Psychological and economic factors may be the cause of a rising male suicide rate.
Last week the U.S. Center For Disease Control issued a report stating that suicide rates for baby boomers have increased nearly 30% from 1999 to 2010. The biggest increase in suicides is among men in their 50s, rising almost 50% to 30 deaths per 100,000.
The demographics for high suicide rates have typically been adolescents and the elderly, so this is an extremely significant finding. The suicide rate for middle-aged men was 27.3 deaths per 100,000, while for women it was 8.1 deaths per 100,000 (women statistically make more attempts at suicide, men have more completed suicides).
What is driving these horrific figures? Certainly the economic situation can be a huge factor. Aging baby boomers are facing uncertain times and challenging finances between the stock market crash of 2008 and the housing market crash. Their financial uncertainty and fears must be considered a driver.
From a psychological perspective, men are less inclined to seek help and emotional support and more inclined to isolate, deny, withdraw, and become emotionally numb under stress. Substance abuse is also a contributing factor in a great many suicides.
An additional factor, in my professional opinion, is the growing shortage of male psychologists available to support men. The percentage of psychology PhDs awarded to men has fallen from nearly 70% in 1975 to less than 30% in 2008. Men connecting with other men in group and individual counseling settings is of immense help in coping with the struggles of life. Men are deeply challenged in seeking professional help in general, and having fewer men available to listen and counsel them only adds to the dilemma.
What factors do you believe contribute to the growing numbers of men over 50 who are committing suicide?
We’re looking for stories of people who have been affected by suicide. Please email [email protected] if you would be willing to write about the experience.
Photo: emaspounder/Flickr
It seems to me that men kill themselves when money goes wrong and women kill themselves when LOVE goes wrong… Again, men live on the shallow side of life and place their values in something that has no meaning – money and status and work is all MADE up by MEN and in the end means nothing. And yet men are willing, nay, driven to work for and die for meaningless shit. I don’t get it. I’ve watched it. I’ve railed against it for my families and childrens’ sakes, but still men continue to place meaning onto shit that doesn’t… Read more »
“(women statistically make more attempts at suicide, men have more completed suicides)”
I actually doubt this is accurate for two reasons 1. “attempted sucides” and “suicides” are often treated as two different categories when they aren’t… exactly. After all, every suicide is also an attempt at suicide.
2. Women “attempt” suicide more because they are more likely to survive to *make* a second, third fourth, etc attempt. Men are not.
Jax,
You might doubt it, yet if you actually read the studies (feel free to google) there are approximately 3 times as many attempted suicides committed by women than men. Yes, we can look at the statistics for repeated attempts (an attempt is defined as a “failed” suicide, all of the wordings bring up sadness for me personally), yet now we are just playing with semantics. AND, all of it is underreported. Bottom line is it IS increasing and we need to support our brothers and sisters in their pain.
Adam Sheck
Yohan,
I certainly agree with your thoughts about the challenges of men after 50 in this context. Economics connects to unemployment, so there so there seems to be a connection. And while the Phillipines has a low rate compared to the rest of the world, it HAS been steadily increasing over the last 20 years, especially among young people. No one is immune.
Take care,
Adam Sheck
Dr. Adam Sheck: Certainly the economic situation can be a huge factor. —– I do not think so, poor countries like the Philippines have often a very low rate of suicide. In general poverty is NOT a reason to commit suicide. The reason is more likely about broken families, loneliness, often scornful remarks jobless men face for being unable to carry out their financial obligations. It’s much easier to get away with all this as a man while being still young. As a man however over 50 to start successfully an entire new life with new people around him and… Read more »
What a very sad reality. Thank you for reporting this. I cannot speak to what is causing this trend, but I am sure that a lack of male psychologists and/or an unwillingness on the part of men to seek help is part of the picture. As for the economic factors…I would be curious to know what the suicide statistics are in very poor third world countries. After all, even the most disadvantaged of us Americans is still far better off in comparison. I remember reading an article that stated that in terms of happiness scales, there are beggars in India… Read more »
Laura,
The worldwide suicide rate is about 16 per 100,000, so the U.S. is definitely up there. Unfortunately, depression and suicide are worldwide phenomenon. The good news is that “positive psychology” is being studied much more in depth than ever. I’m not saying there are any quick fixes or easy solutions, the best we can do for now is to be aware and to pay close attention to those we love.
Take care,
Adam Sheck
Posted this on a another article. “I HATE (yes i used caps) when people use “low likelihood of seeking help” as a reason for men’s problems in anything. It is a flat out excuse for not helping. Its a problem to be solved, not a reason not to care.” We only use this as an excuse for men, and it is repeated across the board. We could use it for other populations though, and it might look like this: African Americans are unwilling to get an education. So why invest in troubled school districts? Women are unwilling to pursue technological… Read more »
JTCC,
Understand your reaction, it’s a big issue and you are entitled to your frustrations and caps. I am not making excuses, simply suggesting possible underlying explanations. When we understand what is going on, we have the potential to create a response. I’m not sure where you are getting “a reason not to care” from my post. My career/mission is based upon caring and attending to pain of the psyche.
