In many parts of the world, a man’s worth is still measured by how much he can carry on his
shoulders, in his bank account, and by his silence. The unwritten rule is simple: men don’t cry,
men don’t falter, and men certainly don’t ask for help. This unspoken code is costing lives.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), men die by suicide at nearly twice the
rate of women globally. Yet the conversation around mental health often sidelines them, leaving
their struggles in the shadows.
The stigma starts early. Boys are told to “man up” when they show fear, to “tough it out” when
they feel pain, and to laugh off vulnerability as weakness. By adulthood, many have learned that
their worth is tied to emotional restraint. Research from the American Psychological Association
(APA, 2018) shows that suppressing emotions is........

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