Paper short abstract:

This study examines the stigma, discrimination, and mental health crisis that black men in South Africa face and how this has been represented on various social media platforms.

Paper long abstract:

This study examines the stigma, discrimination, and mental health crisis that black men in South Africa face and how this has been represented on various social media platforms. Although previous scholarly work on the subject has covered various types of mental disorders, this study seeks to demonstrate how black men with mental health challenges are often neglected in African communities and how the public present this problem on social media, and the impact that these (mis)representations have had. General neglect of mental health among African men has resulted in poor health outcomes, social isolation, and high suicide rates. The study will concentrate on South Africa, where mental health has triggered the third-highest suicide rate among men in Africa. The stigma associated with depression and suicidal behaviour is perpetuated in great part by masculine norms and societal preconceptions about what it means to be a man. Males are still trained to suppress their emotions, and the myth that "real man do not cry" persists. The recent spate in the number of celebrities who took their lives in South Africa, with no clear reasons which drove them to commit suicide is a microcosmic reflection of the prevailing unreported situation throughout the country. The incidence of suicidality in South African communities reflects the societal mental health crisis. Therefore, the study seeks to explore the links between community stigmatisation, discrimination, inequality, social media, culture, and religion, as well as to proffer suggestions for raising awareness, knowledge and a base for future research.