How stigma affects men seeking therapy or emotional support

Open-Inevitable1200 · 2026-02-24T14:56:46+00:00

Purely anecdotal from other mens stories.

Therapy for men seems to still center women. Even marriage counselling which is why most guys don't trust it. The gist of it is telling men to fix something about themselves for the benefit of women whilst women therapy is actual therapy as in walking her through her emotions, helping her deal with stuff etc.

I never went to therapy. But from what others tell me, men essentially get told to 'man up' or see things from another side that coincidentally benefits women.

Normal_Cow1991 · 2026-02-24T16:55:27+00:00

Mostly because of a man's associate/s(both men and women) are most likely to consider him as a liability once the walls are cracked; that ideal version of the man they had in mind, and unfortunately men who truly need help disregard it once that emasculation happens. So they suck it up thinking "Welp, it's another tuesday". I have mentioned in this subreddit how I faced the same exact problem as well.

I'm no fan of catchphrases but "Nobody checks on a man to see if he is OK, they check to see if he is still useful" is something I believe to be true.

World-Three · 2026-02-24T19:52:21+00:00

I know I haven't.

I think if there was a socially deemed healthy place to do it, more men would do it. But when men's mental health day and the loneliness epidemic gets so much hate unprovoked, it is rightfully assumed that having a problem is something they don't want men to actually admit.

The issue is basically sacrificial and it's something people never address. Being a "man" isn't just a title, but a constantly redefined status. There's always going to be people who don't think doing something is manly. So having that vulnerability exist permanently when you can just hide that you're in pain and pretend to not be offended when other men are insulted for something you need, is usually the option most men take to save face.

It's basically a plugged drain. Everyone who needs to get out is forced to drown instead of drain the water. But the world doesn't care because they can't see them. A "man" doesn't need to call the plumber. Die a "man", or live? It's not always that black and white, but I do feel for some people that's where it went.

masculinitytrap · 2026-02-26T05:17:40+00:00

A lot of men don’t resist help. They resist environments where vulnerability feels weaponized. If mental health spaces felt neutral and genuinely confidential, more men would engage.

Vegetable_Let7337 · 2026-02-27T13:05:26+00:00

it ain’t a mental health service and it has a lot of issues buuut you ever wanna see a room of dudes tryin to help others dudes (for free) step in to an AA meeting (open meeting if u ain’t got problem drinkin).

fwiw I been to psychiatrists, therapists, group therapy, rehab, etc and never not once felt like I was treated any differently than a female or stimatized for opening up, which is of course what them services for. i can think of only time I thought someone might be doin that and it was when a guy said somebody had “mental problems” with a sorta mean tone. that’s it

Title	How stigma affects men seeking therapy or emotional support
Author	AltAccountVarianSkye
Upvotes	41
Comments	5
Date	February 24, 2026 2:42 PM UTC (5 months ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1rdi10d/how_stigma_affects_men_seeking_therapy_or/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/how-stigma-affects-men-seeking-therapy-or.1574147 https://theredarchive.com/post/1574147

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