Crisis Text Line report finds nearly 1 in 3 boys under 14 discussed suicidal thoughts

By AI, Created 5:33 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Crisis Text Line released its first U.S. report focused on boys and men’s mental health on May 12, 2026, using more than 71,000 crisis conversations from 2022 to 2024. The findings, shared at a bipartisan congressional briefing on Capitol Hill, show anxiety, stress and loneliness are common — and that the youngest boys face the highest suicide risk.

Why it matters: - Boys and men face a severe mental health gap, with around 100 men dying by suicide every day and a suicide rate nearly four times that of women. - The report highlights that boys and men are significantly less likely to seek help, even as crisis indicators rise. - Early intervention matters because the report links social connection and physical activity to coping.

What happened: - Crisis Text Line released “Exploring Mental Health Trends Among Boys and Men,” its first dedicated report on the mental health of boys and men in the United States. - The nonprofit drew on more than 71,000 anonymized crisis conversations from 2022 to 2024. - The findings were presented May 12, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EDT during a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill. - The briefing was held with the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, co-founders Sens. Alex Padilla and Thom Tillis, and was co-hosted with Movember. - The report comes from Crisis Text Line, which provides free, 24/7, confidential mental health support in English and Spanish.

The details: - Anxiety and stress appeared in 39% of conversations with boys and men. - Anxiety and stress appeared in more than 40% of conversations with adult men. - Loneliness increased with age, with relationship challenges more common early and isolation more pronounced over time. - Nearly 1 in 3 boys under 14 discussed suicidal thoughts. - One in 6 boys under 14 reported self-harm. - Relationship stress fell from 34% among the youngest boys to 22% among the oldest. - Bullying dropped from over 10% in conversations with boys under 14 to less than 2% among older age groups. - The report identified social connection and exercise as key supports for boys and men coping with distress. - Tracy Costigan, Ph.D., vice president of impact evaluation and storytelling at Crisis Text Line, said young men are experiencing alarming levels of suicide and loneliness, and high school boys are expressing growing doubt about their futures. - Costigan said boys and men made up fewer than 1 in 5 people who reached out to Crisis Text Line. - Sen. Tillis said the caucus aims to expand access to care and strengthen opportunities for connection through practical, community-based solutions. - Sen. Padilla said open conversations, expanded support and awareness can help save lives. - Costigan will present the findings with Chris Thomas of The Defensive Line, Jon Coyles of Major League Baseball, Brian Heilman of the Movember Institute of Men’s Health and Carson Domey of the Coalition for Student Wellbeing.

Between the lines: - The report suggests boys and men may be reaching crisis points without contacting support systems at the same rate as others. - The age pattern points to different pressure points over time, with younger boys more exposed to suicidal thoughts and self-harm and older groups more likely to describe isolation. - The congressional briefing signals that boys’ and men’s mental health is moving further into bipartisan policy conversation.

What’s next: - Crisis Text Line said the report findings will be used to inform discussion at the Capitol Hill briefing and broader boys’ and men’s mental health efforts. - The organization pointed readers to the full report and invited RSVPs for the congressional briefing. - Crisis Text Line continues to offer support through text HELLO to 741741, HOLA to 741741, or its WhatsApp and web chat channels.

The bottom line: - The data show a growing mental health crisis among boys and men, with the youngest boys showing especially high suicide risk and a clear need for more accessible support.