[Mental Health]The suicide rate of men is twice as high as that of women.

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Text◆Chen Zhenji, Zhang Shumei “Ming Pao”

South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun and former Hong Kong news anchor Liu Junjiang have recently committed suicide. This is regrettable and has also aroused public attention to men’s emotional health.

Due to traditional gender stereotypes, men are expected to be strong, brave, and successful rather than shed tears easily. When emotional problems arise, many men tend to hide them in their hearts or use high-risk behaviors to avoid the problems. As a result, they endure it to the limit or even make extreme choices.

(Hong Kong News) According to statistics from the Hong Kong University Jockey Club Suicide Prevention Research Center, the male suicide rate in 2022 will be 19.6 (per 100,000 population), which is twice as high as the female suicide rate of 9.7. When you find that the words or actions of the men around you hide emotional distress, how do you reach out for help?

Life transition challenges

Liu Junjiang was active on social platforms during his lifetime and gave people a positive feeling. Many people were shocked after learning about his death. Chan Kwok-hsi, Chief Director (Service) of the Hong Kong Mental Health Association and registered social worker, pointed out that “the image a person displays to the outside world, especially on social media, may not actually reflect his true heart.” Especially for public figures, they may be affected by social expectations and occupational pressure. They should hide their true feelings, “if they ‘let go’ or are criticized, they will gain sympathy and attract attention.” Even if they are emotionally troubled, it is often difficult to talk about it.

In recent years, the mental health of Hong Kong people has sounded the alarm. Men of different age groups have different pressures in school, work, social life, health, etc. Among them, the pressure on middle-aged men should not be underestimated; Chen Guoxi explained that they may be stuck in a bottleneck in their careers and have doubts about their abilities or prospects; at home, they may face problems such as children’s discipline and getting along with husband and wife; in terms of health, they may feel weak It is not as good as before, and I even have problems such as prostate health and three high blood pressure.

In addition, life changes bring great challenges, such as children’s further education, taking care of retired parents, etc. “Chinese society shapes men as the head of the family, and all these pressures will fall on them. In addition, the poor economic environment in recent years and the uncertainty of the future have also increased the burden on men.”

Men are less likely to ask for help

The Jockey Club’s “Become a Man Again” program launched by the Hong Kong Mental Health Association,

Last year, we conducted a questionnaire survey on men’s emotional health.

It was found that more than 30% of the men surveyed were at moderate or severe mental health risk.

More than half are between 35 and 54 years old.

34% of people are at higher risk of anxiety disorders, and 27% are at higher risk of depression.

Chen Guoxi cited the help-seeking data of the Comprehensive Mental Health Community Center under the Hong Kong Mental Health Association and pointed out that nearly 70% of the center’s seekers are women and only 30% are men, indicating that men have lower willingness to seek help.

He once spoke to men, who said that society expects men to be independent, not to show weakness, and accustomed to solving problems by themselves. “Some men reported that asking for help greatly affects their self-esteem.” In addition, society still stigmatizes mental illness. “If you tell others that you are unhappy, others may think that you are mentally ill, which is intimidating.”

In the face of negative emotions, men often adopt the method of “not dealing with it, ignoring it”, thinking that it will be fine after a while. “But this is a wrong idea. Feelings of helplessness and unhappiness will only accumulate, and you don’t know when they will explode.”; A man Burying oneself in work or hobbies to escape negative emotions; or narcotizing oneself through drinking, gambling, drug abuse, etc.

He pointed out that women are better at expressing their feelings, while men tend to only tell facts and share less emotions, making it harder for people around them to catch their emotional distress.

The older you are, the higher the risk

Psychiatrist Ouyang Guoliang added that men are used to hiding their emotions. If they suddenly become impatient and grumpy, they may already be suffering from emotional distress. The common cause of emotional illness is external pressure, and then due to the influence of one’s own personality, the problem is amplified, thoughts become negative, and the vicious cycle evolves into emotional illness. Usually, people who are introverted, pursue perfection, have too strong self-awareness, are intolerant of failure, and are alienated from interpersonal relationships are more likely to get into trouble. When suicidal thoughts occur, severe depressive symptoms are usually present.

