Is male suicide going up because women don't care or due to lack awareness?

Question

bolverk · Accepted Answer

No, the raise in male suicides is not just women who don't care or lack of awareness even though it is one of the stories around men that Main Stream Media refuse to cover - If women were committing suicide at the same rate it would not be off the front pages or TV News main stories. And Men do not 'attempt suicide' they either do it or do not. their are no 'pleas for help' as women do as they know that there is a safety net there to catch them, in men's case they know there is no safety net for them.

Roles in society
For generations, societal roles have pressured men to "man up". They're encouraged to be tough, and any admittance that you're not OK is one of weakness. While women are often wrongly characterised as "emotional", men are not encouraged to speak up at all. It has its roots in childhood, when we're told that boys don't cry.

Dr Natasha Bijlani, a Consultant Psychiatrist at Priory Hospital Roehampton, discusses the outdated idea of what it means to be a man:

“Traditionally, men have been less likely to seek support for mental health issues. This is probably for a number of reasons including stigma and the traditional ‘strong male’ stereotype still prevalent in our society – the idea that expressing emotion is a sign of weakness."

These gender roles maintain a stigma around mental health, leaving many men unable to discuss their true feelings when they are struggling or seek professional support and treatment.

Communication
Generally speaking, women tend to be more communicative around mental health, able to discuss their feelings with others rather than resorting to internalising their emotions. This is supported by surveys on the topic of mental health. As many as 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health, despite over three-quarters suffering from common symptoms like anxiety, stress or depression. When asked why they don't speak up, the biggest reasons cited were:

‘I’ve learnt to deal with it’ (40%)
‘I don’t wish to be a burden to anyone’ (36%)
‘I’m too embarrassed’ (29%)
‘There’s negative stigma around this type of thing’ (20%)
The same survey found that, for four in ten men, it would take thoughts of suicide to compel them to ask for support for their mental health. The workplace is another part of life where a stigma has taken hold. 71% of people say they would be worried about telling their employer about their mental health struggles for fear of getting a negative response.

Given men are less likely to speak up in a medical setting, it makes them less likely to get the treatment they need when they are struggling. Men have been shown to be less willing to report symptoms of depression - which some see as one explanation for why women are more regularly diagnosed with mental health conditions.

Substance abuse
Alcohol and depression are inextricably linked. People will often drink excessively in order to self-medicate when they're suffering from symptoms of depression or anxiety. Despite feeling more relaxed in the short term, alcohol is a depressant that, over time, will make symptoms worse. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 7% of men have an alcohol use disorder, compared to 4% of women.

Financial pressures
When pressures in your life are especially intense, many of the reasons above play a role that makes men more vulnerable to suicide. Our survey of 1,000 men put work pressures (32%) and financial pressures (31%) as the two biggest issues negatively affecting men's mental health. Again, gender roles may be relevant. Men have a tendency to view themselves as a failure if they are not able to provide for their families. During financial downturns, the BBC reports that rates of suicide increase, making men more at risk if they lose their job during a recession.

When workplace stigmas, an unwillingness to speak up, and the risk of substance abuse combine with a drastic change in someone's life, the risk of suicide can increase dramatically.

If you, or someone you know, is having suicidal thoughts:
Contact your local mental health helpline
Ask for an urgent appointment with your GP
Go straight to the nearest A&E department
Spotting the signs of suicidal ideation
It can be hard to identify when someone is thinking about taking their life (known as suicidal ideation or suicidal thoughts). If you're worried about someone, observe their character and look out for some of the following:

A noticeable shift in their mood. Even a calmer mood can can be a cause of alarm, perhaps indicating this person has made their decision and is at peace with it
Extreme levels of despair or hopelessness about life
Talking about, writing, or researching death or suicide
Saying goodbye to family and friends
Withdrawing from friends and family
Purchasing something which could be used for suicide, such as a knife, or saving pills
High levels of anxiety or agitation
Excessive alcohol use or drug abuse
Recognising someone else is not OK can be difficult, but it can even more difficult seeing it in yourself. Paul McLaren, Consultant Psychiatrist at Priory Hospital Ticehurst House, has four questions men should ask themselves if they’re struggling with mental health:

