The Invisible Crisis: Reaching Men During Suicide Prevention Month

Men die by suicide at dramatically higher rates than women, accounting for nearly 80% of suicide deaths. Yet many men who are struggling never seek mental health support — and the consequences can be deadly.

On this episode, host Gabe Howard talks with psychiatrist Dr. Sanjay Mathew, board president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), and Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It.”The conversation explores why traditional mental health language and services may not resonate with some men, how anger and irritability can be overlooked warning signs, and why men may be reluctant to seek or continue treatment. They examine the importance of friendship, community, purpose, and feeling needed — and why men may sometimes hold themselves to such high standards that they count themselves out before they even begin.Listeners will learn:

how adjusting the language around mental health may increase engagement among men

why connection and belonging can be critical to men's well-being

how friends and family can help prevent male suicide 

why mental health treatment and therapy are a sign of strength, not weakness

Most importantly, the episode challenges the idea that improving men's mental health means taking anything away from women. The goal, the guests argue, is not either/or — it's helping everyone thrive. Listen now to learn more.

This episode has been sponsored by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). 

“I think sending that message to men and perhaps especially to young men, ‘We need you,’ is actually something that as a culture, we're not doing very well now.” ~Richard Reeves, author of “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It”

Our guest, Richard V. Reeves, is the founder and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM). Before founding AIBM in 2023, Reeves was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, he focused on policies related to economic inequality, racial justice, social mobility, and boys and men.

Reeves is the author of several books, including “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to do About It” and “Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That is a Problem, and What to do Abou