Men’s Mental Health Month (MMHM) is a separate observance from May’s Mental Health Awareness Month due to the importance of recognizing the unique challenges men face with mental health.
MMHM, celebrated annually in June, aims to raise awareness about men’s mental health, encourage open conversations, and promote increased understanding and support. While mental health issues affect individuals of all genders, men struggle with additional societal expectations and gender norms that can make it increasingly challenging for them to both seek help and openly discuss mental well-being.
Men in general, and Kenyan men specifically, have long been socialized to be strong, stoic, and self-reliant.
They are taught from a young age to suppress emotions and avoid showing vulnerability. This “masculine ideal” leads to young men like our Upili secondary school Participants bottling up feelings, which, in turn, can exacerbate or create mental health challenges.
Men of all ages are also less likely than women to seek professional help for mental health issues. This reluctance often has severe consequences. Untreated mental health challenges can lead to substance abuse, self-harm, and even suicide. Statistically men are more likely to die by suicide than women, with suicide being a leading cause of death among men under age 50.
By dedicating the month of June to shining a light on men’s mental health, we as a global community have the opportunity to focus on educating around its importance, promoting available resources, and encouraging men of all ages to reach out for help when needed.
This approach–if begun in June and continued– can and WILL reduce the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and create a society where men feel comfortable seeking and receiving the care they deserve.
