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Mental health resources for men

For advice and to get connected to local mental health services, call Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212. Check the operating times.

Key facts

  • Your mental health is an important part of your overall health and wellbeing.
  • Mental health problems are common and can affect anyone.
  • Signs of a mental health problem may include ongoing distress or changes in how you think, feel or behave.
  • Getting support early can help problems become less severe and easier to manage.
  • You can support your mental health by looking after your body, staying connected with others and doing activities you enjoy.

What is mental health?

Mental health is a state of emotional and social wellbeing. It affects how you cope with the normal stresses of life.

A person with good mental health may:

  • work productively
  • contribute to their community
  • reach their potential

Just like your physical health, your mental health may be affected by different conditions and illnesses.

Mental health conditions can affect everyone, regardless of your sex or gender.
This page is about mental health resources for men but may be helpful to anyone.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

How can I recognise a mental health problem?

It’s common to feel sad, worried or stressed at times. These feelings may be a sign of a mental health problem if they:

  • do not go away
  • make it hard for you to manage your daily life
  • cause you ongoing distress

Signs of a mental health problem include changes in how you think, feel or behave, such as:

  • feeling overwhelmed or irritable
  • withdrawing from friends or family
  • having trouble sleeping
  • changes in your appetite
  • using more alcohol or drugs than usual

Common mental health conditions

Common mental health conditions may include:

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • schizophrenia
  • bipolar disorder
  • addiction

What are common mental health problems for men?

Many things in life can negatively affect your mental and emotional wellbeing. Common reasons you might be stressed, anxious or angry include:

Pressure and expectations

Pressure to meet expectations about masculinity may affect your mental health and make it harder to ask for help. You may feel pressure to:

  • provide financially for your family
  • be self-reliant
  • think logically
  • be independent
  • not show emotion
  • be successful

Shame, embarrassment and wanting to deal with problems alone can make it harder for some men to ask for help.

Why is my mental health important?

Your mental health is an important part of your overall health and wellbeing. Good mental health helps you:

  • cope with stress and life's challenges
  • have healthy relationships
  • enjoy life

Your mental health is like your physical health — it needs to be looked after. Read more about good mental health.

How can I improve my mental health and wellbeing?

There are things you can do to help support your mental health:

Read more about anger management, overcoming addiction and creating healthy habits.

Getting support

Getting help early can make mental health problems less severe, shorter in duration and less likely to come back.

Talk to your doctor about mental health. They can help you find support, including a:

It may also help to talk about how you feel with people you trust.

Read more about:

Preparing for an appointment? See our tips on questions to ask your doctor.

How can I talk about mental health?

Warning:

If you need to talk to someone about your mental health, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

It may be difficult to talk about mental health, but living with mental health problems is:

  • common
  • not a sign of weakness
  • important to address — no matter how big or small the problem

If you find it uncomfortable to talk about your mental health, it may help to:

  • remember that you don't have to share everything — only what you are comfortable with
  • ask your friend or family member not to share your conversation with others
  • tell your friend or family member if you would like advice or if you just need them to listen

Supporting someone else

Here are some tips if you think someone you know is struggling with their mental health:

  • ask them how they are doing and let them know that you care
  • listen when they speak and ask questions to show that you are listening
  • show empathy and avoid judging or criticising
  • make sure they are safe — if you are worried that they might be thinking about suicide, don't be afraid to ask them about it

Read more about supporting someone with a mental health problem.

What should I do if I have suicidal thoughts?

Warning:

If you, or someone you know, is having suicidal thoughts and is in immediate danger, call triple zero (000). For help and support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Suicidal thoughts mean thinking about taking your own life. Making suicide plans or attempting suicide are also forms of suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
Remember, you are not alone. It's important to reach out for support from people you trust if you need to.

There are organisations and resources available to support you.

If you are in a crisis, there are ways that you can try to calm yourself:

  • Focus on your breathing and notice each breath as it happens. Try to notice any feelings or body sensations that come up without judging them.
  • Notice your thoughts as thoughts, rather than facts. This may help you step back from overwhelming thoughts and respond in a safer, more flexible way.
  • Make space for your feelings. Trying to push thoughts or feelings can sometimes make them harder to cope with. Instead, it may help to notice them and make space for them without judging yourself.
  • Mindfulness may help you focus on the present moment with openness and without judgement.

These should not replace urgent support in a crisis.

Resources and support

There are many organisations you can contact for mental health support and information:

Telephone or online mental health resources may be helpful if you aren't able to access a health service or find talking to someone face-to-face difficult. Here are some telephone and online resources to try:

Languages other than English

Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (Opens in new tab) offers mental health resources in languages other than English.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

13YARN (Opens in new tab) offers crisis support for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples — call 13 92 76.

Brother to Brother (Opens in new tab) is a crisis line for Aboriginal men — call 1800 435 799.

Information for sexually and gender-diverse families

Qlife offers support (Opens in new tab) for sexually and gender-diverse people — call 1800 184 527.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Last reviewed: April 2026

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