Abstract

An overview of the statistics on men’s mental health internationally shows that men’s depression and other mental health problems are under-detected and under-treated all over the world. This can be explained in part due to men’s tendency not to seek help. Further, health services appear to have a limited capacity to reach out to men due to men’s unique presentation of symptoms. There may also be a reluctance to do so, with higher levels of substance abuse, anger, withdrawal, and challenging behaviours in men than in women. Yet, more than three times as many men as women commit suicide, and the difference increases to up to five times in single men and in older age. The higher suicide rates in men are linked to undiagnosed (and untreated) mental health problems.