Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death of Men
Almost 800,000 people die by suicide every year, nearly twice the number who die by homicide. [1]
Almost 800,000 people die by suicide every year, nearly twice the number who die by homicide. [1]
"DEPRESSION CAN TAKE OUR THOUGHTS TO DARK PLACES.
KNOWING HOW TO MANAGE THESE THOUGHTS IS LITERALLY LIFE-SAVING."
According to the World Health Organization, men account for 75% of all suicides.[1] More than 90% of people who die by suicide struggle with their mental health. Researchers estimate that up to 60% of people who die by suicide have major depression. [2, 3] For more facts and figures see our Stats on Suicide in Men.
We all go through tough stretches in our lives, and at times, we can get to the point where we feel so lost or overwhelmed that we wish we could run away, disappear, or never wake up from sleeping.
Sometimes, these thoughts come from us believing that we’re worthless, a burden to others, or nobody cares about us. Other times, such thoughts arise when we are overwhelmed by a tough situation and feel like we can’t handle it anymore. Other examples include:
Depression feeds on thoughts like these, turning an abstract idea, like, “I wish I could escape from all this”, into something much more real and imminent, like, “I want to end my life”.
As our mood becomes more depressed and our thinking becomes more negative, we can lose hope for the future and mistakenly see suicide as the only way out.
“Before my suicide attempt, I didn’t think I would act on my darkest thoughts. I would lie around ruminating all night, fantasizing about escaping from life. Now I understand where these thoughts can lead, and how important it is to talk to someone about them.” – Age 32, Canada
This section of our site provides practical and effective strategies for overcoming thoughts of suicide, helping you handle intense thoughts of suicide in the moment, as well as develop a plan for reducing the risk of having and acting on thoughts of suicide in the future. There is also helpful advice for those who are supporting a man in their life who is struggling with thoughts of suicide.
References
