Why We're Passionate

Approximately one million Canadian men suffer from mental health issues, and a major depression each year.
Of the 55% of Canadians who meet the criteria for probable PTSD (i.e., anxiety, depression, and significant difficulty coping after an overwhelming event), four in five (82%) experience trouble accessing effective health care needed for support and healing.

On average, approximately 4,000 Canadians take their own lives each year, 75% of whom are men.
Although men and women experience similar mental health challenges, men’s ability and willingness to talk about and seek support for these vital issues are vastly different. Why?
Because the perceived standards of masculinity and the related stigma surrounding men seeking support continues to be challenging. Men still irrationally worry that their mental health issues will pose a burden to others, that they should be able to manage and control their feelings and issues independently, that a ‘strong and capable man’ doesn’t need to ask for help. They also worry that seeking support from others, even a professional, won’t really help them.