California Focuses on Men’s Mental Health During Suicide Prevention Month

As Suicide Prevention Month continues, California leaders and advocates are drawing attention to a crisis hitting young men especially hard.

Suicide has become the second-leading cause of death for young people between ages 10 and 34, and nearly 80% of those deaths involve men. Experts say stigma surrounding masculinity and mental health is preventing many from reaching out for help.

One of those voices is Stone Stonier, who recalls struggling with suicidal thoughts in eighth grade after realizing he was gay. “I thought that my parents, my siblings, everyone would be better off if I wasn’t around,” he said. Without role models or trusted adults to turn to, he said the isolation felt overwhelming.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order directing state agencies to expand mental health resources and challenge cultural barriers that discourage men from expressing emotion.

“There is a stigma on masculinity where men aren’t supposed to show emotions,” Stonier said. “One way we can break this barrier is to normalize it—acknowledge that everybody has emotions, and even start teaching emotional intelligence in schools.”

The order also emphasizes hiring more male teachers and counselors, something advocates believe could play a powerful role in changing perceptions. “It can reduce stigma, show kids positive examples from an early age, and make conversations about mental health more natural,” one advocate explained.

For Stonier, the hope is that initiatives like this one will inspire boys and young men to reach out for help sooner rather than later.

“If you can have just one role model, one person you can open up to, it can make all the difference,” he said.