Regarding the fact that the suicide rate of men is twice as high as that of women, Ouyang Guoliang pointed out that the suicide methods chosen by men are generally more dangerous, such as jumping off buildings. They are usually determined to die or very impulsive; while women may choose sleeping pills and other rescue methods with a higher success rate. Methods of suicide. “In addition, the time men delay seeking medical treatment is directly proportional to their age. Young people are more willing to seek help. The older they are, the higher their risk of suicide.”

If you refuse to admit that you have emotional distress

Don’t pressure and criticize people around you

Men are not good at expressing negative emotions. People around them can pay attention to the clues and lend a helping hand as early as possible.

If men are willing to share and talk, it is important for others to listen and express understanding, and encourage them to seek help or even accompany them to take this step.

Social worker Chen Guoxi believes, “It is difficult for men to take the initiative to ask for help. If people around them help and accompany them, I believe the effect will be better.”

Don’t take chances if you notice anything unusual.

However, Ouyang Guoliang, a specialist in psychiatry, said that sometimes people around him want to help, but this makes the person involved even more reluctant to disclose his or her own affairs, lest people worry or injure others.

He reminded that if the other person firmly refuses to admit that he has emotional distress, people around him must not continue to pressure or criticize, as this will only make him more resistant to seeking help. At this time, you may try to understand what problems he is facing and discuss solution strategies to make it easier for him to accept help or deal with the problem.

On the other hand, some people notice something abnormal in the men around them, but take it for granted, “thinking ‘it’s just a thorn in the side’, ‘it will be fine after a while’, ‘let him calm down’, making a lot of excuses and possibly missing out on help.” His chances prevented the matter from being dealt with sooner.”

Ouyang Guoliang reminded that if you realize that the situation is serious, you should seek help immediately.

Signs of emotional distress in men

●Extensive mood swings, irritability, helplessness, sadness, etc.

●During the conversation, he revealed that “it’s pointless to stay in this world” and “it’s hard to be a human being”

●Insomnia, poor sleep, only sleeping two or three hours intermittently every day, if it lasts for two weeks, it is a warning sign

●Sudden decrease in social life, rejection of invitations from friends and colleagues

●Unable to concentrate on work

●Suddenly engage in some high-risk behaviors, such as gambling, drunk driving, etc.

●Loss of appetite

Source: Registered Social Worker Chen Guoxi

There is no shame in text communication

Talk about your concerns through mobile app

The Men’s Space mobile app launched last year by the “Getting to Men Again” project contains mental health information to raise men’s attention to emotional health. You can also make an appointment with a social worker or clinical psychologist on the platform to arrange online counseling.

Social worker Chen Guoxi said that if men are required to take the initiative to call for help, they may feel embarrassed and have lower motivations. Not only can they easily and quickly access the services and information they need through mobile apps, but they can also communicate through text without being able to see faces or hear voices. Being unable to identify one’s identity allows the person concerned to speak with confidence.

Various sports are held free of charge

“When colleagues find that his situation is not ideal or even in crisis, they will invite him for an interview.” He said. “Enter the Men’s World” also organizes various sports and interest groups from time to time, such as running training classes, meditation coffee workshops, and emotion management courses. All fees are free. We hope that participants can relax and talk to other men.

Download program

iOS: apple.co/48RWaQe

Android: bit.ly/45R6RRA

Caritas Men’s Growth Center provides social and emotional support services for men. Center Director Zhong Sixiao pointed out that the center emphasizes on allowing men to learn the growth process and understand how to deal with problems.

Emotional support services for men

At present, the center’s services are mainly divided into three categories. First, the online self-study platform “Language of Love” shares simple information, lectures or videos, allowing men to learn what they are interested in at any time according to their needs; second, organizing social contact activities , to help men establish interests and social networks, thereby establishing connections and sustenance. “A person’s life or self-esteem depends on many things to support it, including family, interests, friends… This makes people feel that life is valuable and meaningful”; third , a single consultation with a psychiatrist, providing a simple initial assessment.

Online self-study platform “Language of Love”

Website: bit.ly/3O00WTO

Caritas Jockey Club Star Project

Website: bit.ly/3TXJzqt

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