Beliefs about what makes a ‘real’ man have changed enormously over time. So what does it mean to be a man in the twenty-first century? Do traditional ideas about masculinity still apply, and if not, what kinds of new ideas have replaced them? Explore our interactive below to learn more.

A rigid construct of what makes a "real man" is putting a strain on real young men, says new research.

Everywhere around the world, the suicide rates amongst men outstrips that of women. The writer Will Storr hears some stories - and asks why.

Families come in all shapes and sizes, and not all families include fathers. But when there’s a father or someone in the fathering role, we all have our own ideas about what makes a good dad. What does a man have to do to earn this title, and have our standards changed over time? Explore our interactive to learn more.

Wondering why we need a men’s awareness day? This article explores why we need to extend empathy to men who may be struggling and looks at some of the support available.

How do bereaved fathers find support after losing a baby shortly before or after birth? This article looks at men’s experiences of belonging to a Sands United football team (the stillbirth and neonatal death society).

Is a lack of ‘male role models’ the source of the problems faced by young men today? And does involving more men in boys’ care and welfare make a difference? 

What is life like for boys today? In what follows, we explore aspects of contemporary boyhood, drawing on research conducted at The Open University and elsewhere.

An overview of the conditions in Wales that led to a unique and world-famous musical tradition.

Each year thousands of pounds are spent on medications to treat conditions such as anxiety and depression. These medications often have negative side effects. Exercise is an alternative treatment that is low cost and has few side effects. In this free course, Exercise and mental health, we will look at the links between exercise and improved ...

This free advanced level course, Exploring depression, serves as an introduction to masters level study in neurosciences and mental health. Focusing on depression, you will consider key issues concerning diagnosis, causes and interventions. You will also begin to explore theoretical models, biological and psychological explanations, and look at ...

This free advanced level course, Exploring the relationship between anxiety and depression, serves as an introduction to masters level study in neurosciences and mental health. Focusing on anxiety and depression, you will consider key issues concerning diagnosis, causes and interventions, exploring how these conditions relate to each other. You ...

Over the past century there has been a radical shift in responses to people who experience mental health problems. In this free course, Making sense of mental health problems, you will learn about how key perspectives in the field have made sense of mental health problems. By directly relating key perspectives to a case study, you will reflect ...

In this free course, Mental health in society, you will explore and critically reflect on mental health. You will explore the relationship between the lived experiences of individuals, and the society and environment in which they live. Different perspectives, approaches and models of understanding and critiquing mental health will be explored ...

This free course, Understanding depression and anxiety, explores the causes of these mental health issues, with a particular focus on stress. You will consider some risk and causal factors for some depression and anxiety disorders, and learn about the biology and psychology behind them.

This free course, Understanding mental capacity, covers the principles and criteria underpinning the assessment of mental capacity and decision making in the UK.

Panic attacks: what they are and what to do about them is a free course that should be helpful to anyone who experiences panic or panic attacks, for their family and friends, and anyone more generally interested in mental health and mental health treatment. The course starts by exploring formal definitions of panic and panic attack. These ...

Although being at work during periods of mental illness can be difficult for those with mental health problems, most people with these difficulties could take paid employment if it were not for numerous barriers in the workplace and the wider community (Centre for Mental Health, 2013). In this free course, Work and mental health, you will look ...