This content mentions suicide or suicidal thoughts. Please read with care. There are details of where to find help at the bottom of this page.
When we consider men’s mental health, it’s hard to look beyond the fact that suicide is a leading cause of death for men up to the age of forty. We want to share with you the work we do at the Mental Health Foundation to tackle men's mental health.
How do we address men’s needs?
Any approach to mental health that’s going to work must be adapted to the audience – one size doesn’t fit all, whether it’s mental health services, campaigning messages or community resources. We’ve been working for over 70 years now to understand what works in mental health and apply research evidence in practice.
The population with the highest frequency of deaths by suicide is middle-aged men. If we want to stop men from dying by suicide – and we must – we need to look at what factors affect men’s mental health and how we can help more men to find help and support. When they do, they must be able to get any benefit from mental health services that meet their needs. Too often, that isn’t the case. We know that men are less likely to ask for help.
Explore our programmes of work supporting men's mental health, plus information, advice, blogs and stories from men sharing their experiences of mental health.
Our programmes
Find out more about our programmes that address men's mental health.
Becoming a Man (BAM)
BAM is a mental well-being intervention programme that aims to support young men’s personal development by taking into account their lived experience and the often difficult environments they must navigate. BAM works with young men in schools to help them reach their full potential, make effective decisions in their lives, and instil the values and skills necessary to succeed and contribute to society.
Comhar men’s groups
We deliver self-management courses for Irishmen in mid-life to help give participants a greater sense of choice and control in their lives. It is based on the fact that everyone will already have strategies for managing their mental health, whether or not they know it.
Dads and Football project
Dads and Football, a two-year project, was created to support new dads in response to the inadequate provision that is currently available. Dads and players from Cardiff City joined the groups to discuss how the life change had affected them. 91 dads were also asked about their views, through an online survey.
Parc Prison Peer-led Self-Management Project
This self-management programme ran courses on mental health for male inmates of the UK prison environment for the first time at HM Prison Parc, Bridgend, South Wales.
Supporting farming communities at times of uncertainty
We created a guide with Public Health Wales, which aims to support farming communities at times of uncertainty by providing an action framework to support the mental health and well-being of farmers and their families.
Explore men's mental health
A-Z topic: Men and mental health
Becoming Dad: A guide for new fathers
Men and women: statistics
Podcast: Four men talk about mental health
Blogs and articles
Explore our blogs and articles focused on men and their mental health.
How to pick yourself up when things get tough - 15 tips for men
Boys, men and mental health
A focus on the mental health of minority men
Unmasking men and anger
Stress: it's time to talk
Father's Day: a focus on young fathers and mental health
If you are feeling like ending your life or feel unable to keep yourself safe, please call 999 or go to A&E and ask for the contact of the nearest crisis resolution team. These are teams of mental health care professionals who work with people in severe distress. If you feel affected by the content you have read, please see our get help page for support.