Forum: Men's mental health deserves a seat at the table
Every June, Men's Mental Health Month comes and goes with too little noise in Singapore. In a society where boys are still told to 'man up' and tears are a sign of weakness, the mental health struggles of men remain largely invisible.
To truly achieve a more equitable society, we must be prepared to have difficult, necessary conversations, including those about men's mental health.
As a social worker who has worked with male perpetrators of interpersonal harm, I have seen how unresolved trauma issues, depression and substance misuse often lie beneath violent behaviour. Global studies suggest that between 25 per cent and 60 per cent of male perpetrators may struggle with mental health disorders. While mental illness is never an excuse for violence, this data underscores the urgent need to integrate mental health support into violence-prevention strategies, especially for boys and men raised to repress emotion and avoid help-seeking.
From 2019 to 2023, the number of suicides among men in Singapore was significantly higher than among women. Boys are less likely to seek help than girls. Mental disorders are now the leading cause of disability and death among children aged 10 to 14, according to a May 2025 study in The Lancet Public Health. And yet, we still struggle to talk openly about men's emotional well-being.
The Netflix docuseries Adolescence has powerfully reignited this conversation. The show reveals how early boys are taught to suppress emotions, fear vulnerability and measure success through dominance. This isn't just 'boys being boys' – it's the early formation of a mental health crisis.
At Aware, we believe that patriarchy hurts everyone, and if we are serious about dismantling it, we must challenge not just the power structures that oppress women, but also the rigid gender expectations that harm men. It is with this hope and knowledge that we have embarked on running workshops focusing on masculinity for young men; understanding that gender justice is not just for women, but for all who are harmed by oppressive gender norms, including men, queer and trans individuals, and marginalised boys.
This is not about shifting resources away from women. It's about recognising how rigid gender norms affect everyone; and building a society where care, vulnerability and healing are seen not as signs of weakness, but as essential parts of being human.
Bharathi Manogaran
Deputy Executive Director, Aware
More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
US NIH director hopes administration will settle with universities over suspended grants
U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's budget request for the NIH, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura WASHINGTON - National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya told a U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday he was hopeful that President Donald Trump's administration would reach a settlement with universities that have had research grants suspended. "I'm very hopeful that a resolution being made with the universities where those decisions have been made, where those grants have been paused," Bhattacharya said while appearing at a hearing of the Senate Appropriation Committee's Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on the NIH's 2026 budget request. Dozens of scientists, researchers and other employees at the NIH issued a rare public rebuke on Monday ahead of the hearing, criticizing the Trump administration for major spending cuts that "harm the health of Americans and people across the globe," politicize research and "waste public resources." The NIH has terminated 2,100 research grants totaling about $9.5 billion and an additional $2.6 billion in contracts since Trump took office Jan. 20, they said in the letter. The contracts often support research, from covering equipment to nursing staff working on clinical trials. The White House wants to reduce U.S. health spending by more than a quarter next year, with the NIH facing the brunt with a cut of $18 billion, or 40%, from this year's budget, leaving it with $27 billion. The Trump administration wants to cut funding altogether for four of the agency's 27 institutes and centers while consolidating others into five new ones. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
When melody meets medicine: A look at Singapore's growing music therapy scene
A burgeoning scene here, music therapy uses music to improve physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO SINGAPORE – It is not uncommon for musicians to have a dream stage. Perhaps a sold-out arena or a dim jazz bar steeped in soul. Mr Bakti Khair's is a hospital ward. Becoming a music therapist was a hope he held onto for more than seven years. Through being a primary school music teacher, getting married and becoming a father, the dream never wavered. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Straits Times
Australia's Monash IVF reports second embryo incident in two months
Australia's Monash IVF reports second embryo incident in two months Australian fertility group Monash IVF on Tuesday reported a new incident related to an embryo transfer, within a couple of months after reporting a similar case where a doctor accidentally implanted the wrong embryo. The latest incident, which occurred on June 5 at the company's Clayton laboratory, has been reported to regulatory bodies and the company's insurer, Monash said, issuing an apology to the impacted couple. The company is also conducting an internal investigation. The firm added that it is implementing additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future. The clinic owner in April reported a similar incident where an Australian woman gave birth to a stranger's baby due to a Monash fertility doctor's error. Shares of Monash are down about 31% since the news. The mix-up has drawn attention to an industry that was largely self-regulated until recently and raised concerns about security protocols at IVF clinics. The facilities are regulated by a mix of Australian industry bodies and state government agencies. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
