Men and Mental Health: How to Start the ConversationMen and Mental Health: How to Start the Conversation
Healthy YOU!
From depression and anxiety to burnout, stress, and emotional isolation, many men struggle in silence or show signs in ways that often go unrecognized. In this episode, our host Frankye Myers sits down with Dr. Ryan McQueen, board-certified psychiatrist with Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center, for an honest conversation about men’s mental health. Together, they break down the stigma surrounding mental health, discuss the warning signs loved ones should look for, and share practical ways to start meaningful conversations with the men in our lives. Whether you’re checking in on yourself, a friend, a partner, or a family member, this episode offers insight, encouragement, and real tools to help start the conversation.
23:41•25 May 2026
Men, Emotions and Asking for Help: A Real Talk on Mental Health
Episode Overview
- Creating a safe, trustworthy space and simply listening can help men open up more than trying to fix their problems straight away.
- Warning signs such as isolation, irritability, agitation, sleep changes and risky behaviour may signal significant mental health struggles.
- Trauma is defined by the person experiencing it, and can include bullying, abuse and emotional events, not just major accidents or disasters.
- It is important to seek help urgently if someone talks about harming themselves or others, shows severe depression or psychosis, or behaves far out of character.
- Reaching out for professional support—and changing providers if the fit is wrong—is presented as a sign of strength rather than weakness.
“Your strength comes from getting help.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation zooms in on a closely related issue: men’s mental health, and why so many guys still suffer in silence. Host Frankye Myers chats with Dr Ryan McQueen, a board-certified psychiatrist at Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center, about why men often bottle things up and what can be done about it.
Dr McQueen shares how a game of one-on-one basketball with a young patient showed him the power of genuine connection and nudged him into psychiatry. You’ll hear them talk through common issues men face—depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, and even psychosis linked to substance use. Dr McQueen explains how problems might show up as irritability, agitation, isolation, overwork, sleep changes or risky behaviour, rather than obvious “sadness”.
He also stresses that trauma isn’t just car crashes or house fires; bullying, abuse and emotional wounds count too, and what matters most is how the person experiences it. A big chunk of the chat focuses on what loved ones can actually do. Instead of swooping in to fix everything, Dr McQueen suggests creating a safe space, using phrases like “I’m here to listen” and then actually staying quiet long enough for someone to open up.
Frankye admits she tends to jump straight into problem-solving, which keeps things light and relatable. The episode also outlines practical steps for getting help, from talking to a trusted friend to contacting therapists or psychiatrists, and even calling 988 in a crisis. Dr McQueen’s key message is simple: strength isn’t about “toughing it out”; it’s about being willing to get help.
If you’ve got a man in your life who seems a bit “off” lately—or you’re that man—what small conversation could you start today?
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