About Male Mental Health and Suicide Awareness 

As I continue this subset of “Movember” posts in my series, One Man’s Voice… in the Noise, I want to turn your attention to an issue that too many men hide behind a mask: the struggle with their mental health. Among the expectations, responsibilities, and bravado that surround men’s lives, our fear of failure can overwhelm us. And our pleas for help go unheard.

The good news is that more and more men refuse to stay silent in the fight against male suicide. As I wrote in my last post, Men’s Health Month Matters to Everyone since we all have skin in this game. 

Bringing Suicide into the Light

Every minute, a man somewhere takes his own life. Globally, more than 700,000 people die from suicide every year. In the United States, rates among men are four times higher than among women. Since 2010, suicide rates have risen by 30% for younger (25-34) men. Rates are highest amongst men who are white, American Indian and Alaska Native, age 65 and over, and those living in rural areas. (Check out this post, Male suicide: Patterns and recent trends, for all the details.)

The discrepancy between male deaths by suicide and the rate of suicide attempts by women is known as the “gender paradox.” Research suggests several factors contribute to this phenomenon: 

• Method lethality: Men tend to use more lethal means, such as firearms, hanging, or jumping. Conversely, women are more likely to use methods like poisoning or overdosing, which have a higher chance of survival.
• Mental health stigma and help-seeking: Social norms can discourage men from seeking help for mental health issues, which is too often viewed as weakness. This can lead to increased isolation and a greater reluctance to access professional help. Women, by contrast, are more likely to seek treatment and have stronger social support networks.
• Recognizing distress: Men often express distress differently than women. Our mental health struggles can go unrecognized or undiagnosed by those around us. Females are more outwardly emotional, which raises awareness.

The discrepancy is stark — but it’s also a call to stop accepting what should never be inevitable. Preventing male suicide isn’t just about describing risk—it’s about creating real, accessible pathways out of isolation. It’s about reducing the shame and crisis of men’s health. It’s about having friends who know when you are struggling and are willing to help.

How Movember Takes On Suicide

Movember’s approach is to examine suicide through a male lens, meaning prevention, early intervention and health promotion tailored to how men live, think, relate—and suffer. The organization engages on several fronts to shift the trajectory of male suicide:

• Education: They help men and boys to understand what mental health looks like, build stronger social connections, and act before things reach a crisis.
• Conversations That Matter: One of the most important tools is simply talking—opening the door for men to say they’re struggling, to admit vulnerability, without feeling lesser for it.
• Services That Work for Men: Recognizing that many services don’t always fit the way men access help, Movember supports models built around men’s needs and comfort zones. 
• Community-First, Global Reach: They fund pioneering projects in local communities (veterans, rural men, young men) while sharing insights globally.
  

Why This Matters—and What You Can Do

The work of Movember converges exactly with what this series is about: we need to speak up for men’s health when the room would rather stay quiet. We need to reach out for help when we feel there is no solution. We need better support systems and policies, when it seems like women’s issues is better funded. 

Whether you’re the one suffering, the one standing beside a brother, father, friend—or simply someone willing to ask the question, How you Doing?” and really mean it, your voice can shift the moment someone stays alive.

If you suspect a man you know is struggling, you don’t have to have all the answers. Just ask, just listen, just stay present. Movember’s campaigns emphasize that connection isn’t optional—it’s life-saving. 

Your Call to Action

As I wrote in the last post, all men need an inner circle of best friends who will hold each other accountable to take care of their health. I call these GodBuddies, the deeper, more authentic male friendships who share the desire to become more like Christ. But no matter where you stand with your beliefs or non-beliefs, every guy needs friends and their family to challenge them to remain healthy. Don’t wait for the perfect words or the ideal timing. Act now.

Here are three simple steps:

• Reach out. Text, call, show up. A single “How are you, really?” can open a door.
• Break the stigma. Men don’t always talk about this stuff—let them know it’s okay to open up.
• Stay alert. Crisis doesn’t always resemble disaster—it often looks like withdrawal, silence, uncharacteristic behavior.
  

If we are going to put an end to male suicide, every voice counts. In your life, there may be someone whose silence is the loudest thing in the room. Let this post—and the work of Movember—remind you to take care of yourself and also reach out to others you suspect are struggling. You just might save a life.

That’s my voice in the noise for this week. Feel free to comment or share this post with others. Then look for the installment of this set of Movember posts next week. 

[Feature Photo by Daniel Stiel on Unsplash]