Gender differences: a special note about male mental health

Emotional ups and downs and more serious mental health issues can affect ANYONE, regardless of your gender identification.

Sadly, we know that boys and young men still often struggle more that girls and young women to express what they are going through. There are lots of reasons for this, but one is that there is too much talk of having to “man up” and cover up sensitive feelings from a young age.

We want you to know that things ARE changing. Even if your family or friends don’t understand or they tease you about being sensitive, your teachers and other people that work in schools will want to hear about any difficulties that you are having.

There are also plenty of other people out there who will listen to you. Your public health nurse is always a good person to get in touch with; they are trained to understand, and they know it can feel a bit different for boys and young men.

Remember, showing feelings is not a weakness. It is human, it is normal, and it is a sign of strength.