University of Nebraska–Lincoln

UHC | Counseling and Psychological Services

Real Men, Real Depression

real men real depression

Real Men. Real Depression. Campaign Arrives to Target Reluctant Men


The National Institute of Mental Health created this campaign to raise public awareness of men's experiences with depression and to encourage "traditional" men to seek help. Campus-wide advertising for the campaign will begin on Monday, September 25th , with special events to follow on Wednesday, October 4th.

  • Did you know that men on the UNL campus are much less likely to report feeling depressed than women, even though men may experience similar or higher rates of psychological distress?
  • Did you know that men are much less likely to seek professional help, despite being 4 times more likely to complete suicide than women? Only one-third of those who seek help on the UNL campus are men.
  • Furthermore, research suggests that men may experience depression in ways not aligned with diagnostic criteria, such as alcohol/substance abuse, violence, anger, overwork, or withdrawal. Have these behaviors ever impacted your life or the lives of those around you?
To learn more about the campaign and why these facts exist, you are invited to join the campaign committee and Dr. Aaron Rochen, a researcher and counseling psychology faculty member at the University of Texas-Austin, and expert on both the RMRD campaign and men's experiences of depression, for two very important campus events.

Campaign Event Schedule


Wed., October 4th, 3:00 p.m. ,City Campus Union (room to be posted). Training session on how to work more effectively with men (esp. depressed men) in a variety of settings. (This event is reserved primarily for professors, clinicians, and graduate students).

Wed., October 4th, 7:00 p.m., Love Library Auditorium. Official "launch" of the RMRD campaign, with talks by Dr. Aaron Rochlen and Rodolfo Palma-Lulion, a man who has recovered from depression and is featured on RMRD campaign materials. (Everyone on campus is welcome and encouraged to attend this event. Community members are also welcome).

For more information about the Real Men. Real Depression. Campaign, visit the NIMH website at nih.gov