Authors Susan Beaton, Suicide Prevention Consultant and Dr Peter Forster, University of Worcester, UK recently published an article about men’s suicide for the Australian Psychology Society. Titled ‘Insights into men’s suicide’ the article covers such ranging issues as reasons for gender disparity, correlates of suicide in men (eg relationship breakdown and alcohol use) and treatment and prevention. The conclusion of the article quotes Dr John Ashfield (Director, AIMHS) to make reference to necessary contributing factors when attempting to understand suicide in men:

“The practice of blaming men for ‘holding in their emotions’ and ‘not seeking help’, and calls for changes to the traditional male role, sounds plausible but is, at best, lazy and simplistic. It is a view that conveniently avoids dealing with the more complex issues of male suicide, and is one that is ignorant of biology, and offensively dismissive of the lived reality of most men’s lives – what society expects of them, and what they must try to be to meet these expectations.”

Men’s Health Australia applauds the Australian Psychology Society for advocating a social determinants approach to men’s suicide. The article can be found here.

Source: Insights into men's suicide (http://www.psychology.org.au/inpsych/2012/august/beaton/)