Male Psychology: Suicide \"Suicide Ranks

Male Psychology: Suicide

"Suicide ranks as the ninth leading cause of death in this country, exceeding homicides," (Larson 1998:39). Modern alarming suicide rates have caused serious concern, both in the United States and abroad. According to the latest research, there are more men committing suicide than females. With over 30,000 suicides committed in the United States annually, it is alarming to find that three fourths of them were committed by males. Research shows that there are much more men who take their own lives; stating this as a cause of social gender role pressure, mental illness, and addiction.

Facts

Modern research paints a very vivid picture, there are much more males committing suicide than their female counterparts. According to this research, white males represent around seventy five percent of the total annual suicides (Larson 1998). Several studies represent the same picture, "While twice as many women attempt suicide, there are four male suicides for every female one," (Larson 1998:40). Male suicide is prominent than female suicide all over the world. It is only within some Asian regions that the ratio is significantly different. Scholars have long examined the concept that "The male rate is consistently greater than that for females in almost every culture," (Maris et al. 2009:148). Even in the most remote culture, there is this common thread of witnessing more male suicides than female suicides. A study conducted in New Zealand (Weaver & Munro 2009) paints this picture in even the most remote corners of the globe. In New Zealand, "There were 3337 male suicides (79.1%) and 879 female suicides (20.8%); something like this ratio is common to many jurisdictions" (Weaver & Munro 2009:934). On average, there are more white males committing suicide, showing a racial pattern that is built both in the culture and biology of the people. This racially increased risk is also augmented by age. Older men represent a larger population of the suicide cases across the country and the world, with "White men over 50 represent 10% of the population, but commit 33% of all suicides," (Larson 1998:40). Most research shows older populations of men as being the greatest risk of suicide. The risk also increases steadily with age. Yet, recent research also shows the increase in younger generations as well; "The suicide rate for men between the ages of 15 and 24 has tripled since 1950," (Larson 1998:40). With so much evidence showing the increased risk, it is clear motives must be examined as a way to help curb such alarming increases.

There are several deciding factors which can be attributed to causing more men to choose to take their own lives. Research of suicide cases shows the common conception that men are more successful in committing the act than most female attempt cases. Thus, this fact "is often explained by noting that women have a lower success rate for suicide attempts than men," (Weaver & Munro 2009:935). Males are not only stronger than most of their female counterparts, the methods of suicide tend to be more lethal as well. According to research, "the higher male suicide rank is explained in part by males' more frequent use of lethal methods (e.g. firearms and hanging), but surely that cannot be the entire explanation," (Maris et a. 2000:75). This is true. There is a whole array of explanations lurking within the mental state of the individual, as well as the external world.

In face, gender differences found within the context of society itself can also be attributed to the increased risk for males. Within most of the world, men are considered the providers. Thus, there is lots of social pressure to succeed and become a provider, which the female is not expected to do. This pressure can then build up, and with social pressure to act like a man and keep it inside, there is no release. When men are unsatisfied, depressed, or in need, there is a tendency for men not to be as open as their female counterparts. Rather than opening up for help, "They may grow hopeless (whereas women are allowed to be helpless) and, if men seek help (which they are not likely to do), they are closer to the edge than a woman would be," (Maris et al. 2000:152). Also within the context of the New Zealand study, the concept that men in more rural occupations were the largest number of confirmed suicide, "Since a substantial number of farmers and farm laborers killed themselves in urban places, there is a sound basis for including all cases where the deceased had a rural occupation," (Weaver & Munro 2009:935). Additionally, known psychiatric pasts prove a large influence in the motivation for more men to commit suicide. Around a quarter of male suicide cases stem from some sort of psychiatric illness or condition. This is seen around the world, and is exacerbated in correctional facilities; "an above-average proportion of prison suicides have a history of mental illness," (Leibling 1992:45). Depression and mood disturbance disorders have been attributed to another quarter of case motivation. Alcohol or drug addiction proving the motive for about 13% of the population in one study (Liebling 1992). Alcohol abuse has also long been attributed as reasoning for the higher rates of male suicide (Weaver & Munro 2009:936).