网爆门

Stress is the most common reason men seek therapy for the first time, according to our 2025 Public Perceptions Survey¹.

More than half of men (57%) who had their first therapy session in the past two years did so because of stress, our survey found.

Anxiety came a close second (56%) and depression (50%) was the third most common reason men sought therapy for help.

Of those men who鈥檝e had therapy for stress, more than eight in 10 (84%) said the experience was helpful.

We鈥檝e released the figures for this year鈥檚 Men鈥檚 Health Week.

鈥淢en experience stress in unique ways with common causes including societal pressure to fulfil certain roles and the tendency to overidentify with their careers, financial success and status,鈥� says therapist Ayo Ayeside.

How to spot signs of stress in men

鈥淪tress doesn鈥檛 always show up as a panic attack or sleepless nights,鈥� explains .

鈥淔or many men, it鈥檚 a shorter fuse with their partner or kids, drinking more than usual, sleeping less, or feeling irritable at work. These are early warning signs. You don鈥檛 have to white-knuckle through them.鈥�

agrees: "The men I work with in therapy might recognise they're stressed at work and at home, but they often struggle to acknowledge that the intensity of their lives is leading to burnout, anxiety and depression.

鈥淪econdary impacts of stress - drinking too much, arguing with their spouses, sleeping terribly - are often what bring them to my door.

Ayo says that in her experience stress sometime masks long-standing mental health issues that men don鈥檛 have the language for.

鈥淪ome things to look out for, although this is not an exhaustive list, include increased irritability and anger, feeling overwhelmed or confused, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, feelings of worthlessness and a diminished interest in sex.

鈥淧hysically, stress may manifest as low energy, sleep issues, headaches, muscle ache/pain particularly in the chest area, shortness of breath and digestion issues.

鈥淏ehavioural changes include alcohol/drug misuse, social withdrawal and reduced interest in activities, eating too much or too little, procrastination or a general neglect of responsibilities,鈥� she adds.

What can help men with stress

Acknowledge and accept how they feel

鈥淚t helps to first acknowledge and accept how they feel,鈥� says Ayo. 鈥淭his can be done alone, of course, but working with a therapist may make this easier whilst helping to understand where some of these coping mechanisms come from.

鈥淭hey need space to redefine the societal norms and pressures that cause stress.

Conversely, depression and anxiety could themselves be symptoms of stress along with a host of other mental, physical and behavioural symptoms.鈥�

Be realistic about their lives

"We need to be careful not to sound too preachy when it comes to helping men manage stress. I work with men who like working long hours, get meaning through their job and enjoy a drink to unwind,鈥� says Matt.

鈥淭elling them to go on a yoga retreat or to get a better work/life balance can be heard as patronising and unrealistic.鈥�

Find ways to handle stress that align with their personalities

鈥淗elp them identify ways to handle stress that align with their personalities and values,鈥� Matt advises. 鈥淭his could be an exercise-related or making sure they're hanging out with their good friends more often.

鈥淚t can be hard if they're leading busy lives. So, the best way forward is often for them to look at things they can subtract rather than things they need to add.鈥�

Therapy can help

鈥淭herapy isn鈥檛 weak or self-indulgent鈥攊t鈥檚 about being honest and taking responsibility,鈥� says Matt. 鈥淚f you already take responsibility for your work, your family, and your finances, then do the same for your mental health. That鈥檚 what strong men do.鈥�

鈥淢y role is often to prove early in the work that therapy can be helpful - in their relationships, in their communication, in their work,鈥� says Graham.

鈥淭hat doesn't have to involve opening-up too much or being too vulnerable. We might get there; we might not. What's important to me is whether they get the support and help they need."

¹ About the Public Perceptions Survey

The survey data was collected using a self-complete, online methodology. A nationally representative sample of 5,150 adults (aged 16+) was taken from YouGov鈥檚 online research panel and results were weighted to provide a nationally representative dataset. Fieldwork for the 2025 survey was conducted between the 13 February and 4听March 2025.