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Why Men Don't Talk About Their Health And How Sports Can Change That



For generations, boys have been taught some version of the same lesson: be tough, don't complain, and push through it. Whether those messages come from sports, family, friends, or broader culture, many men grow up learning that resilience means handling problems on their own and avoiding signs of vulnerability.


In sports, those expectations are often reinforced from an early age. Athletes learn to play through pain, shake off injuries, and keep moving forward no matter how they feel. Those qualities can build discipline, perseverance, and mental toughness. They can also become barriers to health.

Because while toughness may help someone get through a difficult game, it does not help them recognize the warning signs of depression. It does not lower their risk of heart disease. And it does not make diabetes, high blood pressure, or prostate cancer disappear.


As Men's Health Month reminds us, one of the biggest challenges facing men's health today is not a lack of information. It is a culture that often discourages men from seeking help until a problem becomes impossible to ignore. Sports helped create part of that culture. The good news is sports can also help change it.


THE "PLAY THROUGH PAIN" MENTALITY DOESN'T STAY ON THE FIELD


Athletes hear the message constantly throughout their careers. Tough it out. Walk it off. Get back in there. In many situations, that mindset serves a purpose. Competition requires perseverance, discipline, and the ability to overcome adversity. The ability to push through challenges is often what separates good athletes from great ones.


The problem arises when that mentality follows athletes and fans off the field and into everyday life. Many men treat physical symptoms the same way they once treated a sore ankle during practice. They convince themselves it is nothing serious. They wait. They hope it improves on its own. Sometimes it does. Often, it doesn't.


As a result, preventable health issues become harder to treat, more expensive to manage, and more damaging to long-term quality of life. What starts as a manageable concern can become a serious medical issue simply because it went unaddressed for too long. The same mindset that helps athletes compete can sometimes prevent them from protecting their health. And that reality extends far beyond physical injuries. It affects mental health too.


THE SILENT STRUGGLE MANY MEN KNOW TOO WELL


In 2018, NBA All-Star Kevin Love published an essay in The Players' Tribune describing a panic attack he experienced during a game months earlier. For many fans, it was the first time they had heard a professional athlete speak so openly about anxiety and emotional well-being. Love reflected on growing up with many of the same messages countless men hear throughout their lives: be strong, handle your problems yourself, and keep your emotions to yourself.

Around the same time, fellow NBA star DeMar DeRozan posted a simple but powerful message on social media: "This depression get the best of me." The tweet sparked a national conversation and prompted widespread discussion throughout the sports world about mental health, stigma, and the pressures athletes face.


What made these moments so significant was not simply that two professional athletes spoke up. It was that they challenged one of sports' oldest assumptions: that vulnerability and toughness cannot coexist. Both athletes demonstrated that seeking help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of self-awareness.

Their honesty resonated far beyond basketball. Millions of men saw successful, respected athletes acknowledge struggles that many people quietly experience every day. For some, it provided something they may never have received before: permission to talk, permission to ask for help, and permission to stop carrying everything alone.


MEN ARE WAITING TOO LONG TO GET CARE


The numbers tell a concerning story. Research consistently shows that men are less likely than women to seek preventative healthcare and more likely to delay medical appointments. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among men in the United States, despite many risk factors being detectable and manageable through routine screenings and preventative care.

The issue extends beyond cardiovascular health. Men are often diagnosed later for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers because symptoms are ignored or routine screenings are postponed. Many of these conditions develop gradually, making it easy for people to dismiss warning signs until they become impossible to overlook.


Mental health follows a similar pattern. Men experience anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout at significant rates, yet many remain reluctant to discuss those struggles openly. The expectation to appear strong and self-sufficient can make asking for help feel uncomfortable, even when support is needed. The result is silent suffering that too often goes unnoticed until it becomes a crisis.

The reality is that many of the most serious health conditions affecting men are also among the most preventable when identified early. That is why prevention matters.


PREVENTION ISN'T WEAKNESS. IT'S PREPARATION.


Athletes understand preparation better than most people. They train before game day, stretch before competition, and recover before injuries become worse. Success rarely comes from reacting after a problem appears. It comes from preparing before one does.


