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Men are often associated with a tough self-image. They are "required" to always be strong, not emotional, and shouldn't be crybaby. In fact, a recent study actually shows that "tough men" are more at risk of suicide than men who can express their emotions.
Why is that?
Suicidal risk in 'tough guy'
According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average suicide rate for men is 3.5 times that of women. This high number raises the suspicion that the demands of being masculine might have something to do with it.
A group of researchers in New York, United States, then studied data from more than 20,000 adolescents collected since 1995. Until 2014, as many as 22 people had committed suicide. Almost all of them were male, except for one person.
The research team studied the masculinity scores of the adolescents from several factors. They see it from an attitude of not being allowed to cry, not being emotional or being volatile mood, always try to be physically fit, and enjoy taking risks.
They found that men with high masculinity scores had a 2.4 higher risk of suicide than men with low scores. In other words, men who are required to be tough actually have a higher risk of suicide.
Most of these men also used weapons, were expelled from school, fought with other people, or ran away from home. In addition, the likelihood that a family member will die as a result of suicide is also greater.
Why are men more prone to suicide?
There are various factors that often provoke a man to commit suicide. Some of the most common factors include the following.
- Live alone or isolated from society.
- Cannot build and maintain relationships with other people.
- Break up, divorce, or the death of a partner.
- Use drugs or alcohol to distract yourself from emotions and stress.
- In-bully at school, college, or work.
- Can't stand being jailed.
- Severe stress due to long unemployment.
- Trauma from physical and sexual abuse.
- Suffering from mental illness or other diseases that reduce bodily functions.
These factors can reinforce suicidal thoughts when men who experience them are required to be tough. This traditional norm emphasizes that men must be strong and should not depend on anyone.
Stressed men end up having no place to express their emotions. They tend to reject the situation, keep and feel the complaints themselves, and try to resolve it themselves without talking to other people.
As a result, psychiatric illnesses such as depression are more difficult to diagnose in men. Even when dealing with doctors they don't know how to tell what had been bothering them.
If allowed to drag on, the effects will be the same as depression in general. Indeed, not all depressed men have suicidal thoughts, but this condition has been shown to increase the risk.
Even more dangerous, men tend to use suicide methods that are more deadly than women. This is why the death rate from suicide in men is higher than for women on average.
This is very unfortunate, especially considering that suicidal thoughts in men have nothing to do with masculinity or selfishness. Suicidal intent actually indicates that the depression they are experiencing has reached a very severe level.
Prevent suicide attempts
The problem of suicide is a tough one, but at least there is something you can do to prevent it. If someone closest to you is depressed and possibly suicidal, here are the steps you need to take.
- Watch for signs of depression, such as more irritability, anxiety, withdrawal from social relationships, and loss of interest in what used to be fun.
- Ask what you can do to help. Make sure he knows that you will be there to hear him.
- Do not ignore the signs of suicide or divert the conversation related to suicidal thoughts.
- Accompany him to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist.
The demand to be a tough man has a negative impact on mental health and increases the risk of suicide. The reason is, they cannot express their emotions in a healthy way.
If someone closest to you is experiencing the same thing, you can tell them that there is nothing wrong with crying or getting emotional. After all, a tough man is still a human who is prone to sadness.
