According to global surveys, men are more likely than women to commit suicide and are reluctant to discuss their mental health. Here are some potential causes for this and some solutions being explored by researchers and healthcare professionals.

Males frequently put off seeking help for their psychological problems all around the world, across a wide range of races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that men commit suicide at a rate that is twice as high as women. And the highest rates of male suicide are found in high-income nations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 80% of all suicide deaths in the United States occur in men (CDC). Male suicide deaths outnumber female suicide deaths by a factor of four. According to Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization, mental health practitioners identify depression in women more frequently than in males (MHA). In addition, the organization notes that the majority of American males who have depressive symptoms each year—more than 6 million—go untreated. According to a CDC investigation from 2021, situational stressors also have a significant impact on suicide mortality among males, many of whom lack a history of mental illness that is known to the authorities. Relationship issues and disputes can be among these pressures, but they all point to the need for "assistance through stressful transitions," according to a news release from UCLA, the workplace of one of the report's co-authors. In comparison to women, men are less likely to obtain any kind of formal mental health support. Recent studies offer explanations for why this might be taking place as well as solutions.

Many males battle with prescriptive, outdated views about gender on a daily basis, and this struggle can worsen their mental health problems. It also explains why so many men find it difficult to seek out treatment when they realize they need it. Simon Rice, an Australian mental health researcher, wrote in The Lancet Public Health in 2021 that "Sex inequalities in mental health often arise across late childhood and adolescence." Additionally, during this period, gender standards solidify and extend into later life, continuing to influence mental health and help-seeking. The stigma associated with mental illness was reviewed in a 2022 article in the American Journal of Public Health. Men who internalized that stigma were more likely to suffer difficulties and have "a heightened risk for severe mental disease," the study showed, and were also less likely to seek help for their psychological problems. According to research, those who receive counseling or medication to treat their depression or suicidal thoughts are much less likely to consider or actually try suicide. Suicidal ideation may occasionally be associated with financial hardship or other practical problems. Receiving financial or emotional support from others during difficult times has also been shown to lessen these thoughts.

When it comes to maintaining their mental health, men of color and individuals with different racial and ethnic backgrounds confront unique difficulties. Even while Black adults are more likely than white adults to experience emotional discomfort, just one in three of them obtain treatment for their mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. This discomfort is made worse by the violence against people of color and generational racial trauma that is depicted in the news media. It's possible that Black people have trouble believing in medical experts. According to MHA, “Historical dehumanization, oppression, and violence against Black and African American people have evolved into present-day racism — structural, institutional, and individual — and cultivates a uniquely mistrustful and less affluent community experience.” According to the CDC, suicide rates have continuously decreased among white individuals while steadily rising among Black and Hispanic adults in recent years. Of all demographic groups, American Indian and Alaskan Native people have the highest suicide rate. In surveys, people from these categories are 60% more likely to respond that "everything is an effort, all the time" than people of color. Lack of resources and trauma are key causes. According to the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health's executive director, Octavio Martinez Jr., MD, men of color are more likely to experience poverty and violence, have greater imprisonment rates, and have fewer job possibilities. He underlines that these differences have "a double whammy" effect on their mental health. All of these issues, taken together, act as a further barrier to people of color seeking care for their mental health when they need it.

Men and women can experience the same mental health concerns in quite different ways. This is considered a potential "side effect" of their opposing perspectives on mental health. Males who are depressed may show more rage, violence, and impatience, or they may act out in other "socially acceptable" ways to express their suffering. Instead, depressive symptoms in women may appear as evidence of poor mood. Males may have physiological signs of depression such as headaches, a racing heart, or digestive problems. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, men may be "more inclined to consult their doctor concerning physical issues than emotional symptoms." The group points out that males who feel depressed could use alcohol and other drugs as self-medication. But doing so could make their problems worse and increase their chance of developing other illnesses. So what can experts in mental health and decision-makers do to make sure that men feel confident and at ease seeking support and receiving the right care? Increasing widespread knowledge and education about mental health concerns is the first step in tackling them, according to academics. Researchers proposed dispelling the stigma by creating national programs that portray asking for assistance as a show of strength and an essential component of caring for one's overall health in a 2016 Canadian Family Physician piece. Community-based initiatives can assist in reducing risk factors for mental health issues, especially in older men who may feel alone and are more likely than younger men to attempt and die by suicide. No intervention, however, is complete until it takes into account the systematic marginalization of some groups, such as men of color and people from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. According to experts, Black men in the U.S. may seek support more frequently in informal venues like churches or barber shops, and they gain from being together and conversing as a group. Dr. Martinez advocates for programs that help men and boys of color and those from various backgrounds establish meaningful connections. As a result of seeing resilience and mental health self-care practiced by their fathers, brothers, teachers, spiritual leaders, and friends, he claims that stigma towards men and boys is reduced.

In comparison to women, men are far more prone to commit suicide. This gap may be caused, in part, by internalized standards surrounding "masculine behavior" and men's increased unwillingness to seek mental health therapy. Men who have suicidal thoughts should be aware that assistance is accessible. Suicidal ideation can be reduced and depression can be treated with the support of therapy, medication, community interventions, and practical assistance.