From being labelled ‘manipulative’ for expressing emotions to being told “real men don’t need therapy”, the mental health journey for many men is still shadowed by outdated ideas and expectations. As we mark Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, My Kolkata asked men across professions what they don’t want to hear in 2025. The answers are candid, honest, and a reminder of how far we still have to go.
‘Social media often turns mental health into a performative act’
“Unsolicited advice — that’s what I don’t want. Every man faces unique challenges. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Often, we don’t need advice, just space. I’ve seen how empathy and patience can help in navigating personal and professional struggles. Social media often turns mental health into a performative act. It’s a deeply personal issue, not something to reduce to hashtags and likes. Let’s not trivialise it.”
— Sourav G Roy, 54, author/poet; former VP at HSBC and programme manager at IBM
‘When I open up… it’s dismissed as a tactic’
“One of the most hurtful words I’ve been called is ‘manipulative’. When I open up, cry, or try to explain my feelings, it’s dismissed as a tactic. That label makes me feel like my emotions are fake. It shuts down any honest conversation. I just want to be taken at face value — not with suspicion or second-guessing.”
— Somdev Chaudhuri, 54, independent consultant – EdTech & HRTech
‘I realised being different is okay’
“I was always told boys can’t have pink drinks or listen to the Spice Girls — it made me question myself as a kid. I never liked sports either, and that was treated as a flaw. Over time, I realised being different is okay. Many men struggle silently because they’re taught not to acknowledge mental health. We need to change that — in 2025, it’s okay to ask for help.”
— Gourab Chatterjee, actor, 40
‘Mental health doesn’t depend on gender’
“One stereotype I want to bury is ‘Real men don’t need therapy’. I’ve had counselling in Germany, and it helped me immensely. Therapy gives you tools that last. Also, phrases like ‘man up’ or ‘men don’t get depressed’ are just ignorant. I’ve cried, I’ve struggled, and I’ve also grown. Mental health doesn’t depend on gender — it depends on awareness, empathy, and support.”
— Anirban Saha, data scientist, 36
‘Cope with mental health issues together’
“One stereotype I certainly wouldn't want to hear in 2025 is that a man must be strong enough to cope with mental health issues on his own. Everyone, regardless of gender, needs help at some point, during some crisis. It could be in the form of emotional support from somebody close to you. That is the kind of help that enabled my sister and me to pull each other through a crisis involving the loss of someone we both loved dearly. We reminisced together, felt the loss together, cried together (disregarding that other myth about men not crying) and survived together, emerging stronger and more resilient. Or it could be professional or medical help, the kind that a friend was lucky enough to receive, thanks to a wife who, along with their doctor, managed to convince him that medication and therapy would help his condition.”
— Kushal Biswas, 62, associate professor and teacher-in-charge, Women's Christian College