FEBRUARY, 2019 | Th e HEALTH
MEN
Male
suicide
rate is
rising
And some jobs may just
be the trigger
W
E might have embraced a new
Malaysia in 2018, but are we doing
our part to combat depression in
2019?
To combat cancer, we wear
ribbons, run marathons and raise
funds. To fi ght smoking, we implement smoking bans.
For suicide? We don’t talk much about it.
A report released recently by Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) fi nds that certain occu-
pations are associated with a higher risk of suicide.
Apparently suicide rates were highest among men
who worked in construction or extraction (oil rigging,
mining) jobs. Following that, the jobs with the highest
risk of suicide for men were those in the arts, design,
entertainment, sports and media, as well as installa-
tion, maintenance and repair.
Unsurprisingly, mental illness is expected to be the
second biggest health problem aff ecting Malaysians
after heart disease by 2020. It is also interesting to
note that based on a Harvard report in 2015, Malaysia
spends only 1.3% of the health budget to treat mental
illness compared with an international average of 2.8%.
Recently there was a man reported who attempted
to take his own life but was pulled away to safety in the
nick of time. Cause of suicide? Depression. Conversa-
tions about men’s mental health and male suicide rates
are few and far between in the media. Th e worrying part
of it all, we are beginning to notice signs of depression
amongst the youths.
The stigma
One of the biggest challenges in addressing depression
is the stigma surrounding mental health illness. Men
learn from an early age if they don’t act in this tough,
masculine way they lose their status and respect as men.
Men struggling with depression are often expected to
‘snap out of it’, and are told that ‘it’s all in your head’
or ‘choose to be happy!’ Such sentiments unknowingly
only makes the person with depression feel worse.
Studies have also shown that while divorce and sepa-
ration are linked to suicide risk in both sexes, divorced/
separated men seem driven to depression and develop
suicidal thoughts.
It is known that men actually have a high threshold
for pain, which could, counterintuitively, lead to a
greater risk for suicide, in volcano-like fashion. Th ey
may also may poorer decisions when under stress.
It’s time we stop thinking about suicide as individual
acts, and begin thinking about the health of the human
race. We really need to do a better job of looking out for
each other. — Th e Health
23
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Unsurprisingly, mental
illness is expected to be the
second biggest health problem
aff ecting Malaysians after
heart disease by 2020. It is also
interesting to note that based
on a Harvard report in 2015,
Malaysia spends only 1.3%
of the health budget to treat
mental illness compared with
an international average of
2.8%.