Pressure on mental health services across the UK is leaving many men without timely support when they need it most.
Author
- Richard Gater
Research Assistant at the Centre for Adult Social Care Research, Cardiff University
Men in the UK die by suicide at more than three times the rate of women. There's a link between poor mental health and suicide , which means men's wellbeing needs urgent attention. Yet long NHS waiting lists for psychological support mean that many men are unable to access help when they need it.
In Wales, the mental health charity Mind Cymru reports that more than 2,000 people with moderate to severe mental health problems are waiting over six months for therapy in any given month. When men are unable or unwilling to seek support, they have historically been inclined to engage in alternative coping strategies, such as substance use .
As formal services come under increasing strain, informal men's groups, including community-based peer support groups, continue to grow. These groups remain poorly understood. New research by my colleagues and I on these groups in Wales shows that they could help fill an important gap in mental health support.
We surveyed 30 men's wellbeing groups across Wales and found that these initiatives are thriving despite limited resources. More than 80% reported rising attendance, drawing in men of all ages, which suggests they may be responding to unmet demand.
Most groups were volunteer-run and operated without public funding, which many highlighted as the biggest barrier to providing the group. Only 21% reported having any professionally qualified staff.
Yet these groups offer men a space where they can turn up and talk without fear of judgment. Their informal environments often appeal to men who feel uncomfortable with clinical structures, assessments, diagnoses and formal appointments. Community groups help remove barriers that can deter men from seeking support and can create a trusting environment perceived as more "male-friendly".
From health by stealth to emotional openness
Traditionally, men's wellbeing community initiatives, such as Men's Sheds , have used "health by stealth" approaches. This means that by engaging in activities together, men are encouraged to communicate with one another. While 40% of groups still used these methods, the research showed a clear shift. Emotional expression is now central in many groups rather than incidental.
Talking about personal issues featured strongly in our survey responses, with nearly 80% of the groups saying they actively encouraged men to speak openly about personal difficulties. Activities used to allow for conversation included support groups, structured discussions and one-to-one conversations.
Emotional expression matters because traditional masculine norms , especially the expectations that men should be tough, reject weakness and hide vulnerability, have made it difficult for many men to talk openly about mental health. These challenges are intensified by long NHS waiting lists that can stretch into months and leave men without timely support.
Against this backdrop, our research shows that community groups are especially important and could help fill an important gap in mental health support. These groups are creating spaces where men can be more emotionally open and talk about difficulties before they escalate. In doing so, they challenge traditional masculine norms and the idea that men simply will not talk about their problems .
Our evidence contributes to emerging research showing that when the environment feels safe, men do talk. This shift reflects a broader cultural moment in which more inclusive expressions of manhood are being promoted and widely accepted , and softer expressions of masculinity are becoming more common among men .
A quiet cultural shift
The growth of these community support groups signals a subtle but meaningful shift in how men are experiencing different types of masculinity. These groups are not only helping men cope with health difficulties, but also helping reshape the landscape of manhood.
Within these spaces, men are learning to express vulnerability without feeling that it undermines their identity or masculinity. This matters because these groups may be offering support at a time when demand for NHS mental health services is exceeding what is available.
But informal volunteer‑led services also come with their own challenges. Operating without qualified staff means limited regulation and uncertainty about the quality, standard and consistency of the support on offer.
Our research had a modest sample size, so we still do not know exactly how these groups operate in everyday practice or what they offer to different men. More detailed and in‑depth research would help build this understanding and provide clearer insight into how these groups might complement overstretched NHS services.
Richard Gater does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
