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VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - One in ten men experience depression or anxiety daily, but less than half seek treatment says Mental Health America. This can be due to social stigma, cultural expectations, or lack of representation.

For Timothy Lasane, as a barber he is able to address some of the stigma surrounding men and mental health, especially after battling with cancer for a second time.

Lasane said, “It took a toll on my mental because I’m celebrating turning 50 and as soon as I turned 50 everything went down hill. As soon as we got off the boat I went straight to the hospital.”

He spent three weeks in the hospital before beginning treatment and care. In December 2024, he officially rang the bell that he was cancer free.

Before his diagnosis, Lasane was a strong advocate for Mental Health Awareness through his podcast Mann Listen This Free Game and working with local therapists to create “Babershop Talk,” allowing men to confront their anxiety and depression in a safe environment.

“That’s just another experience that I can share. I have lived the life that a lot of young men are living. I come from what they come from and I’ve been where they are going if they don’t get themselves together,” he said.

Statistics say that Black men are less likely to seek mental health care for feelings of anxiety or depression.

Dr. Demetria Hill-Cannady said, “Where as we (women) will express how we feel. Men won’t they will suppress their emotions then when they do it normally comes out as anger or aggression which causes additional issues.”

WALB’s Brittanye Blake shares how this can change in later newscasts

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