Young men continue to face significant barriers in accessing mental health support, with rigid societal expectations around masculinity often discouraging help-seeking. To address this challenge, Orygen has released a new report and policy framework, Real Talk: Masculinity and Young Men’s Mental Health, which lays out an 11-point plan aimed at improving outcomes for this group.
The plan proposes practical measures including updating the National Men’s Health Strategy, increasing the capacity of health professionals, and creating more opportunities for young men to build social connections. Recognizing the influence of digital spaces, the report also calls for stronger regulation of harmful online content and initiatives to help young men critically evaluate information they encounter online.
Orygen policy analyst Ashleigh Bulluss, lead author of the report, emphasized that young men experience unique obstacles in navigating mental health services. “Our recommendations focus on designing services that meet young men where they are, both in person and online, while promoting constructive support,” Bulluss said.
New data from a YouGov survey of 800 young men aged 16-25 underscores the urgency of these efforts: 67% reported that social expectations of men negatively affect their mental health, and 81% said these expectations make it harder for men to seek help. Meanwhile, 76% felt mental health outcomes could improve if supports were more tailored to their needs, and 90% believed more could be done to attract men into mental health professions that support young men.
Orygen’s 11-point policy plan includes:
- Updating the National Men’s Health Strategy to better support young men.
- Promoting positive messages on masculinity and mental health in spaces where young men already engage.
- Increasing investment in social media regulation and content moderation.
- Helping young men critically assess online content.
- Investing in opportunities for social connection.
- Strengthening the capacity of health professionals to support young men.
- Building partnerships to enhance engagement with health services.
- Considering digital mental health support for young men within the National Early Intervention Service.
- Expanding understanding of diverse masculine norms and their impact on mental health.
- Increasing knowledge about how online content affects young men’s mental health.
- Consolidating research and insights on young men’s mental health.
The report positions these recommendations as a roadmap for creating more responsive and effective mental health services for young men, emphasizing the importance of addressing both social and digital influences on well-being.
Read the full report here.
