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McKenna Worsham 

Professor Hammett 

ENGL 1213 sec. 615 

2/15/23 

Essay 1 Argument Proposal 

1,076 words 

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The Solution to the Epidemic of Male Suicide 

Male suicide is an epidemic unlike any other. Most recently, men have been found to be anywhere from three to five times more likely to die by suicide than women (Tingle 2). This self-inflicted death has been heavily influenced by societal gender roles. All kinds are affected by suicide; however, more specifically the male sex has been confounded with unaddressed and overlooked mental health issues for centuries. The lack of mental health assets for men in the United States is astronomical, “...there is a general consensus that a person who commits suicide may not have been on the health services radar and may not have been receiving treatment for mental health issues,” (Tingle 1). The mentality that has been engraved in the minds of young men for centuries has created a space for unsafe thoughts of self-loathing and harm. This way of thinking has caused abounding numbers of male suicides. The simple reinforcement of how men should not show emotion and that they are to constantly be strong, has changed the way men see themselves. Male suicide rates have heavily increased due to the unnerving fragility in the way people are taught to view masculinity, which could be solved by ample mental health resources for men.  

Mental health outreach and resources can be an extremely beneficial method to decrease the number of male suicides that seem to be growing each year. Kirsten Weir’s article over new suicide-preventative measures reports that, “By gathering data on the characteristics and experiences of everyone who dies by suicide, researchers can better understand who is at risk—and find more effective ways to help them...” (Weir 1). Multitudes of studies have been performed to find a cause for rising suicide rates, however all have concluded males to be of substantial risk for suicidal tendencies (1). Although some believe that suicide is an uncontrollable fate, it is rather a preventable tragedy. Professional psychologists and scientists in the field have found that resources such as mental health hotlines, websites and wellbeing check-ups in young children have exponentially decreased the number of suicides in the US. Those mental health outreach programs formulate plans specialized for each person to help based on personal needs. The main goal is to make psychiatrist offices, hotline phone numbers and websites a haven for patients of all ages, sexes, races, etc. In turn, these safe spaces will be able to keep men of all ages informed on more personalized options to help with suicidal thoughts (Weir 4).  

Support in the home is not always given. However, support in doctor’s offices needs to be seen much more. “Patients who received the intervention had 30% fewer suicide attempts during that year than patients who received standard emergency department care” (Weir 9). Psychiatrists being available in every doctor’s office, emergency room, school and workplace would create a safe space for men to get the help they need and would reduce suicide attempts (9). This need for psychiatric help can also make a space for non-judgment, as it becomes a discussion of whether medication(s) is necessary to better treat mental illness; “[The] field is unique in the opportunities it provides to engage in all sorts of activities: research, clinical work, teaching, influencing policy;” this space for psychiatry is wide and reaches all the necessary resources (therapy, medication, etc.) that can be used to prevent suicide (1). This psychiatric part of help-seeking will supply many safe options to prevent suicide.  

It is necessary that young men are offered the correct solutions for their mental health needs at an early age. The resources that are needed to best support them must reach men of all ages, especially elementary aged boys who are already seeking for help. Young men are particularly susceptible to suicidal thoughts and the development of mental illness; “...in the United States the greatest gender difference [in suicide ratings] is among those aged 15-24...” (Coleman 2). A safer and more mentally aware society begins as early as school-aged children. Suicide rates in young men would severely decrease with some simple resources given out at school (Coleman 8). If the change is made to help provide younger children with methods of preserving mental wellness and allowing necessary resources to be given at that age, multitudes of young men will grow up to feel needed in this world.  

There should be more charities and hotlines for those who have lost people to this epidemic, as well as preventative measures that can be taken, such as therapy or medications, to ensure that it happens less and less (Tingle 1). One charity of this kind is CALM “It was launched nationally in 2006 and is dedicated to preventing male suicides. Its work includes offering support to men [] of any age, who are feeling down or in crisis, via a helpline, web chat and website,” (1). The families and loved ones of these men who have lost their battles against their mental illnesses can visit the CALM website (or hotline) and receive whatever help the are seeking to further deal with their loss (2). Often, charities and programs, such as CALM, will offer current suicidal callers or visitors the right resources whether that is therapy, medication or just needing someone to hear them out, that will help them get back on track (3). This charity, which focuses on men’s mental wellness, is a wonderful resource when discussing the mourning of those who have died by suicide. These kinds of important assets seem to have a large affect on the number of suicides and attempts in the U.S., especially in males.  

This epidemic, recently, has largely caused a decrease in the population of men in America. If measures, such as hotlines, charities, outreach programs, medications, and elementary-level mental health resources, are given as a choice to men of all kinds, there will be a noticeable change in male deaths by suicide. Solutions to this epidemic may seem obvious to some; however, a large amount of work is vital to provide the best mental health care to men around the world. It is necessary that these resources for men continue to grow and reach as many lives as possible; if men are supported and given personal resources, male suicide rates will rapidly decrease in the future. 

Works Cited 

Abotsie, Gabriel, et al. "The men’s Wellbeing Project: Promoting the Well-being and Mental Health of Men." Journal of Public Mental Health 19.2 (2020): 179-89. ProQuest. Web. 28 Feb. 2023. 

Coleman, Daniel, “The social nature of male suicide: a new analytical model.” International Journal of Men’s Health, vol. 10, no. 3, fall 2011.  

Tingle, John. “Acting to Prevent Male Suicide.” British Journal of Nursing, vol. 27, no.8, Apr. 2018, pp. 458-59. EBSCOhost, 

https:doi-org.libraryproxy.tulsacc.edu/10.12968/bjon.2018.27.8.458.  

Weir, Kirsten. “Better Ways to Prevent Suicide.” https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/07-08/cover-prevent-suicide, July 2019, www.apa.org/monitor/2019/07-08/cover-prevent-suicide. Accessed 27 Feb. 2023.