Men: Suffering secretly and silently

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I thought this was a rather interesting article, mainly for the statistics that really speak for themselves.

Although this is about the UK, I have to wonder if the statistics are similar in America and Australia as an overall trend or if this is relegated to one region. Regardless, the silent part seems to be true everywhere.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/08/2012858525314622.html

Its probably the same here in Canada. With the way economy is going its affecting most of the world.

"Chris went on to explain how not having a purpose or anything to work towards affects every aspect of his life"

The article was interesting. Indeed, I've met many more men than women who had severe mental health problems or were struggling with their finances. Strangely, unlike the article claims, they seem relatively open talking about what they're going through - in small groups or individually, and without women. It's part of how society is built, and I'm afraid that this one won't change because it has a biological undertone. It is true that men are expected to carry the burden and risk much more in most species. Those responsibilities can be quite extreme. Many people theoretically still believe that women should take lifeboat seats before men when ships sink. Men are considered the expendable sex by society, at least subconsciously. They work, and ideally don't complain. If they do, it's considered a sign of weakness.

Suicide rates among men have always worried me a lot. Usually, when I ask them in a round of trivial facts, people answer "definitely women" when I ask them which sex has a suicide rate several times higher than the other.

I just checked the Australian Statistics, and they range from 3 times as likely to 4 times as likely for men to commit suicide rather than women. Figures for the U.S.A. are similar (4 times more likely).

I have heard men talk about it, but only around other men, at least the suicidal thoughts part, they will dicuss financial difficulties more often though. Most men don't seem to care if I hear, but they do seem to try avoid talking about it in front of other women.

I have to admit that this isn't really talked about publicly here. It's simply not a topic that is discussed because the population is largely unaware of how common it is.

I would assume it's because of the stigma placed on men being emotional.

But at the same time there's stigma on women being emotional. [I s**t you not.]

I can blame testosterone, right? It's about as likely that men are chemically predisposed to dangerous behaviors as stigma being the sole source [though I find it irritating].

about equal numbers of men and women attempt suicide, but men are more often successful. i think there needs to be more support and intervention for both genders, as there seems to be equal levels of suicidal depression. i would like to see frank and comprehensive discussion of depression and mental illness as part of the school curriculum.

http://www.who.int/gender/documents/en/whopaper6.pdf

i would also like to see men become more comfortable discussing their feelings. in every psychotherapy group i've attended, there has been no more than 30% men in attendance (and sometimes none). clearly there must be a gap in the system (or perhaps they might prefer a different form of help altogether).

I can believe it. Years ago, a friend had told me that while others were depressed, I had worn mine like a black crown. Thankfully, that's a condition I have since largely left in the past - beginning in large part to discussing it with my friend.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

This story doesn't mention suicide attempts. I thought men and women attempted suicide equally but that men were more successful and actually succeed in committing suicide.

Actually, women are about three times more likely to attempt it, which makes the discrepancy in rates of successful suicides even more extreme.

http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html

Part of that may be that men are less likely to report a failed attempt.

I can say from personal experience that, at least around here, it is much easier for women to gain access to the Department of Mental Health's resources. Gf and I both contacted the department on the same day, for the same reason. She had her initial consultation within a couple of weeks, had regularly scheduled appts within a month and was prescribed anti-depressants at her first appt (about all they can do). I spent several months trying to get the consultation before I gave up. Visits to the office showed that the other clients were almost all women.

Don't have enough information to argue that that is the norm. But I would not be the least bit surprised if it were. Women just seem to have an easier time eliciting sympathy, and are taken more seriously when they ask for help.

^^^ yeah that makes sense. i went into a department of psychiatry outpatient intake once, and i was seen very quickly. i think it was because i was in hysterics and therefore a priority. but i don't think as many men would necessarily be in hysterics in a waiting room, even if they were suicidal or having a breakdown. there is such social pressure for men to hide their emotions that i think their true feelings can be overlooked.

something that seems to have a higher proportion of men enrolled is anger management therapy. i don't think that there are more angry men than women, but maybe depression and anxiety can sometimes manifest as anger? just a thought, but perhaps men who enter the mental health system from other angles should be evaluated for depression and anxiety instead of getting tossed in anger management therapy.

I've heard that, and those statistics for women hold up here too.

However there must be some reason for why so many women attempt but but a smaller number suceed as opposed to fewer attempts with a much much higher success rate.

I have noticed at work that women are much much more likely to walk through the door than men are. I have no doubt much of that is due to social expectation and gender roles. The men I know who have committed suicide sucessfully never spoke a word about it beforehand.

the study i linked to gave some answers to that.

Some, yes.
However gun laws here are extremely strict and most here have no availablity to a firearm.
I'm not sure what gun laws are like in the UK.

Although the overall correlations seem to be based on location (which I imagine has a significant correlation to the ecnomy) and methods used.

I've read before that men are more likely to use guns, or hang themselves, [pretty surefire way] and women are more likely to overdose [less surefire, but definitely causes some damage].