Protect Our Men

The Silent Crisis Among Men: Breaking the Cycle of Unseen Struggles

The day before yesterday, my newly married friend lost her husband to a heart attack—another young life taken too soon. My uncle died of a heart attack in his early forties, as did my teacher in his late forties due to heart complications. A friend’s brother also passed away in the prime of his life from a heart attack, while my patient’s teenage son lost his battle with aplastic anemia. In another painful turn, a friend's younger brother fell into a path of radicalization and violence, and an acquittance has been living under a cloud of despair and chaotic thoughts for three years now due to personal trauma.

What’s happening here? Why are we losing our men to these silent struggles?

It’s clear we’re seeing a troubling trend: our men are buckling under the weight of social expectations, pressures, and rigid, unforgiving models of masculinity. We expect men to be flawless pillars of strength and success—never allowed mistakes, weakness, or even compassion for themselves. Society often views mediocrity or vulnerability in men as signs of failure, and it’s becoming a deadly burden.

Yes, discussions about men are heated today, especially with the prevalence of domestic violence and rape cases. But alongside these necessary conversations, we’re also seeing a backlash—many men are withdrawing, afraid to open up or express vulnerability in front of women, even those close to them like sisters, mothers, and wives. For fear of being painted with the same brush as the “monsters” who commit such horrendous acts, many men are retreating further into isolation and silence.

Let’s draw a line here: the men who commit violent acts are a far cry from the majority who carry the weight of being “good men.” Those who harm others are a twisted segment of society—individuals who have chosen to give in to their basest instincts. The vast majority of men, though, are struggling in silence, confusing themselves with those outliers and suffering quietly under the mistaken belief that they’re no different.

We need to protect our men from this inner turmoil. We need to help them shed the “beast” label they fear and let them see that it’s okay to be human, flawed, and vulnerable.

It’s time we start reshaping our expectations, fostering compassion, and opening up more spaces where men can talk about their struggles without fear. A healthy society needs healthy men—ones who know they’re more than society’s expectations, more than their insecurities, and more than the mistakes of a few.