations, men have been told to “tough it out,” “man up,” or “keep it together”–as if emotions were something to conquer, not understand. Vulnerability has been painted as weakness.
And even today, in a world that talks more openly about mental health than ever before, many men still suffer in silence, afraid to be seen as less than. If you’d like to be part of the cultural shift, here are 15 small things you can do.
1. Normalize Asking for Help
It doesn’t matter what type of help it is–from changing tires to asking friends to babysit to moving furniture–if we normalize asking for help, we’re already disrupting the outdated notion that men must carry every burden alone. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s strength wrapped in honesty. When we see others asking for help, we realize we’re not the only ones struggling. Normalize it in everyday moments. Model it for others. Talk about it casually. If we do that enough, asking for help becomes as natural as offering it.
2. Create Safe Spaces
A safe space is one wherein everyone feels free to openly express their struggles, without worrying about being judged or receiving unsolicited advice. This can look like a group chat with trusted friends, a coffee catch-up where no topic is off-limits, or even a silent walk where someone simply feels seen. What matters most is consistency and compassion. Men need to know there are places where masks can come off and humanity can step in. The more we cultivate spaces like these, the less alone anyone has to feel.
3. Be a Supportive Listener
Speaking of safe spaces, a huge chunk of it is the ability to listen without the need for quick fixes. Often, people don’t want advice; they want presence. They want to be heard without judgment or interruption. This is especially true for men who may be speaking up for the first time. Don’t rush to solve their pain. Just sit with it. Nod. Hold eye contact. Let them talk it out, however messy or imperfect. Support starts with silence and understanding.
4. Share Personal Experiences
The stigma against men going through mental health issues will never improve for as long as we keep hiding our wounds and personal experiences. When we speak from our own stories, we build bridges. We show others that they’re not broken or alone. There’s real power in saying, “I’ve been through that too.” You never know who might be listening–who might be deciding, in that very moment, to finally open up because you did first.
5. Don’t Shy Away from Tough Conversations
It may be tempting to handwave stories that are difficult to listen to, but that’s exactly when we need to lean in. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations just reinforces the silence that so many men already live in. Talk about grief. Talk about shame. Talk about trauma. These conversations don’t need to be perfectly worded or professionally guided; they just need to be honest. That’s how healing begins: By naming the things we were taught to bury.
6. Challenge Harmful Mentalities
Many of us grew up in cultures wherein men were never given permission to cry, to feel, or to rest. We were taught to man up, toughen up, and stay quiet. It’s time to question those messages. Ask yourself where those ideas came from, and who they actually served. Then challenge them, both publicly and privately. Through the ways we raise our sons, or the ways we speak to our friends. Let’s build new narratives where softness and strength coexist.
7. Encourage Self-Care
Contrary to popular belief, self-care is not an activity “for the weak” or “unmasculine.” It’s essential maintenance. It’s the oxygen mask you put on yourself so you can keep showing up for others. Whether it’s taking a mental health day, booking therapy, journaling, or simply going for a run, these aren’t indulgences; they’re investments. Encouraging men to care for their emotional and physical wellbeing is a radical act of kindness that ripples outward.
8. Promote Accessible Resources
If there are accessible resources and support groups in your community or area, don’t hesitate to share them widely. Sometimes men don’t reach out because they simply don’t know what’s available, or they assume it’s not meant for them. Help change that by doing the legwork. Post links. Share hotlines. Recommend therapists. Every resource passed along is one more rope tossed to someone silently treading water.
9. Establish Support Groups
And if there are no support groups in your area yet, consider establishing your own. Find a mental health professional who might want to help you lead, or start small with a few trusted friends. It doesn’t need to be formal. It just needs to be consistent. Whether you meet over coffee or gather virtually, the point is connection. When you create space for honest conversations, you offer something life-giving–and potentially life-saving.
10. Foster Healthy Friendships
Destigmatizing mental health in men doesn’t need to be so “official” or driven by advocacy; you can simply start with genuine friendships that have no agenda. Do you have neighbors you haven’t talked to yet or friends you’ve only connected with on surface-level stuff? Reach out. Check in. Show up consistently. True friendships aren’t just fun; they’re grounding, too. And for many men, they might be the first place they feel truly safe.
11. Share Mental Health Facts
One of the best ways we can destigmatize mental health in men is by openly sharing facts like these: Men are more likely to die by suicide, less likely to seek therapy, and far more likely to suffer in silence. Statistics matter because they disrupt the illusion that “this is just me.” Normalize talking about data. Post it on social media and integrate it into daily conversations, if there’s a natural way to do so. Awareness breeds empathy, and empathy invites action.
12. Lobby for Better Policies and Resources
If you have the capacity for it, consider reaching out to your elected officials and do direct lobbying, grassroots advocacy, or coalition building. If there are already organizations like this in your community, consider joining them to let your voice be heard. Policies around healthcare access, mental health funding, and workplace wellness matter more than we realize. Real change doesn’t just happen in hearts–it happens in legislation, too.
13. Utilize Social Media
When used well, social media can be a powerful force for good. Share stories, facts, hotlines, and personal reflections. Don’t underestimate the quiet power of a single post; someone scrolling late at night might see what you shared and take their first step toward healing. Use your platform, no matter how small. Show up authentically. Sometimes breaking the cycle looks like hitting “share.”
14. Tear Down Barriers
What types of walls are you facing in your life in terms of opening up about mental health? Is it cultural? Religious? Familial? Take time to identify what’s stopping you or the men in your life from reaching out. Then begin dismantling those beliefs, one honest conversation at a time. We all have internal walls we didn’t ask for–but we’re not stuck with them. With intention, they can fall.
15. Start with Family and Friends
Before we can change the world, we need to start in our own small spheres of influence. Have the hard conversations at the dinner table. Ask the tough questions in group chats. Model emotional openness with your kids, your siblings, your cousins. If we want future generations of men to grow up emotionally healthy, we have to be the ones to show them how it’s done. Start where you are–with people you already love.
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