Male Suicide Awareness

What do all these men have in common? Aside the obvious!!!! They are all human. They all have needs, emotions and feelings. Some of them may have been taught that it isn’t “manly” to show these needs or emotions, that “boys don’t cry”. Some of them may have been told to “toughen up” or “fight back”. Some of them may have been ignored and learned that there was no point to even try……

Then theres social media, with it’s unrealistic standards of what men should look like and act like. A steady supply of messages that demonstrate what success and happiness looks like.

Now, I now this applies to women as well, it applies to all of us. However, the difference is that, statistically, more women will come forward for support when they need it. Women are more likely to hear that “it’s ok not to be ok”

Male suicide is on the increase with suicide being the foremost cause of death for men under the age of 50. Three-quarters of all male deaths, registered in 2019, were from suicide.

So what can we all do to help? Can we try and change this narrative? How can we make a difference?

Can we start to teach our boys, from a young age, that it is “manly” to have feelings. Can we teach them to embrace all the different emotions and help them to work through them rather than push them away for fear of looking weak.

What do you think?