Why women are less likely than men to commit suicide

Abstract

Major depression forms the background of upwards of half of all suicides. Women are twice as likely as men to experience major depression, yet women are one fourth as likely as men to take their own lives. Current and past explanations of this paradox are built on androcentric assumptions that women are deficient in some way. The reverse may be true where suicide is concerned. Men value independence and decisiveness, and they regard acknowledging a need for help as weakness and avoid it. Women value interdependence, and they consult friends and readily accept help. Women consider decisions in a relationship context, taking many things into consideration, and they feel freer to change their minds. It is argued here that women derive strength and protection from suicide by virtue of specific differences from men. Factors that protect women from suicide are opposite to vulnerability factors in men.

Mortalidad por suicidios en Colombia y México: tendencias e impacto entre 2000 y 2013

“…Se han formulado diversas interpretaciones alrededor de dicha paradoja. Una posible explicación se relaciona con los modelos de identidad de 'género', los cuales incentivan la exposición intencional a situaciones de riesgo en los hombres (18), y valoran la independencia y la determinación, concibiendo como debilidad y fragilidad el reconocer que se necesita ayuda, por lo cual, a diferencia de las mujeres, evitan hacerlo (19). Es por ello que los hombres recurren con mayor frecuencia a métodos violentos y letales para suicidarse, como el ahorcamiento o el disparo con arma de fuego, en tanto que las mujeres se valen más del envenenamiento con diversas sustancias químicas (17,(20)(21)(22), situación que se ha observado en distintas investigaciones, tanto en Colombia (7,23) como en México (3,8,12).…”

“…Por otro lado, el matrimonio se considera un factor protector contra el suicidio, mientras que enviudar incrementa su riesgo, especialmente en hombres (19,32).…”

Quotas for Men: Reframing Gender Quotas as a Means of Improving Representation for All

“…Yet we know that these needs are very real: men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide, in part due to difficulty with discussing problems and admitting when they need help (Murphy 1998). Providing counseling and support for men, and training public servants such as teachers, health and social workers to encourage males to express emotions, are all fundamental to improving men's health.…”

Beyond weeping and crying: a gender analysis of expressions of depression

“…While women are diagnosed as depressed twice as often as men [1], men commit suicide twice as often as women [2]. Attempts to understand differences in the epidemiology of depression have relied most often on psychological [3] or biological factors [4]. Few attempts have been made to examine depression with regard to gender, which also includes the sociopolitical and cultural aspects of being a woman or a man [5].…”