Men more prone to commit suicide, says SADAG
Clinical psychologist, Zamo Mbele says the conversation about men’s mental health is long overdue as men continue to bottle up their feelings and frustrations.
SA men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women, according to SADAG.
The South Africa Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) says a reason for this may be that men often don’t disclose their troubles until it’s too late.
“Men are less likely to be diagnosed with depression and therefore do not seek treatment. Often our more acute or emergency cases are from male callers, especially since men use more aggressive methods of suicide. More aggressive measures include a firearm or hanging,” says SADAG operations director, Cassey Chambers.
“What we do know is that we have an estimated 23 suicides every day. And for every suicide, there are 20 attempted suicides – it is a problem we have been dealing with for a long time,” Chambers continued.
On Human Rights Day, EMS, together with the police, responded to a call about a man threatening to jump off the roof of the Sunnyside police station.
On February 5, a naked man stood on the roof of a gym on Robert Sobukwe Street, threatening to commit suicide.
On January 2, Pretoria central police managed to stop a 57-year-old man from committing suicide by jumping off the rooftop of a building in the CBD.
Clinical psychologist, Zamo Mbele says the conversation about men’s mental health is long overdue as men continue to bottle up their feelings and frustrations.
“It’s not that men only recently started to struggle with mental health or emotional difficulties, they just started to see that the expression of their difficulties is no longer functional to them or society. It’s no longer socially acceptable to be violent to deal with depression,” Mbele says.
Some warning signs to look out for regarding suicide include:
– Talking or joking about suicide
– Depression (feelings of hopelessness and being withdrawn)
– Death preparation (giving away belongings, saying goodbye)
– Loss of interest in appearance
– Engaging in risky behaviour (drinking & driving, taking drugs, unprotected sex, etc.)
– Expressing feelings of self-blame or guilt
– A sudden happier mood change (when people going through depression suddenly feel better without treatment, it may be a sign they’re going to end it)
SADAG recommends adopting a suicide rescue plan should an emergency occur.
Residents are also urged to be a source of safety and comfort for loved ones going through hard times.
Mbele says that there’s scientific research that states reducing social isolation is an effective method preventing suicide. Social isolation is known to be a risk factor when dealing with someone that is suicidal.
“We can all play a role through the power of connection by having real conversations about mental health with people in everyday moments – whether it’s with those closest to us, or the waiter at a restaurant, a friendly face at work, or the security guard at the shopping centre.
“It’s also about the connection we each have to the cause, whether you’re a teacher, a doctor, a father, a neighbour, a policeman, or a suicide loss survivor or attempt survivor. We don’t always know who is struggling, but we do know that one conversation could save a life,” Mbele concluded.
Residents are advised to constantly monitor their mental state and seek out assistance if necessary.
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