Excerpt from "Men Are Stuck in a ‘Crisis Point Culture’ – These 5 Signs Could Mean You’re Approaching Breaking Point" - Elle Hunt, 25 Aug 2026.
‘The common language that I hear in the therapy room with men is, “I just can’t do it any more”,’ says Rahi Popat, a registered counsellor based in Leicester.
Sometimes this refers to suicidal thoughts, but more often it reflects a gradual breakdown in coping mechanisms, such as addiction issues, substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships or an unhealthy investment in work or exercise. These tend to mask a deeper psychological wound, which ‘needs proper treatment’, Popat says. An adverse life event, such as a relationship breakdown or job loss, can push someone towards a crisis point.
This isn’t unique to men, but research consistently shows they are less likely than women to seek help for mental health problems.
Popat says this can be due to feelings of fear, anxiety and shame, as well as persistent, gendered social stigma. Though ‘the landscape is changing’, he says, many men still feel that they are ‘not supposed to’ seek therapy and even that it is somehow feminised.
They might know that they’d benefit from opening up but lack the confidence or vocabulary to do so; or they might downplay how they’re feeling, telling themselves it’s not that bad or others have it worse.
In forcing the issue, breaking point may be experienced on some level as a relief, Popat says. ‘It almost gives them permission: I’m now allowed to get therapy.’
