Men’s Mental Health Month is an awareness month observed every year in June. Its purpose is to:
- Center men’s mental health as a serious and urgent issue
- Push back against the cultural pressure that discourages men from seeking help
- Normalize talking openly about emotional health
- Support early care, prevention, and access to mental health resources
The focus is usually on depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, substance use, stress, and the pressures men face around masculinity. These conversations matter, and they save lives.
However, I’ve noticed one damaging issue that is continually missing: narcissism.
Countless men live with long-term emotional damage caused by narcissistic partners, parents, bosses, mentors, or authority figures. They struggle with self-doubt, chronic guilt, emotional numbness, and a fractured sense of identity. Yet their experiences don’t fit into the standard mental health narratives promoted this month.
Let’s look more closely at why Men’s Mental Health Month struggles to address narcissism, and why addressing it should be a priority.
Why Men’s Mental Health Month may not address narcissism
When I look at how Men’s Mental Health Month is discussed, one thing stands out to me: narcissism is almost never addressed. I see two key reasons behind this silence:
1. Stereotypes that men can’t be victims
When statistics claim that up to 75% of narcissistic personality disorder diagnoses are male, they paint men, as a group, as inherently more pathological, abusive, or incapable of being victims.
Also, when men speak up, they encounter disbelief, ridicule, or minimization. They may hear comments like, “You’re lucky she pays so much attention to you,” or “Man up.”
To put this into a real-world context, I watched a video of a man speaking about issues with his partner. And one of the comments he received (shown in the screenshot) says a lot about how men’s experiences are handled.
These responses silence male survivors and reinforce the myth that suffering is incompatible with masculinity. They also shift attention away from individual behavior and toward gendered assumptions.
And once narcissism is treated as a primarily “male disorder,” male victims of female narcissists are erased twice. First, by gender stereotypes, and again by diagnostic bias.
Challenging these stereotypes requires careful language and active listening. Using gender-neutral terms like “the perpetrator” and “the survivor” and sharing male survivors’ stories helps validate those who are still suffering in silence.
Perception that narcissism is not a mental health issue
Men’s Mental Health Month, like many awareness campaigns, has specific, tactical goals:
- Reducing Stigma Around Help-Seeking: Encouraging men to acknowledge vulnerability, seek therapy, and talk openly about depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicide prevention.
- Focusing on Internalized Pain: Highlighting sadness, fear, and hopelessness—emotions that align with societal notions of “weakness” that men are often taught to suppress.
Narcissistic abuse challenges this framework because it centers on externalized pain.
Awareness campaigns tend to highlight scenarios where the “other side” (frequently women) is portrayed as struggling or emotionally harmed, leaving male victims invisible. It also involves discussing dysfunctional relationships, which is more politically and socially charged than discussing internal struggles.
As a result, men’s experiences don’t fit the traditional narrative of mental health campaigns, creating a blind spot in public awareness.
That said, by promoting openness around vulnerability and seeking help, these campaigns may indirectly lay the groundwork for male victims of narcissistic abuse to find recognition and support.
Male victims of narcissistic abuse must take advantage of Men’s Mental Health Month
Men’s Mental Health Month is a chance to normalize conversations about emotional abuse, trauma, and psychological manipulation. Talking openly about these issues can help men who feel isolated or ashamed realize they are not alone.
So, if you are a male victim of narcissistic abuse, advocate for gender-inclusive language in mental health campaigns and resources. Push for the inclusion of male survivor stories in media, awareness events, and educational materials.
Social media, news outlets, and organizations are already talking about men’s mental health. Use this as a safe umbrella to share your story, if you’re ready.
Comment on relevant posts with frames like, “As a man who survived a narcissistic relationship, this resonates…” or seek out online forums and communities (Reddit, Discord, or specialized sites) for male survivors.
Positioning your actions as part of Men’s Mental Health Month,” For Men’s Mental Health Month, I’m prioritizing my healing,” makes your participation feel part of a larger, justified movement.
Doing so helps break the silence for countless other men who are still suffering.
Also, read: (3 Tips) How to Stop Being a Narcissist?
