June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re not letting it pass in silence. Across sports, entertainment and everyday life, men from all backgrounds are finally starting to speak up about their mental health struggles. But too many are still suffering alone. This month, we’re telling real stories and reminding men that asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s survival. It’s power.
One in six adults report that feel lonely often. And a World Health Organization Commission on Social Connection report found that between 2014 and 2019, loneliness was linked to approximately 871,000 deaths yearly – that amounts to 100 deaths every hour.
But, along racial lines, loneliness doesn’t always look like isolation or being alone.
For Black American men, loneliness operates differently and sometimes comes from being unseen and unsafe — a social disconnection shaped by culture, expectations, and structural barriers.
“I can be in a room full of people and still feel like nobody really knows me,” said Ellis Hue, 38, an Alexandria, Va.–based laborer and student. “You’re expected to be solid all the time. There’s not a lot of space to say, ‘I’m not okay.’”
Hue said he finds strength in being silent even though that is not a healthy solution.
His experience reflects a growing body of research pointing to loneliness as a public health issue that carries serious consequences. For example, a Howard University study found that people who report frequently feeling lonely are five times more likely to experience depression.
And a survey conducted for the American Psychological Association found that people who frequently experience high levels of loneliness “were more likely to also be struggling with their physical and mental well-being than those with low loneliness levels.”
In addition to depression, common symptoms are anxiety, headaches, and fatigue.
Why loneliness is more complex for Black men
In a press release about the 2025 survey results, Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of APA said, “Psychological research shows us that loneliness and isolation may increase the risk of premature mortality and are also linked with depression, poor sleep and cognitive decline. We also know that social support is one of the strongest predictors of people’s well-being, reinforcing that connection is vital to our health. Reaching out, showing up and building community are not optional; they’re essential.”
But for Black men, the story is more layered.
Data from KFF’s Survey of Racism, Discrimination, and Health show that experiencing racism and discrimination can erode social support networks and trust, making it harder to form and maintain meaningful relationships. At the same time, cultural expectations around masculinity and the pressure to be resilient often discourage vulnerability.
For Black men those “strength in silence” conditions are compounded by expectations of emotional restraint.
“The message is: ‘handle it, don’t talk about it’,” Hue said. “You carry things alone because that’s what you’ve been taught.”
That pressure can be deadly. Research shows suicide rates among Black Americans have been rising, with men accounting for the majority of deaths, and young Black men facing particularly sharp increases.
And for Black men navigating chronic health conditions, financial stress, or limited access to community spaces, social disconnection can deepen. Studies show that limited social connection increases risks tied to both mental and physical health outcomes, particularly for men managing multiple stressors.
Deep racial divides in effects of loneliness
Data from the same KFF survey also underscores racial gaps in how people experience loneliness. Black adults are more likely than white adults to report experiences of discrimination that negatively affect their mental health and social relationships, according to the survey. And those experiences can make it harder to build and sustain support networks.
At the same time, KFF data shows variation across racial and ethnic groups: many white adults report higher levels of social isolation overall, but Black and Latino adults are more likely to cite external stressors, such as discrimination, financial strain, and community disinvestment, as barriers to connection.
To overcome these barriers, some health systems are also experimenting with “social prescribing,” connecting patients to community-based activities such as group exercise, arts programs, peer support networks, gardening, or museum trips as part of care.
Hue said he has regular individual and group therapy sessions to help him manage childhood trauma.
“I also take art and business classes at a community center, and that helps because I have met a lot of nice people there,” Hue said.
Breaking the silence is important, Hue said, and must be the first step toward changing the masculinity story culture has written.
“There’s nothing weak about needing connection,” Hue said. “The problem is acting like we don’’ need connection. I can admit that sometimes I just want to be in the company of others or just be hugged or held.”
Tips for managing loneliness
- Seek therapy or counseling
- Talk with trusted friends
- Join a community group
- Participate in local organizations or events that provide opportunities for social interaction.
