‘This Is Us’ Sparks Conversation Around Men with Mental Illnesses

It’s time we start acknowledging male mental illness.

This Is Us is without a doubt one of our favorite shows. It shows different points of view with socioeconomic statuses, how to love thy neighbor, and how to overcome personal struggles. All of these things are easily relatable. It has spread many messages of forgiveness as well as overcoming helplessness so far, and season three is proving to be no different.

Spoiler Alert:

In the latest episode, Randall, one of the triplets, and Toby, Randall’s brother-in-law, shared an intimate moment discussing what it looks like to have a mental illness.

“I can’t picture you with anxiety,” Toby tells Randall in the episode. “You know, the way you present.”

“That’s what we do, right?” Randall responds. “Men.”

Here, we can tell they are already aware that men, even family, don’t often talk about their own illnesses.

Toby then shares with Randall that he has depression.

“Without it, life gets pretty scary.”

“Never would have known,” Randall says.

“Yeah, well, man,” Toby replies.

This scene alone is an example of why men’s mental health needs to be discussed just as much as anyone else’s.

According to The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million adults in the United States have an anxiety disorder.

The Anxiety and Depresssion Association of America has also reported that about seven percent of the population has had at least one depressive episode. That is equal to 16 million adults.

This Is Us continuously gives examples of issues that are important and worth listening to.