According to the first national survey conducted on mental health, women are more likely to attempt suicide than men.
The survey shows that one in 14 women are more likely to attempt taking their lives, compared with one in 25 men. However, the official statistics reveal that men have over three times higher suicide rate in the UK than women, as men are more likely to succeed in killing themselves.
The chief executive of the Samaritans, Ruth Sutherland, “[Men] choose more lethal methods to end their lives and we know they are less likely to admit they are struggling. We need to encourage both sexes to talk about how they are feeling and to seek help before they reach a crisis.”
New statistics also reveal that middle-aged women are most likely to have suffered from mental illness. The information from the Health Survey for England showcases that 25% of all adults (including men) have been diagnosed with some type of mental health problem; a common mental health problem is depression.
What is causing men to shun away from seeking help when it comes to depression or other mental health issues? Is it deemed as less-macho if they share their problems with someone and state their inner turmoil of how they are battling their internal demons who are forcing them to give up their lives?
Even in this current contemporary society, there are many Asians who shy away from discussing mental health issues as it may still be considered a taboo topic to speak about. But whatever the reason, the fact cannot be disregarded that it is still a big issue within many societies, including the Asian society, and help must be given; people need to be encouraged to speak about their problems. The sooner they are diagnosed, the more likely they are to receive help, and less likely to give up their lives.
