JOHANNESBURG - As the world marks World Suicide Prevention Day, society is being urged to take a closer look at how boys and men are taught to deal with emotions, vulnerability and mental health.
For generations, many men have been expected to be the protectors and providers, the ones who remain strong, suppress their emotions and avoid showing weakness.
But mental health advocates warn that these expectations can come at a devastating cost.
Men account for the majority of recorded suicides in South Africa, with at least 30 male suicides reported each day. Of the 13,774 annual suicides recorded in South Africa, 10,861 are men.
Leon de Beer of the South African Federation for Mental Health says one of the first steps towards preventing male suicide is learning to recognise the signs of depression, particularly because depression in men may not always present in ways people traditionally expect.
“When we think of depression, we think of social withdrawal, people feeling low mood, a loss of interest,” De Beer says.
However, he says depression in men can manifest differently, including through anger, irritability and aggression.
De Beer says individuals and communities need to educate themselves about these warning signs and be prepared to intervene when they notice them.
He also stresses the importance of taking any mention of suicide seriously.
“People should never ignore the signs and never dismiss or make light of comments if people are talking about suicide.”
Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, De Beer encourages people to listen, engage and offer support.
He says communities need to be brave enough to ask questions and have conversations about suicide instead of dismissing warning signs or assuming that someone is simply having a bad day.