Do you still get excited by positive occasions? For example when your team scores, or about a date or meeting friends
Are you still keen on exercise and do you still get a buzz from it? If your exercise is slipping and you are not motivated to do it, it could be that your mental health is deteriorating
Are you finding it harder to concentrate on work? Are you able to concentrate on a book or a film?
Are you losing track of social situations or just avoiding them?
Getting help
If you notice any of the signals above, either in yourself or someone else, you should take steps to get crisis support straight away. Help and support is out there for anyone struggling with mental health issues or considering taking their own life. In the long-term, there are things you can do to tackle the issues you've been experiencing and improve your well-being.

Prevention
If someone you know is vulnerable to suicide, it's important to put prevention steps in place so no harm can come to them. Putting time aside on a regular basis to talk through how they're feeling is a good start. Here are some other things to put in place:

Make a safety plan: Have a plan in place that you can immediately trigger if suicidal ideation becomes a reality. Write down coping strategies they could adopt, contact details of people who could offer emotional or professional support, and steps you could take that would minimise risk (e. g. removing things from the immediate vicinity that could be used to cause harm).
Don't ignore the signs: If signs of suicidal ideation appear, don't make light of or dismiss them. Seek the support they need as soon as you can.
Support in treatment: Be it researching local support options or attending medical appointments with your loved one, be as helpful as you can. Try and take some of the burden off your loved one so they know they're not fighting this alone.

Flatmanlewis · Accepted Answer

There are many contributing factors. I don’t think merely “awareness” is a factor. It’s a lack & availability of resources and a stigma which is soundly attached to men reaching out or being thought less of, for having a weakness.

There is a common belief among many men that women say they want me to open up and be vulnerable but in reality lose all respect for men who are. It’s a paradox and many men feel a barrier in reaching out, particularly as they develop families and their support structure of male friends gets slowly reduced by time to nothing except coworkers and close family - often times people they feel compelled to portray an image of stability and strength to.

The list can be different for men but: hopelessness, unresolved trauma & pain, PTSD particularly if from combat, homelessness, substance abuse, lack of economic opportunity, loneliness & isolation, pain from the loss of family or betrayal, alcoholism, untreated mental health issues, and so on. Add to it a tough economy, being raised in a time where there are few positive male role models for young men to aspire to be like, a general disregard for men and their needs, and a drastic change in the dating culture & landscape which makes meaningful connections with decent women very challenging - all can leave men feeling empty and without any confidence in a better future.

mandyfire98 · Accepted Answer

Why would women be the sole result of men killing themselves? If that's the case then is their too much focus and need towards women by men?

Maybe society should look at all the factors contributing to this. Why is the solution to this problem have everything to do with women. I don't think just being a woman would solve this issue. I think there's far too much power being attributed to women. That we are solely responsible for ending male suicide.

Is it the belief that if men only were able to be in a relationship then they'd be happy? That's false. Plenty of married men kill themselves all the time. If women pay more attention to men's suicide rates then what happens next? Women flood the psychology field and put all men into therapy to fix the problem?

Then how do you solve toxic masculinity and other men calling you pussy and gay and feminine and making fun of you for showing any emotions at all. Because 9/10 times that's who judges you for emoting.

I guess I don't understand why women alone will be the cure of male suicide.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

They don't know how to get what they want. That's the problem. The school and parents habitually create losers. 97% of the people never live the way they want.

These men are depressed because they aren't who they wanna be. And that really bothers them. The can be but they don't know how to change the paradigm.

It's not because of women but women could help them a lot but that isn't going to happen because of all the gender war brain washing happening on both sides.

It's really that simple. If people are living the life they want and focused on the good of that life they won't be unhappy.

ManOnFire · Answer

I think the rates are probably the same as they were 5 years ago. Male suicide is high because men use more full proof methods, but women attempt suicide at higher rates than men do. It takes a lot more to push a man to come to a serious decision of wanting to end his life, but women come to that decision more often, they just fail at how they do it.

