Breaking the Silence: Men & Mental Health

Content Warning: Sensitive Topics

South African men are silently suffering. Many are dying inside, and some are taking their own lives. In this deeply personal episode of Don’t Hold Back, author, poet, and social activist Zonwabele Zola “Blackie” Tshayana opens up about his experience with depression, suicide attempts, and growing up without a father.
He and Nozi speak openly about absent fathers, the hunger for validation, and the silent struggles facing South African men, including the heartbreak and identity crisis rooted in broken homes and systems.
From stigma and suicide to hope, healing, and raising the next generation, this is an essential conversation for anyone invested in the well-being of men, boys, and families.
This episode is about breaking cycles, building identity, and finding truth.
We’re talking truth, pain, healing, and how women can better understand and support the men they love.

In this episode:

00:00 Introduction: Men and Mental Health
00:45 Welcome to Don't Hold Back
00:58 Raising Boys: A Mother's Perspective
01:29 The Crisis of Male Vulnerability
01:53 Shocking Statistics on Male Suicide
02:14 Introducing Today's Guest
03:18 Personal Struggles with Depression
05:43 The Impact of Absent Fathers
08:09 Identity Crisis and Validation
12:30 The Urgency of Men's Mental Health
21:21 Initiating Self-Awareness
22:01 The Stigma Around Counselling
22:36 Breaking the Cycle of Violence
23:45 Normalizing Vulnerability
26:49 Humour as a Coping Mechanism
30:33 Rapid Fire Questions
32:16 Final Thoughts on Vulnerability
37:12 Closing Remarks

#DontHoldBack #MensMentalHealth #NoziTalks Catch up with our host Nozibele · More information about this podcast · The 77 Percent (DW Africa)