NAS Medical Mission joins the global community in commemorating the month of June as Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a vital campaign dedicated to raising awareness about mental health challenges facing men and boys. This month offers an opportunity to break the silence, dismantle stigma, and promote a culture of compassion, support, and open dialogue about men’s mental health, particularly within the Nigerian context.

Mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance misuse disorders, and suicide, affect millions of men globally. However, men are far less likely than women to seek help or speak openly about emotional struggles. Some of the risk factors that predispose men to
mental health issues include genetic factors, neurodevelopmental disorders, significant negative childhood experiences, traumatic experiences such as having a chronic medical illness, toxic work or marital relationships, and negative life experiences like the loss of loved ones or financial stress.

In Nigeria, the problem is especially acute. According to the World Health Organization, in 2024, 4.9 million Nigerians (2.7%) struggled with anxiety disorders as of 2015.
This situation is worse among men, as male suicide rates are significantly higher than those among women in the country.
Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among men worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), men are three to four times more likely to die by suicide than women. In Nigeria, while data on men’s mental health is still underreported, increasing incidents of substance abuse, domestic violence, and self-harm point to a growing and urgent public health crisis.

Beyond these, substance abuse disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders are also common in the country.

Cultural expectations, societal pressures, economic hardship, and misconceptions about masculinity often prevent Nigerian men from seeking the mental health support they need.
Across Nigeria, men are taught from a young age to be “strong,” to endure silently, and to suppress emotions, often equating vulnerability with weakness. This cultural script leaves many men isolated, overwhelmed, and without the tools or support systems to address their emotional needs. As a result, mental health conditions go untreated, relationships suffer, work productivity declines, and in some tragic cases, lives are lost.

As the health and humanitarian initiative of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), NAS Medical Mission is committed to advancing the total well-being of individuals, families, and communities, physically, mentally, and emotionally. This month, we reaffirm our commitment to raising awareness, offering resources, and encouraging action that will change the narrative for men’s mental health in Nigeria.

We recognize that the health of a nation is not complete without the mental stability of its men. This means reaching into our communities, engaging men of all ages – from students and artisans to corporate professionals and retirees and equipping them with knowledge and safe spaces to seek help.

NAS Medical Mission calls on men to speak up and speak out.
Silence is not strength. It is okay to not be okay. Men must be encouraged to express their emotions, seek help, and speak openly about stress, trauma, or psychological pain. We encourage men to seek professional help. Therapy is not a Western concept. It is a human need. Visiting a psychologist, counsellor, or psychiatrist should not be seen as a weakness but as a responsible, healthy decision. We urge men to use available mental health services in their communities.

Men should build networks of trust where they can talk freely without fear of judgment – among peers, in religious gatherings, at workplaces, or through local community groups. There is a direct link between physical and mental health. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and adequate sleep contribute to mental well-being. We encourage Nigerian men to adopt holistic lifestyles that support total health.

We believe that it is time to redefine what it means to be a man. Being nurturing, emotional, and vulnerable are not signs of weakness. They are human traits. Men must actively reject outdated gender norms that demand emotional suppression.

We urge you to be a brother’s keeper. Check on your friends. Listen more. Sometimes, a simple “How are you, really?” can save a life.

NAS Medical Mission intends to launch a #StrongNotSilent campaign to spotlight Nigerian men who are courageously navigating mental health journeys and to encourage others to follow suit. It is time we start treating mental health with the seriousness and urgency that it deserves – especially for our fathers, brothers, sons, colleagues, and friends. As we mark Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we call on all Nigerians, from policymakers and healthcare providers to community leaders and civil society, to work together in dismantling stigma and building a nation where no man suffers in silence.

Chiazor Odoemene

NAS Medical Mission