Is there lack of awareness? I highly doubt it. Are women not caring? Women aren't going to care whether the rates are high or low, and not unless they themselves lost a brother, father, boyfriend, husband, etc. to suicide.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

I hadn’t heard that it’s increasing. There are a great many factors, but the “loneliness” epidemic has been making headlines. Also, not just women who don’t care. Almost nobody cares about men’s struggles. The minority of us who do are being characterized as domestic terrorists. Maybe the long and short of it is that women’s liberation has had its day and women live in a brave new world. Meanwhile men are still expected, almost universally, to continue to live up to old gender norms that just aren’t working anymore and nobody will give us a safe space for meaningful change. All the while, we have to not only accept whatever women want to do or not do, but facilitate it while remaining largely oppressed ourselves. Sitting hungry at a table watching someone else eat knowing all i get is to pay the bill and leave hungry is reason enough for any reasonable person to get up and leave. In this case, leaving the table equates to self deletion.

Anonymous · Answer

It's a combination of things. Yes, women and society are failing men in many ways. Today boys grow up in a world where they are constantly sent messages that they are bad unnecessary. Public schools have been failing boys miserably for decades, so they are branded as losers from an early age. A huge percentage of boys are raised without a father, and their mothers don't know how to teach them to be men. Many of the role models boys have today are terrible examples. And there is a very strong sense among men and boys today that society doesn't give a fuck about the success and welfare of males. All of these things have conspired to produce a generation of men who are angry, hopeless and disenfranchised. That's a dangerous condition in a society where guns are readily available.

NamerOfStars · Answer

Did you miss the part where the first world, and most of the second, flushed its future down the toilet in fear of a virus with half the lethality of chicken pox? And half of Eurasia seems to be competing to be the host of World War 3? Conditions in pretty much every area are TERRIBLE compared to where they were even five years ago.

Beyond that, it's a lack of empathy- but you can't pin all the responsibility on women. What have you done to help men who're suffering?

JosyJosy · Answer

If that is true then it is not because of us, but because of how men handle their hardships.

A person committing suicide believes there is no way out when there actually is. But when you are so down, you miss to see those opportunities.

strateguy632 · Answer

neither of those 2, but most are too ashamed to go to a psycholgist and the few who go, nobody takes them seriously! "man up!! dont be a pussy" etc. attitude, until for the real ones it is too late.

Agape93 · Answer

It's due to guys having no outlet for emotions that don't involve violence. So they end up either toxic or dead

DextroShade · Answer

A lot of the guys offing themselves would have probably been husbands and fathers had they been born a few decades ago. Feminism and globalism are destroying society.

laly520 · Answer

its multifaceted not cuz of women not caring

normalice · Answer

Probably more to do with neglectful fathers and mothers being willing to accept the blame for that instead of standing up for their kids' needs.

IslaTheWitch · Answer

I would say it's because men want everything fast and easy and life doesn't want to cooperate

dustybiker2 · Answer

Most people who commit suicide are hiding it because they don't want to be stopped. Depression is real. People need to reach out and talk to professionals, not blame it on women.

slatyb · Answer

It's largely due to changes in the employment market.

Unit1 · Answer

Pretty much. Boys and men are neglected to the point, where taking their own life seems quite attractive. Or becoming a transgirl.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

More likely because of all the shit going on worldwide.

CrabCakes11 · Answer

Neither. It’s toxic masculinity and a culture that tells men to repress their emotions

OtterMan68 · Answer

Easy access to guns, the most common method of suicide for men. Men refusing to seek help as it's seen as a sign of weakness.

exitseven · Answer

I don;t know but it really has increase over the last few years. I think it started with covid.

Anonymous · Answer

Society in general is my argument with more reasons than I can list Who doesn't keep a check out kit for emergencies like the left starting on wealth confiscations and genocide

AngryCarl · Answer

No, it's because life sucks.

Is male suicide going up because women don't care or due to lack awareness?

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What Girls & Guys Said

What can be done about the male suicide rate, and why is it treated as either a joke or not that big of a deal?

Is male suicide going up because women don't care or due to lack awareness?

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What Girls & Guys Said

What can be done about the male suicide rate, and why is it treated as either a joke or not that big of a deal?

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