Lack of support exacerbates men’s high suicide rate: Expert

Mental health expert, Rinky Magamela, believes that men’s psychological troubles are exacerbated by a lack of support.

She was reacting to a report from the Gauteng Health Department, which states that men in South Africa are four times more likely to commit suicide, with at least 14 000 incidents recorded each year.

The report was released to mark Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, which raises awareness on men’s mental health.

The health expert says too many demands are placed on men, with insufficient effort made into providing an anchor for how to deal with what society expects of them.

She makes a contrast to women, claiming that they are given more support instead.

“Most things are favouring us women. I just think we must just take a step back and really think about the support that we are bringing and giving to men. They need a safe space for them to express who they are without feeling judged or feeling like they are failures, says Magamela.

She adds that in today’s highly inflated economy in South Africa, males bear the brunt of needing to be financially there for their loved ones, and it is critical that they are reassured that there are several other methods to contribute.

“We also need to normalise certain things because men grow up normally being told that they should provide, they should have money, etc. Looking at that now our economy is favouring women more and additionally people in generally are feeling financially strained and they find it challenging to make ends meet. Men need to know that it’s okay when they can’t do certain things and that provision doesn’t only come in the form of money. There is emotional safety, and other security in many other different forms,” adds Magamela.

she claims that, in addition to cultural expectations of men being pigeonholed into being providers, they are being positioned into dealing with bottling up a lot.

“They grow up being taught that when they talk about certain things it means that they are weak.”

According to the mental health expert, all humans have a threshold for dealing with internal concerns, implying that society cannot expect men to contain their feelings without eventually bursting out through antisocial behaviour.

She attributes the country’s high suicide rate to men feeling the burden of being expected to be strong for their loved ones while also dealing with psychological challenges.

The expert suggests that some males, who choose to bear their load, bury their sorrows in excessive substance misuse, which has a bad impact on their daily life.

“Some even try different ways of coping ways of coping. They consume alcohol and drugs just to try remedy their situation. However, the societal expectation of them are truly the main cause of suicide and antisocial behaviour from men,” says Magamela.

She invites males to be free to express their emotions through communication.

“Men need to voice out and talk about their issues through confiding in those they can trust, socializing with friends and engaging in positive behavior, and also journaling their thought from time to time. It’s important to journal how you are feeling because if you put things under the rug, you put yourself at risk of having anxiety and eventually a mental breakdown,” says Magamela.

She believes that physical activity can greatly assist men in dealing with their mental health concerns.

“Find better ways to cope like attending gym. One thing I know about exercise is that it helps with releasing endorphins, which are responsible for our mood regulations, more especially a positive mood,” says Magamela.

She also encourages men not to be afraid to visit mental health facilities, stating that feeling the need for professional help with mental difficulties is not a taboo.

“There are many safe spaces like psychologist, church groups, men’s’ empowerment groups, where you will be in a community where help is easily accessible and there is support around you.”

Magamela believes that men should prioritise their mental health because they deserve to live in stress-free situations, which will make it conducive raise well-mannered and confident children in society.

“Because a man who is not mentally stable commonly raise children who lack confidence and are angry. Fathers should always lead by example because they are identity givers,” says Magamela.