A study conducted by research firm SOM found that one in four Montreal men struggle with mental health issues but only 29 per cent sought out psychological help.

The study’s goal was to try to identify what would make men with mental distress more likely to reach out for help, and how they would prefer to receive that help.

The study analyzed data obtained from 1,542 Montreal men in the spring of 2019 and the findings released yesterday in a report from the public health agency CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

Findings showed that although 82% of men reported visiting a family physician last year regarding their mental distress, only 17% said they sought out help from a psychologist.

The study also found that men who either had suicidal thoughts or knew that their mental health problems affected their children were more likely to seek qualified help.

More than half of the men who were polled said the cost of care was an important factor in considering seeking help and 66 per cent of anglophone men said receiving care in English is crucial.

Forty-three percent of men aged 25 to 34 are likely to experience psychological distress throughout their lives.