His tragic death underscores a larger pattern: men in crisis often remain invisible in mainstream conversations about mental health.
Globally, men face a severe and often unaddressed health crisis. Male suicide rates are nearly three times those of females—14.7 per 100,000 for men versus 5.3 for women (2). Yet, global mental health programs often exclude men’s unique needs and circumstances. Despite growing awareness, boys and men remain underserved in mental health services and largely absent from international strategies (3)(4).
The following efforts to address men’s mental health have been made:
In the UK, Dr. John Barry, co-author of The Palgrave Handbook of Male Psychology and Mental Health, emphasized that mental health programs must be tailored to men’s needs, recognizing that masculinity, in itself, is not the problem—but ignoring men’s needs is. (5)
In Nigeria, Ola Akinwe, founder of the Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), launched the “Peace Pledge for Boys” campaign to build empathy, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution skills. By guiding boys toward respectful dialogue and self-awareness, the campaign strengthens resilience and tackles early mental health risks often overlooked in global efforts. (6)
Dr. Jamie Huysman of STAR Network highlights the compounded trauma many men face from family breakdowns, toxic relationships, and public stigma. His programs, such as TAR Anon™, provide vital support for survivors of emotional abuse and narcissistic dynamics, especially in the aftermath of high-profile cases that exposed male vulnerability in the face of societal disbelief (7).
Meanwhile, Tom Golden’s work, especially The Way Men Heal, (8) highlights that men often process grief through action, creativity, and sometimes solitude—approaches that are frequently invisible or misunderstood. He urges professionals and loved ones to recognize that men’s grief tends to be “invisible” to most people; often misunderstood or overlooked, and that expecting men to heal like women can lead to missed opportunities for support. (9)
This gap is not confined to psychology. Randy Flood, co-author of Mascupathy, describes how traditional male socialization can lead to emotional suppression, relationship dysfunction, and an aversion to seeking help. His work offers concrete pathways to heal this “malaise of American manhood” through emotional intelligence and authentic connection (10).
Even in the realm of accountability, there is progress. Michael Clark, founder of the Ananias Foundation, works with men who have committed domestic violence and seek to change. His trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent approach reflects a growing consensus: men must be offered both responsibility and redemption in the journey toward mental wellness (11).
Dr. Gilda Carle, in her latest book Real Men Don’t Go Woke, contextualizes this broader crisis within cultural shifts that have delegitimized healthy masculinity. She argues that men are caught between ridicule and expectation, leading to despair and disengagement (12).
The cumulative result? Men and boys lag in 12 key areas worldwide—from health and education to domestic violence services and homeless shelters (13). This reality is measured by tools like the Basic Index of Gender Inequality, which finds men disadvantaged in 91 of 134 countries (14). And yet, funding and policy responses remain disproportionately focused elsewhere.
CALL TO ACTION
As we approach Men’s Health Month in June, (15) we urge the adoption of comprehensive, male-inclusive mental health and public health strategies. Policymakers should establish gender-balanced health councils, integrate male voices in trauma response initiatives, and build services that reflect the unique ways men experience crisis, conflict, and recovery.
The International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) is a non-governmental organization working to address 12 areas of male disadvantage, including mental health and suicide prevention. Join us in advocating for #GenderEqualityForMen, because achieving equality for men will also benefit women.
Links:
(1) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kyren-lacy-lsu-receiver-dead-suicide-police-chase-sheriff-says/
(2) https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/326948/WHO-MSD-MER-19.3-eng.pdf
(3) https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-07/men-s-and-boys-barriers-to-health-system-access-a-literature-review.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
(4) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280308376_Promoting_Mental_Health_and_Wellbeing_with_Men_and_Boys_What_Works
(5) https://www.johnbarrypsychologist.com/books/the-palgrave-handbook-of-male-psychology-and-mental-health
(6) https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19oGN62BPn/
(7) https://www.starnetwork.org/resources/tar-anon
(8) https://lighthousegriefsupport.org/library/the-way-men-heal/
(9)
(10) https://menscenter.org/product/mascupathy/
(11) https://www.ananiasfoundation.org/
(12) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drgilda_excerpted-from-read-men-dont-go-woke-activity-7291176558856179713-Ddsq/
(13) https://www.menandboys.net/
(14) https://www.menandboys.net/pr/basic-index-gender-inequality/
(15) https://menshealthmonth.org
- Mental health crisis
- Kyren Lacy
- men in crisis
- suicide rates
- mental health services
- masculinity
- conflict resolution
- emotional abuse
- domestic violence
- gender inequality
- International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB)
