I think, therefore IB

While much attention has been given to the mental health struggles of teenage girls in the UK — often rightly so — there is growing concern that boys’ mental health needs are being neglected in schools due to a focus on targeted support for girls.

Pseudo-reality television programmes like Adolescence do nothing for the mental health of teenage boys. In fact, they may actively make things worse. These shows often promote shallow, stereotypical versions of masculinity — valuing aggression, emotional suppression, and physical appearance over vulnerability, kindness, or emotional intelligence. For boys already struggling to find their identity in a world of social media pressure and unrealistic expectations, such programming reinforces damaging ideas about what it means to “be a man.” Instead of encouraging healthy emotional expression or real connection, shows like Adolescence create a false narrative where popularity, dominance, and appearance are the keys to success. This not only isolates boys who don’t fit these narrow roles but also discourages them from seeking help when they are struggling internally.

Recent NHS data and research show a dramatic rise in hospital admissions for girls suffering from self-harm and eating disorders. For example, eating disorders are four times more common in girls aged 11 to 16 than boys, and the number of girls hospitalised after self-harming has sharply increased.

However, experts warn this doesn’t mean boys are doing well. Dr Elaine Lockhart of the Royal College of Psychiatrists explains that boys often express mental distress differently — through behavioural problems rather than emotional symptoms — but this is “the same two sides of the same coin.”

This suggests that support systems in schools and healthcare may be unintentionally skewed. As resources are directed toward emotional disorders, more commonly presented by girls, boys whose distress shows up as anger, defiance, or withdrawal risk being labelled as troublemakers rather than being offered help.

Joeli Brearley, host of To Be A Boy, argues that outdated systems in education and society are failing both girls and boys: “Something is going badly wrong.” The pressures of social media, rising inequality, and the collapse of traditional support systems have left many young people — boys included — feeling lost and unsupported.

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