Redefining Strength: Challenging Men’s Mental Health Stereotypes

When November rolls around, so do the mustaches! Some are impressive, some are questionable, and some are barely holding on. But beyond the facial fuzz lies a much more important conversation: men’s mental health. While the staches may be playful, the stats aren’t. In Canada, men account for about 75% of suicide deaths, and for men aged 15 to 39, suicide is the second leading cause of death [1]. It’s a silent crisis, often overlooked. Lying at the root of the problem are deeply ingrained stereotypes that often make men, and those around them, overlook the signs of struggle, dismiss emotional pain, or avoid seeking help altogether.  In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at some of these stereotypes and challenge them by exploring what the evidence actually says, and how we can start to reframe them.

Men’s Mental Health Stereotypes

1. “Real men don’t cry or show emotions”

This stereotype has been passed down through generations, teaching boys from a young age to bottle up their feelings and hide vulnerability. This stereotype is harmful, because research says suppressing your emotions is associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, lower life satisfaction, and overall poorer health outcomes [2].

Emotions are the key to analyzing our internal state, and they can provide information about our environment. Happiness signals that things around us are in order. When we experience anger or fear, these emotions may alert us that something isn’t right and needs our attention. Sadness often points to a need for reflection or healing after a difficult experience. In all these cases, emotions signal to us that something is afoot, whether “good” or “bad”. Think of emotions as the pain receptors of the mind: just as physical pain warns us of injury, emotional pain signals that something needs care.

Real strength lies not in hiding or suppressing our emotions, but in using them to move forward with awareness and purpose.  If we were to fix this stereotype, it might sound like “Real men use their emotions to move forward”.

2. “Men don’t experience mental health challenges – those are women’s problems”

Mental health challenges are part of what it means to be human. No one is built to withstand life’s pressures alone – anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, stress, self-doubt – they touch everyone in some way, regardless of gender.  Yet many men still grow up hearing that emotional struggle is a “women’s thing”, and that experiencing these struggles are somehow unmanly. This message couldn’t be more wrong.

Historically, men have been encouraged to stay composed and think things through — qualities that can be real strengths. Research on empathy shows that while women tend to engage more emotion-related brain areas, men show greater activity in regions tied to reasoning and perspective-taking [3]. In other words, men and women may process emotions differently. Neither approach denies the underlying emotions, but men often process them through internal reflection and problem-solving rather than more external emotional responses. This can cause men (and others) to overlook or misunderstand their emotions and mental health challenges, even when they are very real and present, just processed differently.

Caring for your mind doesn’t make you less of a man — it makes you stronger, more focused, and more grounded. Reframed, this stereotype might read: “Mental health is a human issue, not a gendered one.”

3. “Men should be self-reliant and not seek help”

While research has shown that men are quite attuned to emotional self-regulation, that doesn’t mean they always have the strategies they need to handle every challenge [4]. New and unfamiliar circumstances are a part of life, and no one, regardless of strength or discipline, is equipped to face everything alone.

For generations, men have been taught to take pride in independence — to figure things out, shoulder responsibility, and provide for others. While these qualities can be admirable, even the most capable men benefit from support. Seeking help isn’t the opposite of self-reliance; it’s an extension of it. Whether from a professional, mentor, or trusted friend, reaching out reinforces strength, helping men perform better, think clearly, and grow.

True self-reliance includes recognizing when to ask for help and using available resources to support well-being. Reframed, this stereotype might look like “Men can become their strongest self with the support of others.”

4. “Men going to therapy are weak”

This stereotype, although it has improved in recent years, continues to affect many men. A recent study found that men who endorse more traditional masculinity values tend to hold more negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help and experience greater self-stigma when they do pursue it [5]. This wasn’t limited to older generations—college-aged men showed the same pattern.

This is concerning, especially given that men and women benefit equally from psychological therapies [6]. When men hold on to this stereotype, they may be preventing themselves from receiving the help they need.

To challenge this belief, we can confidently say that men who seek therapy are not weak—they are strong! Taking the step to ask for help requires courage, self-awareness, and a commitment to growth. These men are not only helping themselves but also playing a vital role in dismantling the very stereotype that discourages others from doing the same. If we were to reframe this stereotype, it might sound more like: “Men going to therapy are strong”, because they are choosing to face their challenges head-on, to benefit themselves and those around them.

Moving Men’s Mental Health Forward

Changing the conversation around men’s mental health starts with challenging the stereotypes that have silenced too many for too long. Strength isn’t about staying silent, suppressing emotions, or walking through life alone. When men are free to express emotion, seek support, and care for their mental health without judgment, everyone benefits: men become more confident, families become stronger, and the next generation learns that courage and vulnerability can coexist.

Men, this November, remember that seeking help, showing emotion, and taking care of your mental health is a sign of strength, not weakness. Step forw

ard, challenge the stereotypes, and lead by example. Real courage is facing your struggles, and real strength is knowing you don’t have to face them alone.

References

[1] Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2021). Mental health and suicide prevention in men: Evidence brief. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-in-men-evidence-brief/

[2] Hu, T., Zhang, D., Wang, J., Mistry, R., Ran, G., & Wang, X. (2014). Relation between emotion regulation and mental health: A meta-analysis review. Psychological Reports, 114(2), 341–362.https://doi.org/10.2466/03.20.pr0.114k22w4

[3] Derntl, B., Finkelmeyer, A., Eickhoff, S., Kellermann, T., Falkenberg, D. I., Schneider, F., & Habel, U. (2010). Multidimensional assessment of empathic abilities: Neural correlates and gender differences.Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35(1), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.10.006

[4] McRae, K., Ochsner, K. N., Mauss, I. B., Gabrieli, J. J., & Gross, J. J. (2008). Gender differences in emotion regulation: An fMRI study of cognitive reappraisal. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 11(2), 143–162. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430207088035

[5] Üzümçeker, E. (2025). Traditional masculinity and men’s psychological help-seeking: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Psychology: Journal International de Psychologie, 60(2), e70031.https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.70031

[6] Kayrouz, R., Karin, E., Staples, L., Dear, B., Nielssen, O., & Titov, N. (2025). A review of the 257 meta-analyses of the differences between females and males in prevalence and risk, protective factors, and treatment outcomes for mental disorder. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), 677. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06848-7