Get a man talking about his favorite subject — his motorcycle, golf game or favorite brand of Scotch — and you can likely settle back and expect a long “conversation.” Just nod and smile. It’s best to let him go.

But when it comes to volunteering honest thoughts about their feelings, many, especially men of a certain generation, will shut down like a trial witness taking the Fifth.

For decades, even centuries, men across multiple societies have been conditioned to maintain an image of strength, which has often meant suffering through pain in a sort of noble silence. Society’s expectation has been that men — as spouses and breadwinners, problem solvers and heads of households — should bear their burdens with fortitude. An admission of pain has long been seen as a sign of weakness.

And of all those bottled-up pains, mental problems have traditionally been the most suppressed. You might get a guy to tell the story behind his scars and bruises, but when it comes to talking about anxiety, fear or depression, men have been less than forthcoming.

Dr. Pedro Delgado, chairman of the UAMS Department of Psychiatry and director of the Psychiatric Research Institute says the stigma of mental illness in men may be easing in some quarters of society, but it still persists.

“If you’re a man and you don’t act like a ‘man,’ people still think there’s something wrong with you,” Delgado says.

Federal data analysis reveals suicide rates in the U.S. are at a 30-year high, with the greatest increase in men and women ages 45-64. According to the Movember Foundation — the charity that tackles major men’s health issues, including mental health — close to one in four adults will experience a mental health problem each year, while the highest rate of depression is in men ages 40-59, with an average of 87 men committing suicide per day.

Males in certain ethnic groups, Delgado says, African-Americans and Latinos especially, are even more inclined to maintain the aura of quiet strength, and the culture of some professions like the military or law enforcement includes unwritten codes of silence.

To admit a mental health problem raises the fear of appearing incompetent and, in the case of professions with heavy responsibility, surgeons and airline pilots for example, the very real fear of losing one’s job.

“We all face health problems … but there’s a tendency to expect more dysfunction from people who have mental health [problems],” Delgado says.

But men don’t have to feel the need to suffer their problems in silence. The health care field is better equipped than ever to help men grapple with their mental health issues, and society’s stigmas are releasing their grip, especially in younger generations.

“There’s more knowledge of what to expect and when to realize you’ve got problems,” Delgado says. “You Google any of this stuff and you go online and there’s a ton of information.”

The spate of tragic, mass shootings in the U.S. may have helped to inadvertently raise awareness of mental health issues, Delgado says, while social media has given people the courage to share their problems from a safe distance and find like-minded individuals with whom to connect.

In May, University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono — who initiated free, mental health counseling on campus after a student’s suicide — revealed at a fundraiser his own struggles with depression and a pair of suicide attempts, drawing praise for his frankness from professionals like Delgado.

“It was a highly risky thing to do because you can’t control the stigma that’s out there,” Delgado says.

Of course, admitting and talking about problems is always the most important first step, but there are still numerous challenges to good mental health in men.

Those who are undereducated or living in remote or economically depressed regions typically do not have the tools to express their emotions or have access to a very wide range of help options. In these situations, males are prone to expressing themselves through negative behaviors like violence, self-medicating with drugs and alcohol or even suicide.

According to Delgado and other sources, states with the highest suicide rates have the fewest mental health treatment options available.

“The cost of helping someone today and keeping them well is better than waiting 10 years,” Delgado says.

Before that help can begin, it is important to recognize warning signs. Is a man having trouble focusing on tasks that used to be easy? Does he no longer find joy in his treasured hobbies or pastimes? Is he having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much? Has his appetite changed? These are all indicators of depression and could signal the onset of a downward spiral.

“When you feel helpless or are not doing anything, that creates a negative loop,” Delgado says.

For economically depressed regions and rural areas, there are grants, foundations and outreach programs in place to help fill the need. Some of these programs aim to identify leaders who see their fellow citizens on a regular basis, clergymen and coaches for example, and train these leaders to recognize behavioral changes and mental health patterns and follow through with referrals.

A man who recognizes something is wrong and who has the means should speak to a licensed therapist, Delgado says. Getting issues out in the open helps carve them down to size, and talking things over with a trained professional who can give good advice is ideal.

Think of a therapist as personal trainer. A therapist can help cope with negative conditions the way a trainer can advise you on proper technique at a bench press, Delgado says.

Sometimes a man can improve his sense of well being by taking on positive activities that he can control and complete. Often feelings of anxiety or depression stem from a feeling of lack of control, and a simple act like completing a household project or going for a run helps restore a sense of self worth through accomplishing goals or tasks.

Little Rock Athletic Club

Physical activities offer a range of positive benefits that enhance good mental health. There is the satisfying sense of completion, plus better blood flow and the release of endorphins, which can lead to better sleep, which is better for one’s daily job performance, which can in turn relieve job-related stress, often the cause of depression or anxiety in the first place.

Certain physical activities have been shown to increase Brain Denial Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) synthesis, which is partly responsible for exercise-induced neurogenesis and improvements in cognitive function. But there is also a sense of community that comes with exercise and fitness. People who trade workout tips, belong to a running club or recreational sports league feel less isolated with their problems and gain a sense of belonging.

“When people start to develop a sense of competence and have anchors” of things they share and enjoy, Delgado says, it can not only help with stress and certain kinds of mental health programs, it can also lead to positive relationships and social situations that improve mental health.

Of course it all comes back to recognizing a problem exists and acknowledging a need for help. For men who think toughness and courage come with the territory of being male, admitting a mental health issue exists might be the most important act of bravery of all.

“In order to acknowledge it, you are saying there’s a part of you that you are having trouble with. And that’s always scary,” Delgado says.