James Donaldson on Mental Health - Males who discuss suicide seek help less often than females, report finds

Related Story A promising method for suicide prevention starts in the doctor’s office Whereas boys and men discuss relationships and loneliness in the context of a crisis, mental health service dispels the cultural stereotype “that girls are relational and boys are more autonomous and that women are more focused on relationships and men are more focused on achievement,” Addis said.

Instead, men do feel the importance of relationships.

“I think what’s happened is that for many of us, it’s not that relationships aren’t important, they’re incredibly important.

It’s that we haven’t been equipped with the skills necessary to cope with distress in relationships, to keep relationships healthy around us.” Dominick Shattuck, a Johns Hopkins University researcher and a men’s health fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men, said “young men really want to have these social connections with other young men, and they want to be in a relationship and they want to use words like love and friendship and caring, but they move away from it over time.” The takeaway, Shattuck said, is developmental.

Boys need to be equipped with better emotional literacy earlier in life so that they can carry the capacity of building and nurturing relationships as they grow older.

“The report helps identify the coping mechanisms they already turn to, including social connection, exercise or sports, creative outlets, mental health services, and time in nature,” Shattuck said.

“That is important because it frames prevention around strengthening existing protective factors, not only expanding clinical care.” Not all spaces that take care of boys’ and men’s mental well-being need to be formal, he added: “They can be barbershops, they can be sports clubs, they can be friends who hang out.” If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org .

For TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.