Male suicide rates and possible factors

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A recent article about the urgent need for charity funding to help stem alarming male suicide rates in the UK has us considering possible reasons behind the figures.

Every individual case is as unique as it is utterly tragic, but in this article we explore some of factors that may contribute to so many men feeling like they have reached crisis point.

Male suicide rates

Money worries

Almost a quarter of new Scottish Widows customers in 2022 declared a mental health condition, with money worries being the most common catalyst according to its data.

Cash-flow problems can spring up at any time – especially in our troubled economic climate – and can range from small annoyance to financial devastation. For many households, the feeling of ‘just getting by’ can quickly be upended to become a chase to keep up with whatever shortfall has occurred.

Many men feel that the responsibility lies upon them to be the provider of the family, and when times become hard it can have a profoundly negative impact upon emotional wellbeing.

Stigma

Even today, the ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality is very much a factor when it comes to how many men perceive emotional matters. The belief is that showing emotion is a sign of weakness, and sentiment that “boys don’t cry” has often been drilled into them from a young age.

Whereas women often have much more effective ways of dealing with emotions, men have a tendency to bottle them all up and not share them with anyone. Over the course of a long time, this can have a very damaging effect on mental health.

Support networks

As briefly touched upon in the previous paragraph – many men feel like they have nobody to turn to when it comes to worries and emotional issues. Women are often much better at talking about their feelings, whereas men often try to press on regardless of how they feel and pretend that it isn’t happening.

With the correct support network around you and the desire to seek help from it, worries can be so much more effectively dealt with. If this is inadequate, then acknowledging the issue may make it easier to consult the help of a GP or counsellor who can hopefully set you on the path to recovery.

Career pressures

Perhaps tying in with money worries is the desire or need to be the ultimate provider for the family. Getting sucked into the loop of being constantly on the go for work, whether it be during work hours or beyond – the pressure to be persistently firing on all cylinders as you climb your way up the career ladder can have an effect on the family unit as well as the individual.

When work seems to be the sole reason to exist, it is perhaps understandable that some men are having difficulty finding a healthy work/life balance in order to remain emotionally grounded.

How to get help

Maybe this is the first time you have considered seeking outside help, whether that be from even your spouse, a friend or a relative. If so, it is never too late to discuss your problems, and the problems are never too complex that they cannot be solved.

Here are some handy pointers to help keep your mental health in check:

Tell someone about your worries – Whether it be a colleague, parent, spouse or friend. A problem shared is a problem halved.
Seek additional help – A loved one may not always be able to have an answer for everything you’re going through. Your GP will assist you to help find the right pathway for you.
Practice mindfulness – Give yourself as many opportunities as you can throughout the day to just let your mind focus on being in the present, no matter what you are doing at that time.
Improve your work/life balance – Find time to do the things you love with the people you love outside of work. If work is the issue, let your issues be known to your manager or HR representative.
Someone is always available to listen – Even in the darkest hour, helplines such as the Samaritans can be contacted for free at any time of the day or night.