Unspoken Battles: Breaking the Silence on Men’s Mental Health !

“Over 6 million men suffer from depression each year. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among them. Yet, most never speak about it.”

Society’s Mold: The Pressure to Be “A Real Man”

Society has long dictated how a man should behave: be strong, don’t cry, don’t show emotions, and above all, don’t seek help. From a young age, boys are conditioned to believe that expressing emotions is a sign of weakness. Phrases like “Boys don’t cry” or “Mard ko dard nahi hota” are etched into their psyche, building a lifelong habit of emotional suppression.

These expectations carve men into roles that force them to hide their real feelings and instead wear a mask — one that looks confident and ‘sigma’, but behind it lies fear, shame, and deep emotional pain.

The Hidden Cost of Suppressing Emotions:

😔 Depression & Anxiety

Emotional suppression doesn’t erase pain — it internalizes it. Over time, unprocessed feelings build up and may show up as:

●      Depression masked as fatigue, irritability, or indifference

●      Anxiety presenting as overworking or restlessness

●      Physical symptoms like headaches, insomnia, or stomach problems

Most men don’t even realize they’re struggling with depression because their symptoms don’t look like “sadness” — they look like stress, numbness, or anger.

💥 Anger: The Masked Emotion

Anger is often seen as the only socially acceptable emotion for men. Suppressed emotions — especially sadness and vulnerability — can often erupt as aggression or outbursts. Unfortunately, this pushes people away, which increases isolation, deepening the emotional void.

💔 Relationship Breakdown

Connection requires vulnerability. But when men struggle to express their feelings or needs, their relationships — romantic, familial, or social — suffer. This lack of emotional intimacy can leave men feeling lonely, even when surrounded by others.

Professional Pressure: When Work Becomes a Mask

In the workplace, the pressure is no different. Men are expected to be assertive, stoic, and invulnerable. Expressing emotional struggle might be seen as a weakness or a risk to their leadership or image. As a result:

●   Men avoid therapy or mental health breaks

●   They burnout quietly

●   Their job satisfaction plummets

This silent suffering creates a dangerous cycle where vulnerability is buried under long hours and fake smiles.

Why Don’t Men Speak Up?

Despite evolving mental health conversations, men still hesitate to seek help due to:

●      Fear of judgment from peers or partners

●      Stigma around therapy and vulnerability

●      Lack of emotional vocabulary to describe their internal experience

●      Few male role models who are open about emotions

They’ve been taught not to feel, and now they don’t know how to express what they’re feeling — even when it’s breaking them apart.

Signs That a Man May Be Struggling:

Many men won’t say “I’m not okay” — but their behavior does:

●      Withdrawing socially

●      Being constantly irritable or angry

●      Overworking, drinking more, or using distractions

●      Sleeping too much or too little

Saying things like “I don’t matter” or “Nothing feels good anymore”

Healing Begins With Acceptance:

We need to create spaces where men feel safe to remove their emotional armor. Healing starts when:

●      Therapy is normalized as strength, not weakness

●      Friends check in with each other, not just talk sports or business

●      Fathers tell their sons that crying is okay

●      Partners listen without judgment

It’s about breaking generations of emotional conditioning — one conversation at a time.

Women as Allies in Men’s Healing

Mothers, sisters, partners, and friends play a vital role. You don’t have to fix the man in your life —

just be a safe space for him. Replace “Be a man” with “Be honest with yourself.” Hold space without rushing to solutions.

Final Words: Let Men Feel

“You are not weak for needing help. You are human for feeling pain. And you are strong for choosing healing over hiding.”

On this final day of Men’s Mental Health Month, let’s collectively commit to making our communities safer for men to be real, vulnerable, and free from emotional shackles.

Check in on a man you care about. You might just save a life.