Across Scotland, the United Kingdom, and many other countries in the developed world, too many men and young boys are experiencing suicide, addiction, anxiety, depression, social isolation, educational disengagement, digital addiction, loss of purpose, and declining participation in community life.

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The men (and women) I talk to all agree that something has to change.​ The problems facing our great men and young boys today are vast and listed below:

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1. Digital Over-stimulation and Dopamine Dependency: Constant exposure to phones,social media, pornography, gaming, and endless low-quality, mass-produced entertainment has damaged focus, discipline, motivation, and real-world connection.

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2. Loss of Purpose and Direction: Many men lack meaningful goals, structure, responsibility, and long-term vision, leaving them feeling disconnected from fulfillment and

identity.

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3. Declining Physical Health: Sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, addiction, low testosterone, lack of exercise, and substance abuse are heavily impacting both our physical and mental well-being.

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4. Isolation and Loneliness: Men are increasingly disconnected from strong communities, meaningful friendships, mentorship, and a supportive brotherhood that helps them feel like they belong somewhere.

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5. Loss of Male Identity And Purpose: Many men feel uncertain about their role, value, and direction in the modern world. This is contributing to confusion, guilt, shame, and low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is one of the main factors linked to male suicidal ideation.

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6. Escapism and Addiction: Alcohol, drugs, pornography, binge-watching, gambling, gaming, are often used to avoid problems rather than address them. Men and young boys are being conditioned to seek short-term accomplishment and pleasure (dopamine) through quick fixes.

 

This leads to long-term mental health problems. Combined with Digital Dopamine Dependency this creates short attention spans and inability to complete long-term tasks.

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7. Lack of Support: Men are often taught to suppress emotion without being shown healthy ways to process stress, grief, pressure, and failure.

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8. Lack of Opportunity: Increasing numbers of young men feel disconnected from opportunity, achievement, and long-term economic stability. Rising disengagement from education, training, and employment is contributing to hopelessness, frustration, and declining self-esteem and confidence.

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Many men also believe modern recruitment, educational, and institutional systems increasingly favour demographic targets and identity-based frameworks over merit and equal opportunity. This is contributing to resentment, alienation, and declining trust in institutions among sections of young men.

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9. Absence of Masculine Role Models: Too many boys grow up without grounded, disciplined, capable male leadership and guidance.

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10. Substance Abuse and Drug Dependency: Cocaine and Ketamine use among 16–24 year old males has more than quadrupled in the last decade, while cocaine use remains highest among young adults and heavily male-dominated.

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Men are medicating their lives away instead of dedicating them to something more.

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WE HAVE TO ACT NOW AND CHANGE THE CONVERSATION.

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Instead of the focus on men and young being always from a negative lens, treating them as problematic for exhibiting masculine characteristics, whilst masculinity is celebrated in others.

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We must get back to lifting our men and young men up. Giving them the tools they need. Building resilience. Providing role models to help them transition from boys to manhood without confusion of what it is to be men. Showing them that being men is great. Being young men is great. Being masculine is great.

 

Giving them the knowledge that they can go out into the world and be great men themselves. But first we have to give men and young men the belief that they can.

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It all starts within. We must start to awake the minds of men to the possibilities that we have. And that those possibilities are limitless. The era of being all we can be is back. Great mental health requires great mental strength. And we are building a generation of strong men, again.

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Thank you for paying attention.

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