Why Men Hide Their Pain Until They Break | Dr Susie Bennett | #107

Some men look fine. They’re not.In this episode of The Lonely Chapter, I’m joined again by Dr Susie Bennett, a researcher whose work focuses on male suicide, men’s mental health, emotional suppression and the hidden pain many men carry.We explore why some men appear completely fine on the outside while struggling internally, how men learn to hide pain, and why emotional suppression can become dangerous when it disconnects men from what they are actually feeling.This conversation goes into the “performance of self,” male suicide research, internal unsafety, relational unsafety, childhood experiences, shame, body image, loneliness, male sexuality, unmet human needs, and the empathy gap around men’s pain.This is not a conversation about blaming men or excusing harmful behaviour. It is a conversation about understanding what can happen beneath the surface when men feel they have to cope, stay in control, and carry pain alone.In this episode, we discuss:→ Why men hide their pain until they break→ Why some men do not realise how badly they are struggling→ Signs of distress in men that do not look like distress→ Male suicide, emotional suppression and hidden psychological pain→ The loneliness of pretending to be okay→ Internal unsafety and relational unsafety→ Childhood adversity, shame, bullying and emotional regulation→ Male body image and pressure around appearance→ Male sexuality, unmet human needs and difficult conversations→ What helps men begin to feel safe againIf you’re new here, please do follow The Lonely Chapter wherever you’re listening - it really helps the show reach more people who might need it.