7 Truths Men Need to Hear About Mental Health & PTSD

June marks both Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and PTSD Awareness Month. While these campaigns may show up as hashtags or temporary ribbons, the reality behind them is far more complex—and often, far more silent.

In my practice, I’ve worked with men from every walk of life: first responders, professionals, fathers, veterans, and entrepreneurs. What they have in common isn’t weakness—it’s silence. It’s the deep-seated belief that what they’re experiencing is just something they need to “get over.”

But that silence? It’s one of the biggest lies men have been sold. Below are seven truths I believe men need to hear—and not just this month, but every month.

1. Society lied—silence is not strength

From a young age, boys are often praised for “being tough,” “not crying,” or “handling it like a man.” But emotional suppression doesn’t translate to emotional resilience. In fact, research shows that suppressing emotions can increase stress, cortisol levels, and lead to long-term mental health consequences, including depression and anxiety.

Strength isn’t found in silence—it’s found in the ability to acknowledge what’s happening internally and take action to face it head-on. Silence is a short-term shield with long-term consequences.

2. PTSD isn’t just combat-related

The media has narrowly defined PTSD as something soldiers return home with. But in reality, PTSD affects men from all backgrounds. Law enforcement, firefighters, survivors of childhood trauma, medical professionals, and even those who have experienced sudden loss or betrayal can meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

The danger of this limited narrative is that it keeps men from seeking help because their trauma “wasn’t bad enough.” But PTSD isn’t about comparing stories—it’s about how the brain and body respond to overwhelming threat. If you're triggered, avoidant, hypervigilant, or emotionally disconnected, it’s worth exploring—not minimizing.

3. Numbing out isn’t healing

Men are often excellent at compartmentalizing—and that has value in high-stakes professions. But when compartmentalization becomes a lifestyle, it turns into emotional numbness. Whether through alcohol, sex, screen time, adrenaline-seeking, or overworking, these “escapes” don't resolve the underlying issue.

Numbing is an avoidance tactic. And while it can provide short-term relief, it prevents long-term healing. Eventually, the pressure that gets buried finds its way out—usually through physical symptoms, emotional burnout, or damaged relationships.

4. Anger and irritability are symptoms, not personality flaws

Many of the men I work with assume they just have a “short fuse.” But chronic irritability and anger are often overlooked signs of PTSD, anxiety, or unresolved grief. They’re emotional expressions of a nervous system in survival mode.

Rather than pathologizing this as a “bad attitude,” I help clients understand these reactions as signals—evidence of internal dysregulation, not character defects. When we regulate the body and restructure the thoughts, those intense emotional spikes reduce dramatically.

5. Avoiding it won’t make it disappear

Avoidance is a hallmark symptom of trauma—and it's incredibly deceptive. It convinces you that if you just stay distracted, keep busy, or steer clear of the topic altogether, the issue will lose power. But it doesn’t.

Unresolved trauma lingers in the body. It shows up in disrupted sleep, intrusive memories, startle responses, emotional disconnection, and chronic fatigue. Avoidance is like putting a tarp over a leaking roof. Eventually, the damage spreads—and it costs more to repair.

6. Not all therapy is “soft”—it can be strategic

There’s a misconception that therapy only involves endless talk or getting lost in emotion. While deep emotional expression—including tears—is a powerful and valid part of the work, it’s not the whole picture. I offer space for both: the emotional weight you carry and the tools to move forward. My approach combines that openness with a data-driven, outcome-oriented Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework—so clients don’t just feel heard, they see real, measurable progress.

Therapy can be structured. It can be tactical. It can involve tracking symptom improvement, setting measurable goals, and building new pathways in the brain that help you respond rather than react. Strategic therapy doesn’t weaken you—it strengthens your ability to lead your own life with clarity.

7. Risky choices aren’t about thrill—they’re about pain

Many men engage in high-risk behaviors—substance use, reckless driving, infidelity—not because they’re thrill-seekers at heart, but because they’re trying to outrun pain. These choices are not a matter of impulse control; they’re desperate attempts at relief.

Understanding the why behind your behavior doesn’t excuse it, but it can explain it—and that’s where growth begins. Shame keeps men stuck. Insight gives them a way out.

If these truths resonate with you, you’re not alone—and you’re not beyond help.

In my recent podcast, I talk more about how therapy often misses the mark for men—and what a different kind of therapy looks like. It’s not about turning you into someone else. It’s about helping you show up more fully as yourself, without the weight of untreated pain driving your life.

Watch or listen:

• YouTube: Men’s Mental Health & PTSD – What We’re Still Getting Wrong

• Spotify Episode Link

  
  

If you’re ready to work with someone who respects your values, your goals, and your time—book a confidential consultation.https://dgccsuntangledmind.clientsecure.me/