World Suicide Prevention Day

September 10th marks World Suicide Prevention Day. With suicide being the leading cause of death for men and women aged 20 to 34, one would expect the prevention of suicides to be taken somewhat seriously by our government. But is this the case? Are we doing enough, and is it working? 

All Lives Matter — The Hard Facts

While the majority of this article will focus on male suicidality, it must be noted that women constitute 25 per cent of suicide victims and attempt suicide more often than men. Indeed, an article about Suicide Prevention Day would be incomplete without highlighting such sad and shocking statistics. As we make our way through the data before looking at the failures of the government, the mental health sector, and support organisations, please bear in mind that every ‘number’ represents a life—a parent; a son; a daughter; a sibling; a friend; a colleague. Every suicide is followed by chaos, grief, disbelief and often lifelong guilt as those affected ask what they could have done to prevent it. 

According to Samaritans, the leading charity in suicide prevention, England alone registered 4912 suicides in 2020. This statistic includes children from the age of 10. Over the years, the number of suicides has remained relatively consistent, with even the Covid lockdowns not prompting an expected increase. In five out of the preceding ten years to 2020, North East England had the highest suicide rate at 13.3 per 100,000 people in 2020 (the average rate is 10.0 per 100,000 of the population), seeing an increase of 15.7 per cent compared to 2019.

Men and Suicide

One of the most consistent facts about suicide is that it affects the male population more significantly than women. According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, three-quarters of UK suicides since the mid-1990s have been men, with suicide remaining the largest cause of death for males aged 20 to 49 and men aged 45 to 49 being most at risk, with 25.5 deaths per 100,000 people. 

With 75 per cent of suicide victims being men, one could expect there to be at least a strong emphasis or interest in combatting male suicide. But looking at the document Preventing suicide in England: Fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives, this isn’t the case. While there is an almost exclusive focus on women in government strategies tackling issues such as sexual violence and domestic abuse (which has a male victim rate of around 35 per cent), there is very little focus on the overrepresentation of men regarding suicide. Indeed, male suicide is addressed exclusively in just two paragraphs of the 71-page government report. 

Nothing to See Here

Regarding the key driving forces behind suicide, the aforementioned report “identifies three themes.” These include loneliness and social isolation, concerns about the financial and economic future, and strain on existing relationships. To give credit to the report’s authors, it does address the “financial and economic impacts” on middle-aged men specifically. But “loneliness and social isolation” are only discussed in a gender-neutral fashion, and “strain on existing relationships” is never again highlighted as a driving factor of suicide. Why is this significant? 

According to Mental Health UK, “men are significantly more affected by relationship breakdowns compared to women.” This is not mentioned in the government’s strategy. In fact, the words ‘divorce’, ‘separation’, and ‘child custody’ are not mentioned once, while the word ‘relationship’ is only used once in this context. 

When it comes to issues that affect men and boys, the only strategy employed by the government seems to be to say: ‘there is nothing to see here’. Only the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men and Boys (APPG M&B) dares to look closely at these issues.

The evidence presented to the APPGM&B lays out the most common reasons for male suicide and makes the case that more funding in the mental health sector does not reduce male suicide rates. According to Glen Poole, on behalf of the Australian Men’s Health Forum, male suicidality is usually not driven by underlying mental health issues but rather by external stressors such as relationship breakdown, family separation, economic and financial distress and loss of job. But even less traumatic situations can prove the straw that breaks the camel’s back, particularly if other factors already contribute negatively to a man’s perception of his position. Under these circumstances, retirement, a change into civilian life from the military, release from prison, and even starting university can trigger suicide. 

As opposed to mental health, it is often when several issues converge that individuals are driven to suicide. According to Glen Poole, many suicidal men told him it “wasn’t [their lives] they wanted to end, [but their] unbearable suffering and pain.” 

Looking for Solutions

Poole reports that among those asking for help from the Australian organisation Dads In Distress, 50 per cent of fathers disclose suicidality initially. After only three weekly meetings, feelings of suicidality drop to 0 per cent. This is because the men realise they are not alone and that there is a way through their darkest hours. 

While grassroots, down-to-earth approaches seem to have a positive impact, traditional therapy seems less effective for men. Universities, especially those focusing on social sciences and psychology, are overwhelmingly female-dominated, with 80 per cent of students being women. Masculinity is often portrayed as ‘problematic’ and ‘toxic’. Support for men thus consists of attempting to treat suffering men ‘more like women’ and encouraging them to ‘open up’. ‘Men just have to talk more about their feelings’ is often the go-to phrase when discussing solutions to male suicidality. 

However, those who work with men cite that most men in distress do not want to talk about their feelings and prefer practical solutions for their problems. Consequently, traditional therapy and support services are often not suited to the needs of men. Solutions that seem to work very well are attendance to grassroots organisations founded and led by men with first-hand experience in feelings of suicide, such as Andy’s Men’s Club and Men’s Sheds. They are hands-on, pragmatic environments not run by health professionals but ordinary men who can help sufferers work through their problems. 

Moving Forward

If we want to reduce the rates of male suicide, then we have to identify the situations in which men are most vulnerable. We must encourage friends, colleagues, and family members to look out for each other and support organisations already doing a great job. We must stop treating men as unworthy of compassion and care and demand that fathers are treated not as second-class parents without rights. Instead, we should encourage stable relationships, equitable post-divorce arrangements, and the pro-marriage environment that was once the norm with the Church. 

September 10th marks World Suicide Prevention Day. Why don’t you reach out to a friend who is having a rough time? Have a beer or take him for a walk. Who knows, you might just save his life.