This is Viewpoints Explained…
Before we begin, a listener advisory: this segment discusses suicide and mental health. You can always call or text 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline.
June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness month and the numbers show why this issue needs more attention. Currently, men make up almost 80 percent of people who die by suicide in the U.S, according to 2025 data from the national alliance on mental illness. The suicide rate among men is also nearly four times higher than for women. All too often, male mental health issues go unseen until it turns into a crisis.
Federal data show that in 2023, nearly one in five U.S. men experienced a mental illness, yet less than half of them received some form of treatment that year. Part of the problem is that this struggle can show up in unexpected ways. Depression may show up as anger, irritability, heavy drinking, risk taking or sudden withdrawal. Some men may still go to work, answer texts and say they’re fine even when they’re really not.
That’s why experts say abrupt changes in behavior should be taken seriously. If someone talks about feeling trapped, being a burden, or if they start giving away belongings or pulling away from people, don’t wait for the perfect words or the right time. Ask directly, stay with them and help connect them to professional support. Men’s mental Health Awareness Month is a chance to look more directly at what these numbers are showing. For many men, the danger isn’t that no one cares, but that so many miss these key warning signs.
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