In Conversation With Dr Elvis Psychologist
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South Africa’s men are dying in silence. In townships like Soweto and Alexandra, poverty, unemployment, and rigid expectations of masculinity are fuelling a mental health crisis. With men accounting for nearly 80% of suicides, tomorrow we ask: why are men struggling to speak, and what must change to break this silence?”
Men’s mental health has been described as a silent epidemic. According to the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH), men account for nearly 80% of suicides in South Africa, making them four times more likely to die by suicide than women. Experts say this is not simply about apathy or neglect, it is about stigma, silence, and the pressure to “man up” rather than seek help.
In disadvantaged communities and townships, the crisis is even more pronounced. A study published in PLOS Mental Health found that boys in Alexandra township often describe distress as “pressure” or “overthinking” rather than mental illness. Poverty, unemployment, and violence blur the line between normal hardship and psychological decline, making it harder to recognise when support is needed.
Psychologist Denisha September from SACAP explains that many men function in “survival mode,” masking depression with irritability, substance use, or overwork. Because vulnerability is seen as weakness, men delay seeking help until it is too late. The Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) adds that men are less likely to access mental healthcare and more likely to use maladaptive coping strategies such as alcohol or risk-taking.
Community organisations are stepping in. Groups like SADAG and Brother’s Keeper SA are creating safe spaces for men to talk openly about distress. These grassroots efforts are vital in townships, where formal mental health services are scarce.
Men’s mental health has been described as a silent epidemic. According to the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH), men account for nearly 80% of suicides in South Africa, making them four times more likely to die by suicide than women. Experts say this is not simply about apathy or neglect, it is about stigma, silence, and the pressure to “man up” rather than seek help.
In disadvantaged communities and townships, the crisis is even more pronounced. A study published in PLOS Mental Health found that boys in Alexandra township often describe distress as “pressure” or “overthinking” rather than mental illness. Poverty, unemployment, and violence blur the line between normal hardship and psychological decline, making it harder to recognise when support is needed.
Psychologist Denisha September from SACAP explains that many men function in “survival mode,” masking depression with irritability, substance use, or overwork. Because vulnerability is seen as weakness, men delay seeking help until it is too late. The Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) adds that men are less likely to access mental healthcare and more likely to use maladaptive coping strategies such as alcohol or risk-taking.
Community organisations are stepping in. Groups like SADAG and Brother’s Keeper SA are creating safe spaces for men to talk openly about distress. These grassroots efforts are vital in townships, where formal mental health services are scarce.
