There is a proven link between diagnosable mental illness and suicide – this primarily relates to depression. Though the number of women suffering from clinical depression is large, men are at higher risk when it comes to suicide. Women commit suicides four times less in comparison with men. Men have much higher rates of suicide due to their natural restraint, suppression of emotions, and social stereotypes.
The potential reason lies in women’s way of thinking and interacting with others. Women prefer to share their experiences with friends, discussing their thoughts and feelings, seeking feedback, and taking advice. Therefore, women obtain kind of emotional discharge and a chance to analyze and think everything over again appropriately. Respectively, women more often see a physician on time and get treatment. As a result, their depressive states are handled more efficiently. It is not just about the protection from suicide – it is the so-called problem-solving approach, landing women in a physician’s office, and keeping male suicide rates higher than female’s ones.
Further, there is a vast difference between suicide and attempted suicide. The number of suicides reaches about 48,000 annually, and 75% of those are male (Suicide Facts and Figures). At the same time, the rate of attempted suicide is about 1,4 million (Suicidal Behavior). In practice, this rate is even higher, since some suicide attempts are classified as accidental drug poisonings or lacerations. A terrifying fact is that the percentage of females attempted suicide each year is 1,5 higher than male ones (Suicide Facts and Figures).
Nevertheless, in the vast majority of cases, attempted suicide has nothing to do with actually ending one’s life. Most often, it is an effort to solve one’s problem by bringing attention to it, whereas a real suicide is a solution itself. In actual suicides, people use the all-or-nothing means, for example, gunshots or hanging. In attempted suicide methods allowing for second chance and rescue are commonly used, for instance, an overdose of pills which relates to slowly effective and often ineffective means.
Another reason for the lower female suicide rate is women’s inclusive thinking. In other words, women tend to take into account more things, seeking input and processing problems for a long time after the point. Men are most likely to disregard the related nuances while getting to the core of the issue. Overwhelmingly, women take into account the feelings of people around, especially their families, and the way suicide might affect them. A man is less likely to consider such things and share his opinions and decisions with anybody else.
An essential part of the responsibility lies with society: women are welcomed to seek help when they face any issues while men see a confession of weakness in it. In other words, on the subconscious level, society pushes men to be all-around competent and robust in all areas. Therefore, when men come to the point, the realization that they do not meet those expectations increases their risks.
Although alcoholic and addicted men rarely look for help, the prevention of suicide is still possible. The experienced physicians are able to recognize the alarm bells of depression or other kinds of depressed states, evaluate the risk factors appropriately, and propose suitable treatment to their male patients. Respectively, men’s problems can be solved without further decisive and persistent attempts to end their lives. Nevertheless, current researches show that at least 45% of people have visited the physicians within thirty days of their suicide but were not diagnosed or treated vigorously (Reed, p. 1).
Therefore, the primary concern of our society is to abandon standards imposed on men from childhood. Men need to be encouraged to talk about their problems and feelings instead of suppressing them deep inside. It is vital in the current era of constant stress and enormous mental and physical workload. In turn, medical staff should pay special attention to the mental state of their patients and, in case of doubt, conduct additional examinations and prescribe appropriate therapy in case of need.
Works Cited
- Reed, Jerry. “Primary Care: A Crucial Setting for Suicide Prevention.” Suicide Prevention in Primary Care.
- “Suicidal Behavior Among Adults (18+), United States 2018.” Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Web.
- “Suicide Facts and Figures: United States 2020.” Chapterland. Web.