This is a contributed article.

Girls in general tend to be a more prominent part of the conversation when it comes to teen mental health, in part due to their greater rates of reported depression and anxiety. And the statistics are telling a silent tale – one that is claiming lives.

The Jed Foundation points out that males, including teenage boys of older ages, are four times as likely to end their own lives as females. But even in the face of this frightening statistic, boys and young men are dramatically less likely to consult a mental health professional or even confide in a friend about what they are facing.

Why? Much of the solution can be found in cultural conditioning. From an early age, boys are told things such as “man up” or “do not cry”. In the course of this social training, they are taught, over time, that displaying emotion is a sign of weakness. The consequence is the creation of a generation of young men who have some serious emotional baggage that they keep at home and cannot keep in.

This quiet epidemic is particularly exacerbated in Arizona, particularly in some rural areas, like Apache Junction and the lower portion of Pinal County, which shows an extreme provider shortage of mental health services. 

In Arizona, more than 90 percent of communities are designated mental health professional shortage areas, and 233 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) were identified in the state. In such regions, seeking assistance can be tantamount for a teenage boy.

Reason Why Boys Tend to Keep Suffering in Secrecy

The refusal of boys to help is not an absence of feelings but rather the negativity of them. Studies indicate that conventional gender roles, which are commonly referred to as toxic masculinity, demand that men be tough, independent, and emotionally stoic.

This has actual implications:

  • Internalized emotions may cause an unexpected eruption of anger or aggression.
  • Depression or anxiety left unaddressed may escalate and even cause the problem of substance abuse.
  • Suicidal thoughts can actually be invisible as boys tend to conceal distress behind humour, withdrawal or risk-taking behaviours.

These are not problems that just impact the teen, they move through families and friendships as well as whole communities.

Virtual Care-A Doorway to Help Teenage Boys

With the stigma and access challenges, mental health professionals are trying new methods of reaching boys who may never step foot in an office of a traditional therapist.

A very promising alternative is Avery’s House Online Teen IOP Program, where the convenience of telehealth is partnered with structured, small-group therapy focused on adolescents. This program enables teen boys to get help in the privacy of their home location- eliminating the travel factor in rural settings and the stigma of being observed when going to therapy.

Shifting the Discourse Around Male Mental Health

To change the silent conversation about boys and mental health, we need to do more than provide therapy but it involves changing it.

1. Normalization of the Expression of Emotions

 Parents, coaches, and teachers can be open models by discussing their own obstacles and opening up to demonstrate that vulnerability is a strength.

2. Apply with Targeted outreach

 It is possible to focus on the areas of sports teams, gaming communities, and school clubs as ways into discussing mental health.

3. Give Men Good Role Models

 Young men can be impacted by hearing the speech of male mentors or role models who have experienced (and coped with) mental health issues.

4. Eliminate Practical Barriers

 Telecommuting programs eliminate the need to travel by car, often long distances, using up much of a day off work to do so, as well as eliminating waits, another major problem of rural and busy families.

The importance of this in Arizona

The stakes are even higher in the communities with a limited supply of mental health providers such as Apache Junction. Already reluctant to ask anyone for help, boys with months‑long backlogs or a two hour drive to the closest counselor may just shrug their shoulders.

Access to online and small‑group care can be increased so that help is available when it is needed the most. This is not only treatment but prevention. The case can be prevented by early intervention before the bad week develops into a crisis.

Final Thoughts

No psychiatric crisis is more discriminated against and urgent as the silent crisis among teen boys today. There is stigma, societal pressure, and inaccessibility all go together to deny boys the support they require.

There are some solutions though. Using new strategies such as therapy programs, communities can provide young men with secure environments where they can improve connections, share, and recover. The purpose is clear, but with deeper implications to inform boys that the feeling they are going through is acceptable, and their voices are heard, and there should be no stigma in seeking help.

It will be a long time before male mental health becomes de-stigmatized, however, every talk, every call, and every program that is available to help will save a life at a time.