Why are men more likely than women to take their own lives?

azazelcrowley · 2015-01-21T13:18:36+00:00

*"In western societies, overall rates of mental health disorders tend to be around 20-40% higher for women than for men.

Given the unequal burden of distress implied by these figures, it is hardly surprising that women are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts."*

You mean, more likely to outwardly display depression and more likely to report suicidal thoughts.

"they are also more likely to act on the idea. The survey found that 7% of women and 4% of men had attempted suicide at some point in their lives."

Same problem here.

"But of the 5,981 deaths by suicide in the UK in 2012, more than three quarters (4,590) were males. In the US, of the 38,000 people who took their own lives in 2010, 79% were men."

But as soon as we come to actual physical evidence (A corpse.) instead of just women waffling about their feelings, BAM. Narrative destroyed.

Men are more likely than women to take their own lives because women can talk about this shit without having their social status eviscerated. You'll also note that women are the source of much of the shame males feel about their feminine behaviour.

So basically this comes down to:

Researcher: "Anyone gonna kill themselves?"

Woman1: "Meeee!"

Woman2: "I tried last week."

Man: "I tried too."

Woman3: "LOL FAGGOT! WHAT A PUSSY! LOOK AT THAT FAG!"

Man2: "..." hangs self later

But sure. Its the women being oppressed. The figures say so, see? And all we had to do was harass and bully men into shutting up about it by publically ridiculing any who come forward. So now the figures say it happens mostly to women, and is evidence of wimminz oppression D: Oh noes! Even though the physical evidence would suggest, you know, it's happening far more to males. Besides which, as we all know, an almost-rape of a woman is more important than an actual rape of a man, and this extends to suicide too. She almost killed herself. Clearly, this is a bigger deal than the man who killed himself. Because patriarchy.

Same as the rape and domestic violence issue. It's such a twisted and fucked up way of acting, and yet, it's ubiquitous.

ExpendableOne · 2015-01-21T19:04:21+00:00

Perhaps the life of a man isn't as "privileged" as feminists would make it out to be?

Maybe men are faced with far more burdens than women, when it comes to life, love, work and success. Men are deemed expendable from birth, and the moment they show weakness or frailty they are deemed to be unmanly, therefore unworthy of respect and consideration.

Maybe it's got something to do with women having a lot more safety nets than men, and will find far more people willing to help and support them. Maybe when a woman starts to spiral or lose all hope/meaning in her life, there is an abundance of men willing to pick her up and cheer her up(even if she is being a complete cunt), while a man that starts to spiral will find no such support, love or cheering from women(that would require women typically taking on the lead, or a position of power/supporter over that man, which most women will avoid like the plague).

Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that women are valued for being, while men need to strive and compete to find any shred of relevance in their own lives(those that fail to stay competitive are essentially swept under the rug and forgotten). Maybe men face far more time feeling unwanted, unloved and undesired?

Maybe it's because men are treated like social and sexual predators for having a sexuality, and that many often end up feeling socially/sexually isolated and disconnected as a result. Maybe it's because the bar is always set that much higher for men and the standards for success/value can often seem so unobtainable to men that giving often feels like the only legitimate alternative? Maybe men are less willing to seek help, or admit they have depression issues, because no one around them will tolerate depressed men around them.

Maybe it's because men who are depressed are completely and utterly crippled when it comes to approaching and courting women, but women in the same situation will still find themselves with plenty of opportunities for romance to rekindle their hopes/zest for life, or give their lives a new meaning(not to mention someone who will actually go out of their way to deal, or tolerate, their issues and accept/value them in-spite of their failures)? Maybe it has something to do with day-to-day emotional, professional and sexual stress that are put on men for the benefit of women?

runner557 · 2015-01-21T13:44:25+00:00

Less men seek help.
Society is less likely to go out of their way to help a man.
Men choose more lethal ways of attempting suicide.

Sasha_ · 2015-01-21T17:05:57+00:00

The short answer is because men have tougher lives than women with less support networks available to them and the experience more stress and pressure. Even those men who don't commit suicide die younger.

In short, men experience more stress and pressure, with less help and support. Then when we do commit suicide we tend to actually complete it, rather than just doing it to seek attention.

Druk0ziz · 2015-01-21T20:12:36+00:00

Men are more likely to own a firearm, but I doubt that makes up more than 1% of the difference.

ukreview · 2015-01-21T13:12:54+00:00

guardian being all gynocentric about suicide? that's a shock

bipbophil · 2015-01-21T16:01:53+00:00

its because men are more likely to use more lethal means like fire-arms and strangulation. Women are more likely to use pills to try and overdose.

Grailums · 2015-01-21T17:12:37+00:00

While it is commendable that the Guardian, of all sites, is tackling this issue you can see that they are coming from a completely feminist skew about it. They outline that women suffer more from depression and when it comes right down to it our society ALLOWS women to suffer more from depression. A woman is sad? You can bank that 10 people around her will try and console her.

A man? Well...we are too busy working and trying to build a net wealth so we are seen as valuable in society to worry about our feelings or what is going on in our lives.

rg57 · 2015-01-21T18:01:30+00:00

Men are disposable. If video games prove anything at all, they prove that.

cuteman · 2015-01-22T02:19:06+00:00

Suicide privilege and discrimination.

How else can you explain the suicide death gap?

Wunderflow · 2015-01-22T03:08:30+00:00

Men get the job done.

MotherFuckin-Oedipus · 2015-01-21T14:58:52+00:00

[permanently deleted]

Title	Why are men more likely than women to take their own lives?
Author	aknightcalledfrog
Upvotes	20
Comments	23
Date	January 21, 2015 10:45 AM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/2t5r0n/why_are_men_more_likely_than_women_to_take_their/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/why-are-men-more-likely-than-women-to-take-their.990037 https://theredarchive.com/post/990037

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