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VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) – One in ten men experience depression or anxiety daily, but less than half seek treatment says Mental Health America. This can be due to social stigma, cultural expectations, or lack of representation.
Timothy Lasane said, “To have men step up and be like ‘bruh I got you,’ that really lit the fire for me to continue to want to fight on.
Timothy Lasane is a local barber — who’s faced several struggles in life. One month after losing his dad, he was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. Then after his 50th birthday– he was sent to the hospital for another medical emergency.
“I was already dealing with that and then this happened. It really took me down, but I wouldn’t allow myself to go in the dark places because I know how hard it is to come out of them dark places,” Lasane said.
“It took a toll on my mental because I’m celebrating turning 50 and as soon as I turned 50 everything went down hill. As soon as we got off the boat I went straight to the hospital.”
He spent three weeks in the hospital before beginning treatment and care. In December 2024, he officially rang the bell that he was cancer free.
Before his diagnosis, Lasane was a strong advocate for Mental Health Awareness through his podcast Mann Listen This Free Game and working with local therapists to create “Babershop Talk,” allowing men to confront their anxiety and depression in a safe environment.
“That’s just another experience that I can share. I have lived the life that a lot of young men are living. I come from what they come from and I’ve been where they are going if they don’t get themselves together,” he said.
Only about 1 in 3 men with mental health issues seek help, compared to nearly half of women according to the American Psychological Association, making up only 36% of therapy patients in the U.S.
Statistics say that Black men are less likely to seek mental health care for feelings of anxiety or depression.
Dr. Demetria Hill-Cannady said, “Where as we (women) will express how we feel. Men won’t they will suppress their emotions then when they do it normally comes out as anger or aggression which causes additional issues.”
She says she has been able to create spaces through group therapy and conferences that allow men to breakdown some of their traumas.
“First they have to trust you. And they have to know it is a safe space. When they know that it is a safe space they will share, they will shed tears, and they will tell the truth about what’s been going on with them,” Hill-Cannady said.
Research shows in recent years there’s been a 30 percent increase in men seeking therapy, largely due to greater awareness and reduced stigma.
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