Online Discussions of Men's Mental Health on Reddit and YouTube: Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Infodemiological Study

Male mental health remains a major global concern, with men underrepresented in mental health care and overrepresented in suicide statistics. Masculine norms that link emotional restraint with strength can discourage help-seeking and vulnerability. Anonymous digital spaces such as Reddit (Reddit Inc) and YouTube (Google LLC) have become informal support environments where men share experiences and emotions outside traditional constraints. Understanding these interactions offers insight into masculine identity and help-seeking behavior.

This study examines how men discuss and negotiate mental health within anonymous online communities. It explores whether these spaces support emotional openness, peer validation, and challenges to hegemonic masculinity norms. It triangulates digital discourse with survey and interview data to assess how these patterns align with men's lived experiences and perceived barriers to support.

This cross-sectional, exploratory mixed methods study analyzed publicly available online discourse from Reddit (n=740 posts) and YouTube (n=6287 comments). The qualitative component included 23 adult men (aged 18-55 years, predominantly Asian and employed) recruited via LinkedIn (Microsoft) who completed an anonymous online survey. Of these, 9 volunteered for follow-up semistructured interviews. Data underwent computational text mining using the Natural Language Toolkit and National Research Council Lexicon for word frequency and emotion analysis, followed by Braun and Clarke's 6-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Online discourse patterns were then compared with survey and interview data. Theoretical frameworks included hegemonic masculinity, toxic positivity, and peer-support theory.

Four themes emerged across the datasets: (1) normalizing emotional expression, (2) mutual validation and peer support, (3) coping through humor and irony, and (4) pushback against toxic positivity and societal norms. Emotion analysis showed prominent expressions of sadness, fear, trust, and anger across the Reddit and YouTube corpus. Survey data showed that 20 of 23 (87%) respondents reported having no safe offline space to discuss mental health. Interview participants (n=9) largely confirmed digital discourse themes, though some divergence emerged regarding whether humor functioned as deflection or connection.

This study combines large-scale analysis of online discourse with qualitative triangulation across Reddit, YouTube, surveys, and interviews. Theoretically, it extends inclusive masculinity theory into anonymous online contexts, showing how digital platforms enable men to negotiate emotional expression outside traditional masculine constraints. It introduces the concept of "digitally mediated sanctuaries" to describe online spaces where men practice vulnerability and mutual support with less social risk. From an infodemiological perspective, the findings show how mental health information and peer-support narratives circulate and gain legitimacy within male-dominated online communities. Findings can inform gender-sensitive digital mental health interventions that build on features men already use, including humor, anonymity, and peer validation. Digital peer environments may complement formal mental health services by reducing help-seeking barriers for men hesitant to access traditional care.