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Redefining Masculinity: Addressing the Stigma Around Men's Mental Health
17 Nov
Summary
- Suicide rates among Indian men 2.6 times higher than women
- Societal expectations that "real men" must suppress emotions
- Lack of gender-sensitive mental health services for men
As of 2025-11-17T12:43:06+00:00, India's mental health crisis continues to claim thousands of lives each year, with a particularly stark impact on men. According to the National Mental Health Survey conducted in 2015-16, nearly 14% of India's population lives with some form of mental disorder, yet only 1 in 10 individuals receives any treatment.
The situation is especially dire for men, with suicide rates 2.6 times higher than among women. In 2021, 118,979 men died by suicide compared to 45,026 women. Experts attribute this disparity to the societal stigma around emotional expression, which conditions boys from a young age to suppress their feelings and endure hardships without complaint. This "culture problem" often persists into adulthood, with men in rural communities citing social stigma, lack of privacy, and fear of ridicule as key deterrents to seeking mental healthcare.
