Danica sees tripling in young men seeking mental health help
Thursday 17th September 2026 on 14:31 in
Denmark
Danica Pension has recorded a threefold increase over the past decade in the number of men under 35 reporting mental health difficulties, DR reports. The group has grown from 500 to 600 people to several thousand a year, even after adjusting for the rise in the number of young men covered by the company.
Men under 35 are now Danica’s fastest-growing group in claims related to mental health difficulties and poor wellbeing. Young women, however, remain the largest group.
Mikkel Lykke Larsen, Danica’s claims director, called the figures concerning. He said the reasons given by young men included pressure from a culture of perfection, loneliness, financial uncertainty and concerns about the geopolitical situation.
He also pointed to what is known as a quarter-life crisis, saying many young men face choices they feel will define their future and struggle to deal with them.
Larsen said the increase could reflect both worsening mental health and a greater willingness among men to seek help. He said it had become less taboo for men to reach out, while also stressing that young men were clearly finding it harder mentally.
DR asked Tryg and Dansk Sundhedssikring whether they had seen a similar sharp increase. Neither company confirmed the same trend. Dansk Sundhedssikring said claims related to mental health had risen generally, including among young men, but not as sharply as among its customers overall.
The figures from Danica are consistent with developments seen by Psykiatrifonden, a mental health organisation that provides counselling for people over 15. Liza Marie Johnson, a volunteer manager at its counselling line, said the organisation had recorded a threefold increase in enquiries from men under 30 over the past four years.
The counselling line receives enquiries from young men experiencing relationship problems, stress and pressure to live up to ideals presented on social media. Loneliness is also a recurring issue, including among people who have many relationships but feel they lack depth and openness.
Johnson advised young men to speak about their problems early rather than waiting until they are in crisis. She said many wait until the pressure has become very great before seeking help.