Men’s Mental Health Week 2025: Changing the Conversation – And the System

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This Men’s Health Week (9th–15th June), we’re being invited to think differently.

About mental health. About men. And about the systems that are — or aren’t — helping.

The campaign this year is focused on two vital themes:

1. Advocating for a national Men’s Health Strategy to tackle preventable ill-health and premature death.
2. Promoting honest conversations about mental health, so stigma doesn’t keep men suffering in silence.

Both are urgently needed.

Because right now in the UK:

• 1 in 5 men die before they reach retirement age.
• Suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 50.
• And while men account for 75% of suicides, they’re far less likely to access support or speak up early.

As someone who works with men every week — whether it’s anxiety, burnout, trauma or emotional suppression — I see how deeply this runs.

We don’t just need more awareness. We need real, sustained, compassionate change.

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It’s Not Weakness — It’s Normal.

At The Anxiety Specialist, we don’t do shame. We don’t do stereotypes. We do science-based, person-first mental health support — and one of the things we talk about A LOT is how emotions work, not just how they feel.

Men are not emotionally broken. They’ve just become expected to suppress.

From a young age, many boys learn that it’s safer not to feel. That anger is more acceptable than sadness. That control is better than vulnerability. That “coping” means shutting up, getting on with it, and not asking for help.

But psychology doesn’t work like that. Feelings don’t go away because we ignore them — they get louder, they shift into physical symptoms, they become overwhelming or numbing or just out and out rage or … complete shutdown.

And that’s where we get stuck.

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A Strategy That Starts With Understanding

The call for a comprehensive Men’s Health Strategy isn’t just about better NHS access. It’s about building environments — in families, schools, workplaces and communities — that support emotional wellbeing long before crisis point.

That’s what I try to do in my work: give people the tools to understand their brains, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and create new ways of feeling safe, strong and in control — without having to suppress what’s real.

It’s not about “talking about your feelings” for the sake of it.

It’s about:

• Knowing what’s happening in your body and brain when anxiety hits.
• Understanding the beliefs you’ve inherited and the stories you’re telling yourself.
• Learning practical ways to shift your thoughts, regulate your emotions, and feel in control again.

Because that’s what most men I work with want:

✅ To feel like themselves again.
✅ To manage pressure better.
✅ To stop overthinking, shutting down, or losing their temper.
✅ To actually enjoy their life, not just get through it.

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This Week, Let’s Start Somewhere Simple

If you’re reading this and you’re a man who’s been struggling — or maybe you’re just tired of pretending you’re fine — this is your reminder:

🧠 You’re not broken.
💬 You’re allowed to talk about it.
💡 And support doesn’t have to look like therapy as you imagine it.

At The Anxiety Specialist, I use a combination of positive psychology and cognitive approaches to get to the heart of what’s really going on — and find practical strategies that work for you.

And if you’re someone who cares about men — a partner, friend, teacher, colleague or boss — start the conversation. Not in a way that’s patronising or pushy. Just a quiet, respectful:
“How are you, really?”

It could make more difference than you realise.

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🌟 Let’s Make This the Year We Shift the Stats

Change doesn’t come from campaigns alone — it comes from everyday interactions. From showing up differently. From creating workplaces, homes and friendships where it’s safe to be real.

This Men’s Mental Health Week, let’s back the call for a national strategy and do what we can in our own lives. Because men’s mental health isn’t just a “men’s issue”. It’s a community one.

You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to care enough to ask the question.

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📣 Want to learn more about how anxiety shows up in men and how we can support it differently?

You can find links to our Podcast, practical tips and compassionate, down-to-earth support at
👉 Facebook or get in touch to arrange a free 30 minute chat at https://abitwomlow.as.me/

Whether you’re exploring support for yourself or someone you care about, this is a great place to start.

Let’s keep the conversation going — not just this week, but every week.