Mental health is a crisis we talk about, but do we really understand it? In my conversation with Chloe Smellink, a psychotherapist, we explored how men’s mental health, MAiD, and the pressures of modern society are shaping a silent epidemic—one that no one seems willing to address.

One of the biggest takeaways? Men struggle in silence. Chloe highlighted how many men are hesitant to seek therapy because they fear being judged, not just by society, but by the very professionals they turn to for help. The data backs this up: men are far less likely to seek mental health support, yet they account for the majority of suicides and substance abuse cases.

This ties directly into Canada’s MAiD expansion, which is being quietly ignored by mainstream media. The numbers are staggering—MAiD is now one of the top causes of death in Canada, yet most people don’t even realize how easily accessible it has become. Chloe and I discussed how mental health professionals, whose primary job is to prevent suicide, are now being asked to approve it.

Even more unsettling is the racial disparity in MAiD cases. In both Canada and California, white individuals are vastly overrepresented in MAiD deaths compared to their share of the population. This raises profound questions:
• Are white communities facing an identity and isolation crisis?
• Is the push for extreme individualism leading to loneliness and despair?
• Why are underrepresented groups less likely to choose MAiD?

Our conversation also touched on the broader societal failures—from economic instability to the way men are increasingly afraid to interact in public spaces for fear of being misinterpreted. We’re at a point where men are hesitant to give compliments, hesitant to date, and hesitant to express their struggles, leading many to retreat entirely from social and professional life.

So where do we go from here? The answer isn’t simple, but it starts with real conversations, honest self-reflection, and a commitment to questioning the narratives we’ve been fed.