Men’s Mental Health:

We’re often told women report mental health difficulties twice as often as men.
But men face persistent, and often invisible, barriers that can prevent them from talking to people about challenges they are facing. There are many reasons why these barriers exist and it starts from a young age:

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1. Early conditioning: From boyhood, many are taught to “man up” and hide feelings. This normalises emotional repression, making distress harder to spot until it spills into relationships, work, or health.

2. Services that miss the mark: Fewer male-focused helplines, limited outreach, and low awareness of how symptoms can show up differently mean many men slip through the net.

3. Systemic inequality: Black men are four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Older gay, bisexual, trans, and queer men often face poorer health due to historic discrimination (King’s Fund, 2024).

4. Workplace silence: In industries like construction, emergency services, and the armed forces, resilience is prized, and admitting strain can still be career-limiting.

Because of these pressures, men are three times more likely to die by suicide, more likely to use substances or alcohol to cope, more likely to go missing, and more likely to report lower life satisfaction (Mental Health Foundation).

The silence is shifting. More men are breaking free from the traditional pressure to stay quiet, choosing instead to show up authentically. This change is helping them connect more deeply with themselves and with the people around them. We’re now seeing more men attend therapy than ever before, and it’s making a real difference in lives, relationships, and wellbeing.
 

Need Urgent Help Right Now?

If things feel urgent and it's out of hours, support is available 24/7:

• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7) NHS

• Urgent Mental Health Helpline: Call 111 and press option 2

• Open Mental Health Somerset (24/7): 01823 276 892 ​

Other Somerset-based support

Yeovil Men’s Shed: A welcoming space for practical projects and conversation A welcoming space for practical projects and good conversation. Get in touch: yeovilshed@gmail.com
 

Want to speak to a therapist in Yeovil?

If you’re considering counselling and want to know more about what it involves, one of our friendly team members would be happy to talk. We offer professional, confidential therapy in Yeovil, no assumptions, no pressure, just a space to be heard.
 

• £70 for individual therapy (trauma informed) 

• £80 trauma specialist therapy online and in-person

• £120 per session for couples therapy

• £30 per session with a student counsellor(ideal for clients with moderate mental health needs, life transitions, everyday challenges, or feeling stuck or lost). Student counsellors are in the final stages of training and work under close supervision.