A new report from GreenShield, Canada's only national non-profit health care and insurance organization, in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC), reveals that one in three young Canadian men aged 16 to 29 view seeking help for mental health challenges as a sign of weakness. The findings highlight a system that is not designed to meet the needs of young men, leading to high rates of disengagement from care.
Key Findings on Mental Health Care Disengagement
Despite significant need—one in five report moderately severe to severe depression or anxiety—many young men are not accessing or staying in care. Forty-four percent of those who needed support last year did not access it, while nearly half of those who did disengage before their needs were met. The report points to a system that is not built for how young men seek help or stay engaged in care.
Stigma and Barriers
Stigma remains a real barrier for many young men, yet it is only part of the picture. Among those who seek help, 49% disengage—most often due to lack of control (20%), inflexible scheduling (18%), and limited progress (15%). Many are not turning to professional support. Instead, they rely on higher-risk coping mechanisms such as gambling and substance use, or turn to AI tools and online forums where quality and safety are not guaranteed.
Riskier Coping Strategies
Young men are two to three times more likely to rely on unhealthy coping strategies, such as gambling and substance use, increasing the risk of long-term mental health, financial, and social challenges. Gambling risk for young men is roughly double the national average at 15% versus 7–8%.
Equity-Deserving Young Men
Racialized young men are less likely to turn to family and friends (54% vs. 68%) and nearly twice as likely not to speak to anyone about their concerns (29% vs. 15%). Higher stigma among newcomers points to compounding barriers to care.
AI and Online Forums
While young men are less likely to seek support overall, they are as likely as young women to turn to AI tools (12%, ages 16–29) and more likely to seek help through online forums (7% vs. 3%).
Opportunity for Systems Change
The findings come at a pivotal moment, as Canada begins work on its first Men and Boys' Health Strategy, creating an opportunity to address these gaps at a systems level. “Stigma remains a real barrier for many young men yet it's only part of the picture,” said Zahid Salman, President and CEO of GreenShield. “Too often, care is not designed for how they seek or engage with support, which is why we're seeing so many disengage or turn elsewhere. As Canada begins work on its first Men and Boys' Health Strategy, we have a critical opportunity to design care that reflects how young men seek help, engage with support, and stay on the path to better health.”
One-size-fits-all approaches are falling short. Expanding access alone is not enough. Meeting the needs of young men requires solutions that reflect how they seek support and enable earlier, sustained engagement in care.