Healthcare works much the same way. Preventative screenings are not about expecting something to be wrong. They are about identifying risks before they become serious problems. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and certain cancers can often be detected long before symptoms become severe.

The earlier many conditions are identified, the better the outcomes tend to be. That is not fear. It is preparation. And preparation has always been part of sports.

Yet many men continue to view doctor's appointments as something to schedule only when a problem becomes unavoidable. By then, opportunities for prevention may have already been missed.


THE ROLE OF FATHERS, COACHES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS


Athletes are not the only people shaping health culture. Fathers, coaches, mentors, and community leaders influence how young men think about health long before they schedule their first doctor's appointment.

A coach who encourages athletes to report symptoms instead of hiding them sends a powerful message about accountability and self-care. A father who schedules his annual physical and talks openly about it teaches something equally important. A mentor who prioritizes both physical and mental health demonstrates that strength and self-care are not opposites. They are connected.

The conversations young men hear today often become the health habits they carry for decades. If we want future generations of men to seek help earlier, we need role models who show them that asking for help is a sign of responsibility, not weakness.


5 HEALTH CHECKS MEN SHOULD STOP DELAYING

Many serious health issues can be identified early through routine screenings and preventative care. Men's Health Month is a good reminder to schedule the appointments that often get pushed to "later."

  • Annual Physical Exam

    • A yearly check-up provides an opportunity to discuss overall health, family history, medications, and risk factors before problems escalate.

  • Blood Pressure Screening

    • High blood pressure often has no symptoms, which is why it is frequently called a "silent killer." Regular monitoring can help prevent serious cardiovascular complications.

  • Cholesterol Screening

    • Elevated cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, but routine testing can identify concerns early.

  • Blood Sugar Testing

    • Diabetes and prediabetes affect millions of Americans, many of whom do not know they have the condition. Early detection is critical.

  • Prostate Health Discussions

    • Recommendations vary by age and risk factors, but men should talk with their healthcare provider about when prostate screenings are appropriate for them.


SPORTS CAN BE THE MESSENGER


One reason Kevin Love's essay resonated so deeply and DeMar DeRozan's comments sparked a national conversation is simple: people listen to athletes.

Sports occupy a unique place in American culture. They bring together families, neighborhoods, schools, and entire communities. For many people, sporting events are trusted spaces where important conversations can happen in ways that feel familiar and approachable.


That creates an opportunity. When athletes speak openly about mental health, preventative care, chronic illness, or recovery, they help normalize conversations that many men have spent years avoiding. When health resources are present at sporting events, people are often more willing to engage with them. When coaches and athletic leaders talk about wellness, the message carries weight.

Sports have long been a platform for teaching discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. They can also become a platform for teaching preventative health.


THE BEYOND THE GAME HEALTH PERSPECTIVE


At Beyond the Game Health, we believe sports can be one of the most effective tools for improving community health.


People already gather around games, tournaments, and sporting events. Those spaces create opportunities to bring healthcare directly into communities in ways that feel familiar, accessible, and trusted. Rather than waiting for people to seek out resources on their own, sports provide an opportunity to meet people where they already are.


Whether that means health screenings at sporting events, wellness education in athletic spaces, or partnerships that connect communities to resources, we believe healthcare conversations should not begin only after a crisis. They should happen before one. Because prevention works best when access feels normal.

And sports have the power to make those conversations normal.


CONCLUSION


For too long, many men have been taught that strength means staying silent. Staying silent about pain. Staying silent about mental health. Staying silent about symptoms that deserve attention.


But real strength is not ignoring a problem until it becomes unavoidable. It is taking action before it gets there.


Kevin Love did not become less strong when he talked about anxiety. DeMar DeRozan did not become less respected when he spoke about depression. If anything, their willingness to be honest expanded the conversation around what strength can look like and helped countless others feel less alone.

Sports helped build a culture that celebrates toughness. Now sports have an opportunity to redefine it.


Because the strongest thing a man can do for himself, his family, and his community may be something far simpler than playing through pain.

It may be making the appointment.

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