Suicide among men is an emerging epidemic no one talks about. In 2023, suicide rates among Indian men were 2.5 times higher than among women, indicating a bleak reality no one wants to accept. Although mental health awareness is building up, social norms, emotional suppression, and structural discrimination keep driving men to a suicidal edge. But why? What makes men so susceptible to taking such a drastic act?
Studying the Sociology of Suicide
French sociologist Emile Durkheim, in his book Suicide (1897), theorized about suicide in several categories, two of which can directly be applied to men today:
Anomic Suicide: This happens where individuals are confronted with a disintegration of social institutions and norms that makes them lost and purposeless. Economic change, unemployment insecurity, debt, and social pressures for success are the reasons that lead to this form of suicide among men.
Fatalistic Suicide: This occurs when people are overwhelmed by pervasive social structures and feel powerless. Men feel this way in strict social roles where they are supposed to be providers and protectors with little space for emotional expression or personal issues.
The Pressures That Men Experience
1. Emotional Suppression and Toxic Masculinity
Men are generally conditioned to repress feelings, as being weak is seen as the same as being vulnerable. Phrases such as "Be a man" and "Men don't cry" instill the belief that it is degrading to ask for assistance. Repression of feelings may result in depression, anxiety, and eventually suicide. Men have been found to be less likely to ask for therapy or professional assistance with their mental illness, thus exacerbating the problem.
Compared to women, who generally maintain strong social support systems and emotional connections, men are more likely to internalize their issues. They will largely experience that they need to "grin and bear it" on their own, creating an unsafe pattern in which feelings are not worked through, but repressed instead. Emotional resiliency will often leave men incapable of working through personal episodes, leading to despair and hopelessness.
2. Professional and Financial Pressures
Men are supposed to be the breadwinners. The weight of financial troubles, job loss, or economic insecurity can become crushing stress, driving many to despair. Recessions and layoffs strike men more severely, piling more mental health problems on top.
For instance, in the majority of societies, the value of a man is judged based on his accomplishment in his professional life. If he is out of work or is unable to provide, he feels he has failed his family and himself. The pressure of earning the bread, especially in economies with uncertain job security, is an enormous mental health issue.
Besides, work stress is also a primary reason for male suicides. Excessive working hours, job dissatisfaction, and a stressful work environment result in emotional exhaustion. Most men are trapped in their work and lack the liberty to complain or take leaves due to financial obligations.
3. No Strong Support Systems
Whereas women would prefer to have family members and close friends as emotional outlets, men have limited emotional outlets. Studies show that men are not likely to share their problems with friends, and this leads to loneliness. Without real support systems, men will be more likely to have a hard time dealing with their stress and mental illness issues.
This loneliness is further aggravated by age. Older males, especially retired or widowed males, are at higher risk of suicide from loneliness. Purposelessness on retirement combined with reduced social contact may cause them to feel useless and depressed.
4. Family and relationship problems
Divorce, custody disputes, and break-ups hit men hard, but are minimized most often as emotionally tough. The majority of men feel alone and isolated, especially when they do not receive custody of their children or are discriminated against in domestic disputes.
Men are more likely to develop severe psychological distress following a breakup or divorce. Unlike women, who receive greater social support following a breakup, men are left without a network of support following the loss of their partner, home, and children. They are left without a support network, which exposes them to greater depression and suicide risks.
In addition, cultural expectations of fatherhood can be oppressive. Fathers who face legal battles over custody of their children can suffer from extreme emotional trauma. To be made to feel "disposable" in family plans can have the worst possible effects on their mental health.
5. Coping Styles and Drug Abuse
Instead of turning to professionals, men turn to alcohol, drugs, or dangerous behaviors as coping mechanisms. These unhealthy escapes only lead to a continuation of their mental illness, creating a cycle of hopelessness and addiction.
Statistically, men are more likely to use drugs or alcohol as a way of dulling emotional pain than women. This will only exacerbate mental illness in the form of depression and anxiety and enhance the risk of suicide.
Moreover, the stigmatization of addiction also deters many men from seeking treatment. Rehabilitation and therapy are seen as a sign of weakness and are thus not promoted by men to act towards recovery. For any help regarding addiction recovery visit Prarambh Life .
The Way Forward: Breaking the Silence
1. Facilitating Open Discussions
Men need safe spaces to talk about their struggles without shame. Cultural narratives of masculinity need to shift in a way that enables vulnerability and emotional expression. Community programs, workplace mental health programs, and open talk about men's mental health can break this cycle of silence.
2. Promoting Mental Health Awareness
Workplaces, schools, and communities need to address particularly mental health issues specific to men's unique challenges. Sensitization interventions that address men's mental health directly, inviting intervention at the early level, will cut down on suicide rates.
3. Available Mental Health Services
There need to be more male-specific helplines, support groups, and therapies to address men's mental health issues. Teletherapy and anonymous support websites can make men less afraid to come out for help without fear of being judged.
4. Challenging Gender Stereotypes
Society must free itself from limited definitions of masculinity and allow men the freedom to feel and express emotions, seek assistance, and redefine masculinity to a more inclusive understanding than that of a provider and protector. Educating emotional literacy in boys at a young age can go a long way in preventing future mental health crises.
5. Peer Support and Community Involvement
Mentorship and support groups for men can instill a feeling of belonging and understanding. Having positive role models who promote an awareness of mental illness can encourage other men to use the help if and when they need it.
6. Policy Reforms and Workplace Reforms
Governments and institutions must realize the importance of men's mental health and implement policies that provide work-life balance, mental health days, and workplace counseling. Suicide prevention programs must be specifically created to deal with problems concerning men's mental health.
Final Thoughts
The male suicide epidemic is a public health crisis that must be addressed with all haste. It's time to shatter the silence and provide men with the assistance they require. No one should have to endure in solitude, and no man should be left to believe that taking his own life is his only choice. The conversation about men's mental health must be normalized. The more we talk, the more we can break down outdated attitudes and create a world where men feel comfortable seeking help.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, please do seek it out. There is assistance out there, and you are not by yourself.
REACH With Solh Wellness
Resilience isn't about surviving—it's about healing. At Solh Wellness, we build Resilience for e.a.c.h. because no struggle should be endured alone. When life presents us with challenges, resilience enables us to progress—not by pushing aside pain, but by Evaluating, Acting, Connecting, and accepting Healing in the process.
In terms of trauma, we all often stuff it, hoping that if we just keep quiet about it, it will go away. But trauma does not simply evaporate—it sticks with us, influencing our thinking, feelings, and relationships. At Solh Wellness, we treat trauma with kindness and whole-person care:
- Evaluate the effects of trauma with self-awareness and empathetic reflection.
- Act by moving forward in small but significant steps towards healing.
- Connect with safe spaces, trusted others, and healing communities.
- Heal by giving yourself permission to work through, heal, and recover your well-being.
Healing is not forgetting the past; it is drawing strength from your experience. You are not alone. With proper support, resilience, and connection, healing is always an option—one step at a time.
