A hard-hitting new report by mental health advocacy group Sorry I'm Not Sorry has exposed a silent and growing mental health crisis among men in Malawi, with financial pressure, emotional strain, and identity struggles pushing many to the brink--often in silence.
The report, part of the group's Free Therapy Campaign and titled "Sorry I'm Not Sorry - We Are All Sick," paints a sobering picture: men between the ages of 25 and 35 are facing unprecedented mental distress, compounded by stigma, isolation, and lack of accessible, empathetic support systems.
Complied by Country Director Joseph Daniel Sukali, Programs Manager Aubrey Chikumbutso Msusa, and Operations and Crisis Response Lead Harriet Nthanda Meja, the report captures the untold stories of 102 men who completed therapy sessions out of 142 enrolled. Their pain, often hidden, tells of a crisis bubbling just below the surface of everyday life.
From crippling financial stress and relationship breakdowns to identity crises, job loss, divorce, and unhealed trauma--these men are battling battles they can barely name. According to the findings, 39% of participants sought therapy for relationship strain, 26% for financial pressure, 13% for grief and loss, 9% for substance abuse, 8% for anxiety and depression, and 5% for identity-related struggles.
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The report also highlights a chilling truth: many men are suffering physically from their emotional pain. Sleep disturbances, headaches, chest pains, and other somatic symptoms were widespread among participants--pain that often goes unspoken, untreated, and misunderstood.
But the most alarming revelation? Therapists noted that suicidal thoughts are likely underreported--suppressed beneath layers of shame, fear, and a culture that teaches men to suffer in silence.
"This is not just about emotions. It's about survival. Men are drowning in expectations, but they have nowhere to go," said Sukali.
Interestingly, the campaign drew a diverse group of participants, with 61% coming from Malawi's major cities--Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba, and Mzuzu--thanks to better internet access and awareness. But the distress wasn't limited to Malawi. Men in the diaspora, particularly in the UK, South Africa, and Gulf countries, reported intensified feelings of isolation and cultural disconnect, further compounding their mental health struggles.
The Sorry I'm Not Sorry initiative is now calling for a multi-pronged national response to this quiet emergency. Among its key demands are stronger policy support for men's mental health, decentralised access to services, and targeted public education to dismantle the stigma surrounding therapy.
It also wants to see everyday institutions--from workplaces to churches--become safe spaces for men to open up, be heard, and heal.
The organization's message is simple but urgent: "No one should suffer in silence."
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As Malawi continues its broader struggle to confront mental health challenges, this report sounds the alarm--men are hurting, and the time to act is now.
