SUICIDE IN MEN

Book excerpt: The goal of this book is to explore the phenomenon of suicide, focusing on males who are at a greater risk than females. Scholars and mental health professionals continue to have the tendency to ignore men and focus instead on the more narrow demographic groups. Attention is drawn to the lack of help-seeking behavior exhibited by men as well as the numerous recommendations for the prevention of male suicide. The issues specific to male suicide includes the atypical nature of male depression, the role of loneliness, drug and alcohol abuse, the male hormone (testosterone), and men’s preferred method for suicide (guns). Suicide in specific groups of men, including male athletes, soldiers, mass and serial murderers, suicide bombers, murder-suicides, and famous creative men, is discussed in great detail. In addition, the text explores the many and varied reasons for suicide in gay men and in ethnic minorities. The invited contributors provide a cross-cultural viewpoint with essays on male suicide in Australia, China, Ghana, Palestine, and Uganda. Two examples are given for potential programs that appear to be effective for men: Mates in Construction which was designed to help construction workers in Australia, and Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training. The book concludes with discussions of how to prevent suicide in men, a group known to deny the existence of personal problems and is reluctant to seek help. With three illustrations and 19 tables, this book will be an excellent resource for crisis interveners, researchers, counseling centers, mental health professionals, and human service providers.