Does Divorce Make Men More Likely To Commit Suicide?

By Author: James Walsh
Total Articles: 68
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The suicide rate among divorced men was two and a half times higher than divorced women in the late 1990s. In another study men outdid women four to one in number of suicides committed. By the time Bristol University, Office of National Statistics and IMS Health did a survey in 2008, the trends had changed.

At present, the UK has hit a low in suicide rates in general. In the age group of 15 - 24, the suicide rate was 16.6 per 100,000 men in the 1990s, and it is now 8.5. In the age group of 25 - 34, the rate has dropped from 22.2 to 15 .7. Among women, suicide rates have hit the lowest since the twentieth century. However, in the age group of 15 - 34, suicide by hanging among women has risen from 5.7 to a mind- blowing 47.3%. However, unemployment has taken a backseat as a cause for suicide as divorce deaths have increased. People all over the UK are also likely to commit suicide mostly on Mondays according to a suicide news website.

Why the 1990s

There was apparently a surge in suicide in the early 1990s which continued throughout the decade in varying degrees. This was probably a turn of the century ...
... phenomenon, combined with several other factors. The IT industrial boom caught on, outsourcing began to take businesses to every corner of the globe, the UK saw several important political changes and women climbed up the professional ladder. Apart from divorce itself being depressing enough, the men had enough reason in a socioeconomic context to feel terrible. So where the sheer numbers of suicides or divorces are concerned, the 1990s was an exceptional year. But we are back now to the topic of suicides in the twenty-first century, and the question is do men kill themselves when marriages fail and if so, why?

The Loser

Men are expected to be brave and ‘manly'. According to the research mentioned above, men do not form as many deep friendships as a woman. Consequently, he has a more unstable support base. He may have many friends with whom he can share a drink, but not too many to share his heart with. Women on the other hand have other women around them to offer succour at the hour of need. A man who has lost out on a marriage is essentially branded as a loser. He has lost money, wife, family, and also his self-esteem. He is, in other words, on an all-time low. Men are also more prone to reacting violently to a situation. As a result, a man may even end up committing suicide as a reaction. This is also the reason why binge drinking is so very common among men in Britain when they want to drown their grief over the divorce. Self-harm is a way of trying to make up for the ‘loser' image that has been stamped on him.

Men are also more prone to substance abuse post-divorce. They often take part in brawling, rash driving and vandalism, especially when they are drunk at night and are ready to do anything, may be even go to jail, rather than return to the empty house that has ceased to be a home. Women have a knack of transforming the new residence also into a ‘home' with all the comforts and familiarity associated with the idea of a shelter. Men, on the other hand, give up on life in general and let the maintenance of the house fall to zero when they are depressed.

Ways to Cope

There are some methods to get out of the trough of depression:

Approach a support group without hesitation, as there is nothing shameful or weak about it. You may be able to feel better after sharing your pain with other people present there.

If you are feeling suicidal, don't give way. Talk to help lines, support groups, friends, anyone you want to. If you kill yourself, you will only prove that you have indeed lost the game.

Eat regularly, bathe (it helps), do the laundry, and clean the house. After all that activity, you will not feel like drooping in front of the television or drinking.
Go to the gym, exercise, jog in the mornings, take a break and visit the sea or the hills. Maybe you can just go to office and work hard. Hard work ensures sleep in a way no amount of beer can.

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you would like more information on how to get a quickie Divorce see http://www.quickie-divorce.com