TIMES | Men are much more likely than women to lose touch with friends and far less likely to seek mental health support, even though they account for the majority of suicides.

• Men aged 55 – 64 are most likely to report having no close friends
• Men are more likely to say they have no one outside their family to turn to in a crisis
• 47% of men say they tend to spend time with friends at bars or pubs

A recent piece by James Bloodworth in The Times uses our research to highlight that men in the midlife are among the most likely to experience a lack of close friendships and social support.
James observes that many friendships among men are shaped around shared activity: work, sport, routine social settings. When those structures change or fall away, connection often does too.
Over time, this can lead to a gradual narrowing of social worlds, even for those who appear “fine on paper” with jobs, families and responsibilities. As the article suggests, this quiet erosion can sit alongside far more serious outcomes.

We were proud to be a part of raising awareness of the male midlife crisis, and how important maintaining habits and routines are to maintaining social connection.

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