It’s Okay to Feel: Self-Care & Support for Men’s Mental Health

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, but this isn’t just a reminder. It’s a much needed pause. A check-in. A chance to say: we see you. We hear you. And we know it hasn’t always been easy to say how you’re really doing.

Why It’s Harder for Men to Talk About Mental Health

Men face unique challenges when it comes to mental health. From boyhood, many are taught to "man up," "be strong," or "don’t cry." But emotions don't work like that. Forcing men to bottle up their emotions only causes deeper trauma overtime. Sigmund Freud said, "Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways."

Here’s how men can start to care for their mental health — backed by real data and everyday logic:

1. Talk to your people

You don’t need to pour your heart out right away but even saying, “I’ve been going through it” matters. 📊 Men are 3.5x more likely to die by suicide than women, yet are less likely to report mental health struggles (NIMH, 2024).

Opening up can literally save a life. Yours or someone else’s.

2. Make peace with rest

Rest is resistance. Especially when society teaches you that your worth is tied to productivity. 📊 A 2024 APA study found that men who reported poor sleep were twice as likely to report depressive symptoms.

Prioritizing rest improves emotional regulation, energy levels, and patience.

3. Move your body with love, not punishment

Not every movement needs to be about “gains.” Moving is also about releasing stress and reconnecting with your body. 📊 Exercise has been linked to up to a 30% reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms in men (Harvard Health, 2024).

A quick walk, dance break, or stretch counts.

4. Get creative

You don’t need to be an artist to create. Music, doodling, or even woodworking can help you process emotions and lower stress. 📊 A study in Psychology of Men & Masculinity found that creative expression helped men reduce internalized stigma around mental health.

Creating offers a non-verbal way to express what’s too big for words.

5. Say it out loud

Naming what you feel is powerful. It gives your brain clarity and reduces stress on your nervous system. 📊 According to UCLA research, labeling your emotions can reduce amygdala activity (the part of the brain tied to fear/stress).

Just saying “I feel off” can start the process of self-awareness and healing.

🧩 A 2024 CDC report found that men aged 20–39 had the highest rates of depression among men at 14.3%, but most aren’t seeking help.

〰️ Self-Care Tips for Men That Don’t Feel Corny

• Solo drive or Long walk & playlist therapy: curate your mental health playlist and take the long way home.
• 5-minute  check-in: ask yourself: How am I really? What do I need today?
• Monthly “off” day: no errands, no responsibilities, just recharge.
• Join a group or space with intention: men's circles, dad groups, creative workshops, or even barbershop conversations.
• Hit the gym: You don't have to be a bodybuilder, just relieve that stress through lifting weights, stretching, or cardio.

📲 Resources for Men’s Mental Health

• Therapy for Black Men: www.therapyforblackmen.org
• Free Peace: www.freepeace.us
  
• Black Men Heal: www.blackmenheal.org
• Men’s Health Network: www.menshealthnetwork.org
• HeadsUpGuys: Mental health resource for men: www.headsupguys.org
• Brother, You’re On My Mind: National initiative supporting mental health for Black men
• Get Healthy Philly: https://www.instagram.com/gethealthyphilly

You Deserve To Be Okay

You don’t have to be what society deems as strong all the time and you don’t have to do it alone. This month and moving forward you deserve the full range of your emotions, your care, and your healing.

💌 PS: If you’re reading this for a man you love…

Check in. Send this to him. Remind him that vulnerability is not just allowed — it’s brave. It's real. It's necessary.