Is Divorce Contributing to Suicide in Men?

[bluechocolate]

Suicide by women in the age group 45 to 74 has reduced by 65% in this country since 1969 and by 50% for all women.

 

Whereas suicide rates have doubled in 15-24 year old men and increased by approximately 60% in 25-34 year olds - suicide is the most common cause of death for men in that age group (which I find quite disturbing).

 

One reason put forward was that as divorce rates have gone up more men have been committing suicide, some of these men being the children of divorced parents who had lost access to their fathers (the National Health Service also cites divorce as a reason for high suicide rates in men). Women are more likely to seek help & as stigmas regarding depression/mental-health have worn away they are seeking help in ever greater numbers & many men are still uncommunicative on these topics.

 

There are of course many other reasons why young men are committing suicide in greater numbers, but I've heard two sources - a professor at Oxford University & the NHS Mental Health Database - cite divorce rates as a major contributing factor.

 

Suicide rates are slightly higher in the US and seem to follow the same trend as here.

 

Coincidentally as the suicide rate amongst women has lowered incidents of deliberate self-harm have increased. Young women between 15-19 are 3 times more likely to self-harm than men of the same age.

 

-- just thought it was interesting --

[tiki]

You think you'd see more suicides with the married men, actually!

 

~ok, not trying to make light of the situation. Thanks for the info though, it's interesting.

[bluechocolate]

~ok, not trying to make light of the situation. .

 

phew! ( there should be a "phew!" smiley )

 

Thanks for the info though, it's interesting.

 

You're welcome. I find these social "cause & effect" things interesting too & thought it might give a pause for thought to those seeking a divorce, especially where children are involved.

[tokyo]

I guess, with a divorce they lose their partner with whom they usually share their emotions. And I do think a boy needs his father, his mom may be great, but she´s still a woman, it´s just not the same. They need some male role model, but that´s what I think....

 

I find men in general pretty easy to get along with, but on the other side I find some to be very sensitive. You hit a soft spot and then there´s silence and you know you have said something wrong again. Maybe I´m too tough for them...

[meanon]

The rise in suicide rates amongst young men is striking but I've rarely heard divorce cited as the reason. I thought it was highest amongst single men.

[bluechocolate]

Originally posted by meanon

The rise in suicide rates amongst young men is striking but I've rarely heard divorce cited as the reason. I thought it was highest amongst single men.

I had never heard that before either, but have now come across it twice, most recently on "Womans Hour" on BBC Radio 4. (I know, I know - being a bloke I occassionally boycott WH) The single men - yes - many of whom come from divorced families.

from Kooky

They need some male role model, but that´s what I think....

That's something the professor from Oxford University said too.

[meanon]

LOL. It's been ages since I listened to Women's Hour. I have a love hate relationship with R4.

 

The breakdown in traditional family structures does have something to do with the rise but I think more so when it coincides with a range of other factors like social exclusion and unemployment. It's not so much lack of a male role model, it's more that there's less social support for young men.

[brashgal]

What's the unemployment rate now for young men (say 18-30) in the UK? I can imagine if your folks are divorced, you are having problems with women and you can't find a job, you'd be more likely to commit suicide. Oh, and you still live with your mother...

[bluechocolate]

from Brashgal

What's the unemployment rate now for young men (say 18-30) in the UK? I can imagine if your folks are divorced, you are having problems with women and you can't find a job, you'd be more likely to commit suicide. Oh, and you still live with your mother...

 

The unemployment rate for 18-24 has actually fallen by 9% in comparison to 10 years ago, & for 25-49 it's at a historic low of 4.2% - yet suicide rates are higher.

[bitter divorcee`]

women and marriage are the main contributers to the suicide of men. a leathal combination that has the potential of creating a festering, infective boil on a man's soul that will never heal, thus creating the need of the sweet relief of death.

 

women's suicide has probably been decreasing because they end up with nearly all of the man's wealth, while banishing him back to another beginning in his life both emotionally and financially----all of this while the wench enjoys the fruit of his labor while sharing it with her latest stud muffin. screw these bitches!!!! i guess old scott peterson was ahead of the curve in solving his problems--he just got caught due to improper knot tying techniques. gee, do i sound bitter????? you damned right!

[tokyo]

Originally posted by bitter divorcee`

women and marriage are the main contributers to the suicide of men. a leathal combination that has the potential of creating a festering, infective boil on a man's soul that will never heal, thus creating the need of the sweet relief of death.

 

women's suicide has probably been decreasing because they end up with nearly all of the man's wealth, while banishing him back to another beginning in his life both emotionally and financially----all of this while the wench enjoys the fruit of his labor while sharing it with her latest stud muffin. screw these bitches!!!! i guess old scott peterson was ahead of the curve in solving his problems--he just got caught due to improper knot tying techniques. gee, do i sound bitter????? you damned right!

 

There´s also another side of the medal....

[Charlotte]

It doesn't surprise me that divorce may contribute to suicide in men.

It can be quite a harrowing experience to go through after investing so much personal emotion with someone.

Also, I think men are more sensitive then women think they are. Its just that they don't show their feelings like women.

Women tend to get support from one another. Men tend to keep to themselves.

[NatoPMT]

I have read that one of the reasons for the higher suicide rates for men is that men chose more 'lethal' methods therefore have a higher success rate. This could be a misleading cause for higher figures as they choose more lethal methods as they are determined to carry it through.

 

I believe that the main causes cited in the younger age group (where divorce isnt a life stage) are: bullying, abuse, poverty, homelessness & alcohol abuse.

 

I got this from the mind.org website..

 

Men

There is a tradition of men being reluctant to talk about problems or express their feelings: men are less likely than women to go to their GP with psychological problems and are more likely to present with physical problems which may not be recognised as a manifestation of mental distress.

 

The breakdown of traditional gender roles and the concept of the 'new man' has left many men feeling uncertain as to what is expected of them, particularly in terms of significant relationships. The increase in the proportion of unmarried young men may be another factor. Research suggests that marriage is a protective factor against suicide in men, and that half of the increase in young male suicide might be due to the smaller proportions of young men that are married.[11]

 

Men have suffered more severely than women in the shrinkage of traditional manufacturing jobs. It has also been noted that men in unskilled employment are twice as likely to kill themselves compared with other men in the general population.[12] Unemployed men are two to three times more at risk of suicide than the general population, and although no direct link has been shown between unemployment and young male suicide, there may be an indirect link from the effects of unemployment, such as poverty.

 

Young men are doing less well than young women at school and in further education.

 

In recent years there has been an increase in drugs misuse amongst young men and this is likely to have contributed towards the rise in suicide rates in that category