Adolescent Boys, Young Men, and Mental Health in Southern Africa

Adolescent boys and young men face a myriad challenges in navigating their spaces in Southern Africa. Unemployment, substance and alcohol abuse, HIV burden, exposure to and perpetration of violence, and poor mental health are amongst some of the challenges they face. The notion that “men don’t cry” has led to most adolescent boys and young men suffering in silence. This puts a significant toll on the mental health of adolescent boys and young men. In this chapter we draw on the opportunities, challenges, and joys around the mental health of adolescent boys and young men in Southern Africa. The chapter also furthers the discourse on mental health in Southern Africa using adolescent boys and young men as a lens. This chapter asserts that, through advocating for mental health in our different spheres of influence, significant strides can be made towards the realization positive mental health outcomes for adolescent boys and young men in Southern Africa. The inability to do so could be interpreted as a form of structural violence against adolescent boys and young men.