In Singapore, men are more likely to end their own lives than women are, according to a new report. The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), a non-profit organisation dedicated to suicide prevention, have reported that suicide claims the life of one Singaporean every day, which, in the last decade, have been consistently more men than women.
According to the SOS, in 2010, 227 men’s and 126 women’s mental health was affected to the point where they chose to commit suicide. Ms Evelyn Boon, Senior Principal Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), explained, ‘The act of suicide can be attributed to many factors, such as relationship woes, financial troubles, extreme loneliness, work stress, life situations like divorce and death, or psychiatric conditions like depression.’
When it came to mental wellness and gender, Ms Boon said men may appear to be more at risk of committing suicide than women because men and women cope with stress differently. She explained, ‘Women tend to relieve stress by crying or confiding in support networks of family and friends. But men, brought up to be strong and to not shed any tears, may not feel so comfortable talking about their emotions as they perceive them to be a sign of weakness.’
Other reasons include a potentially male tendency to seek solutions, instead of support, in difficult situations, but, ‘when there is no solution in sight, they feel frustrated and powerless,’ says Ms Boon. Also, ‘losing face’ in a crisis can be a factor: ‘For instance, if a man is undergoing a divorce, losing his spouse and children (i.e. essentially his family, his purpose and even his role) can be a huge blow to his ego,’ Ms Boon adds.
However, the reason may lie in the more successful methods of suicide that men choose, as opposed to less lethal methods than women opt for. Ms Boon says that men are more at risk of actually completing a suicide ‘because once men have made up their minds, they tend to choose more lethal (jumping or stabbing, etc.) means of killing themselves.’
Just because a person’s mental wellbeing is affected by suicidal thoughts, it doesn’t have to end with a suicidal act. Boon says, ‘men should learn to realise that it is okay for them to cry, reach out to loved ones and share their problems.’ She also recommends physical exercise to relieve stress, and seeking the help of a mental wellness professional: ‘It will be more effective for the person to consult a mental health professional who will be able to explain that suicidal feelings are normal and often temporary. The professional can help the person work through his suicidal feelings.’
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