Viraj Patel

Is reflection the key to supporting the growing crisis of mental health across young men in Europe and America?

Men’s mental health is becoming a worldwide crisis, with young men accounting for “four out of every five suicides,” in Europe and North America (Payne, Swami and Stanistreet, 2008). Many are struggling to discuss their personal issues because of having to stick to societal norms which encourages them to bottle up their emotions (Sullivan, Camic and Brown, 2014). Studies have indicated that changes are needed because young men aren’t using the services around them to seek help. Figures indicate “that only around 30% of people who use mental services are men” (Smith et al., 2013). We therefore need to encourage males to reflect on their experiences. Providing a talking point to discuss experiences could give them the confidence they need to open up about their mental health issues.