Adam Sheck
Your comment is awaiting moderation. (saving you the trouble) You know, all of us in these various forums live in this comfy cozy little world trying to heal the ills of society when in fact there is a big bad ugly world out there. A big bad ugly world of men who are drowning in their own vomit because the truth is men are disposable, they have been and will continue to be disposable. We can debate until the cows come home and a multitude of concerns but in the end, it’s meaningless, useless and futile. My coming to… Read more »
Amen Brother
Tom, I agree with you that so many, many men are feeling lost and without direction. Helping men (and women as well) find their life purpose, their MISSION, if you will, is the current focus of my work as it is so needed (website under my bio if interested). The world is challenging and we need to know and feel why we are on the planet, what our contribution can be to others. Yes, it can feel hopeless and overwhelming and yes it is easy to feel pessimistic as you shared about the perception of such small change. I’m not… Read more »
“Eight million Americans report suicidal thoughts, and 1.1 million will attempt suicide. An estimated 38,000 will succeed in killing themselves, according to the CDC. Most are male, by a four to one margin, and are single and lack a college education.
“Men tend to be more lonely and have a harder time maintaining and replacing relationships than women, especially when they get into middle age,” said Draper. “Men are busy working or tie their relationships to work and when they lose their job, they lose their relationships.”
One big problem is that our society, men included, has defined men almost exclusively in terms of their “usefulness,” to the virtual exclusion of anything else. There’s this ruthless binary that men are shoved into, where if you’re not “being useful” then you’re a useless waste of space. For many men, those are the only two choices on the treadmill. Waste is bad, utility is everything, peace is war, slavery is freedom, thank you sir may I have another.
Crap, now I’m depressed.
Yeah,it’s this thing called Male Disposeability . After all, who in society is more disposable than an unemployed , non producing middle aged man?
The concept of men as “cannon fodder” is one that needs to be changed, if not in society, at least in each of our individual consciousnesses so that it will change society. Every man is important. EveryONE is important.
Adam Sheck
This point feels important to me. Yes, it’s the feeling that I don’t matter at all. Seems to me that so much in the media sends this message. Submit and conform and above all else, deny your individuality. There are no support groups that are not either Christian based or a state run facility (bad to start with b/c it’s gov’t run). They hold ‘circle jerks’ w/little to no real therapeutic value. I’ve looked all over Tulsa to find Cognitive Behav Therpy that is affordable and can’t find a single solitary one. I’ve seen state paid shrinks that threw horrid… Read more »
W.O.T.,
I will agree with you that statistics are a funny thing, though I’m not quite clear about the point you are making. I would suggest that the suicide numbers are UNDER-REPORTED as there are many passive suicides as well as those reported as drug overdoses, etc. The bottom line is that men need more support regardless.
Adam Sheck
I think your onto something with the ‘Passive Suicide’. About 11 or so years ago when I thought I’d never recover from a work injury enough to work again, I figured it’d be best to end it. At first I tried to figure out a way to make it ‘accidental’ (so the life insurance would pay out). Not coming up with a sure fired way that was guaranteed to be successful, I figured “f**k it and purchased a .357 magnum. Never used it , but that’s another story.
Bobbt,
So sorry for the pain you were in and grateful that you saw it through. Please be open to receiving whatever support you need now.
Adam Sheck
Your right about the passive thing. I tried to relate my personal story but was ‘modified out’ . Oh well.
My point, possibly off topic and literally morbid, is that we need to be clear about what our assumptions are about death and dying if we’re going to have an honest, objective look at suicide. Presumably suicide is a “bad” way for a man to die, which means there are “better” causes of death that we would be channeling men off to. Every man will die someday, so if we reduce one cause, we will be increasing others, and that is not always a good thing. Where does suicide stand on the spectrum of “good” or “bad” causes of death?… Read more »
W.O.T.,
I have no issue with men killing themselves because they are dying in great pain, etc. Actually, it’s not even my place to judge people who choose to kill themselves at all. However, it IS my judgment that many people act from a desperate, impulsive place when they are in great emotional pain and my want is for there to be more emotional support available, especially for men.
Adam Sheck
One factor, probably minor but still has to be examined, is that other demographic measurements are changing as well. Every cause of death is affected by the frequency of other causes of death. Demographics has some cold, bloody math to it, which is something too many people forget. You can’t really use statistics like this without taking a cold, hard look at the larger picture, because the math of death is merciless. All the causes of death have to add up to 100% of deaths, and every person only gets one cause of death, so if one cause of death… Read more »