Canada's first men's health strategy takes shape after 6,000 voices expose a crisis of silence
Too many men suffering in silence, national health report finds (Canada)
A national consultation with nearly 6,000 Canadians found that too many men and boys struggle with mental health and isolation without seeking help. Health Minister Marjorie Michel released the What We Heard Report during Movember, ahead of International Men's Day. Advocates like the Canadian Men's Health Foundation and Movember call for earlier intervention, noting that improving men's health could save an estimated $12.4 billion annually. The findings will guide Canada's first Federal Men and Boys' Health and Well-being Strategy, expected in early 2027.
For too long, we have waited until they're in crisis before offering help. We need to reach boys and young men earlier.
- neya
A good start would be enforcing truly gender neutral laws by governments all over the world. I personally know at least a dozen men who have been harassed by biased laws and judges when it comes to divorce. These are good men, who worked really hard and took care of their wives very well, only to get either cheated on or scammed for money and lost everything. 2 of them are even almost homeless now. Most of them have aged so poorly after just 2 years into the divorce. Their wives aren't even homemakers who sacrificed anything who are getting paid, mostly working women who have good lawyers who just abuse the laws to steal wealth. Until this system is fixed, men's mental health will always be down the toilet.
What I really learned from these men is never sign a contract where the other party is incentivized to break it.
- midtake
I strongly oppose all comments that seem to have the causal relationship reversed, that somehow by some biological effect they are now more depressed than in the past. I think that instead the extreme demands of society are the cause and that suffering in silence is the result.
What do you expect when most men have been priced out of a happy life? What do you expect when most men are villainized in the stories that dominate narratives in modern media? What do you expect when men are uniquely dehumanized and calling men less-than is okay regarding height, looks, money, or outward masculinity? If anything I am surprised that the numbers indicating suffering in silence aren't worse.
- tete
I think the fact that in general women are considered to have more mental health issues and men committing suicide way more often shows that this headline is true.
- legitster
I read through the underlying report, but the survey itself is extremely unremarkable.
There were only 12 very vague questions - and none actually asked the respondent about how they felt personally: "Where do you believe stereotypes about masculinity primarily come from?"
Only about 2/3 of the respondents even identified as male - this isn't a serious study of how men themselves feel. It's more of a survey about the public perception of men.
- georgeburdell
This is a trap, just like it’s a trap when my wife asks me what’s wrong, I give an honest answer, and then I’m scorned for being weak [1]. Men need to cultivate an internal compass. The government can alleviate the issue by stopping the systemic preference of women that they have instituted in education, employment, and law.
[1] To head things off, I’m fine, thanks to a few sessions of therapy a few years back
- _qua
National health reports cannot fix deep-seated cultural issues. I'm sure they'll come out with a nice report on strategies to improve men's wellbeing that won't make a lick of difference unless the world at large starts to shift.
- Dem_Boys
Men struggling is no surprise. Today's world is not well suited to their strengths (physical strength, risk taking, aggression, etc..). It's better suited for women and they're winning in a ton of important categories that contribute to quality of life. To compound this, the dating scene for men is abysmal. Women have so much power in the dating market and use it to their benefit as men did before them.
Men especially take this hard. I find men have a very very strong urge to get ahead, succeed, and climb the ladder of success. If they consistently fail at this AND can't find a partner it gets really rough. I have a close friend going through this now and he is contemplating ending it. I'm visiting him everyday just to try to bring a smile to his face
- maerF0x0
Got my hand slapped by HR for posting Movember stuff or International Men's day stuff. Silence is a learned response.
- robswc
I don't believe I suffer, but it seems pretty obvious why someone would do it in silence. Many times when I tried to get help from institutions for anything nobody seemed to care much at all. It's like you could either deal with your problems in silence or deal with them "out loud" and have people pretend to care while looking helpless.
To be sure, not referencing mental health here but rather virtually any issue institutions claim to care about.
- marksbrown
The birds they sing,
At break of day.
Start again I heard them say.
Dwell not on what has passed away,
Or what is yet to ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There's a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.