More than seven in 10 men (71%) said that they would talk to someone if they were struggling with their mental health, according to research from Aviva.
The poll conducted among 1,000 men for the insurer found that while the likelihood to talk reduces slightly with age, younger men were more open to sharing their problems.
Just over three quarters (76%) of Gen Zs (aged 16 to 27 years old) said that they would talk to someone if they were struggling with their mental health.
And nearly one in five (17%) Gen Z men said that they would talk to chat forums or online groups about their mental health – compared to an average of just over one in 10 (11%) across all ages.
Of those who had sought professional help for their mental health, a third (33%) of Gen Zs received practical mental health support online.
This compared to fewer than one in five (19%) across all age groups.
Just over one in five (22%) received talking therapies virtually, which was also slightly higher than the average across all age groups.
The research also showed a lower reliance on anti-depressants as the go to option for younger age groups.
Around one in five (22%) Gen Z men said that they had taken medication such as anti-depressants. This compared to over a third (34%) across all age groups.
Over half (54%) of men aged 55+ had been prescribed anti-depressants.
A quarter (25%) of young people aged 16-24 and just under a third (31%) of those aged 25-34 said that they had received support through social prescribing, compared to around one in five people (21%) across all age groups.
Dr Doug Wright, medical director at Aviva UK Health, said: “Over the past few years, much work has been done to help people recognise that mental health is as important as physical health.
“It’s likely that this change in attitude is helping to drive the positive trends we’re seeing from the younger generations taking part in our research.
“It’s encouraging that men are becoming more open to talking about their mental health.
This is a positive step which will help enable a preventative approach to mental ill-health and give more people the confidence to seek help when they need it.
“However, it’s not only attitudes which have changed in recent years. Digital healthcare has helped transform the way that mental health support can be delivered as well as enabled easier access to support.
“There’s also now a recognition that mental health can benefit from a holistic approach that treats the root cause of the problem as well as helping the individual put in place support to aid their future wellbeing.
“It’s encouraging to see that the younger generations are actively engaging with this support.”
