SUICIDE

A statistic from CDC: 77 percent of U.S. suicides are men. However, it is important to put this number in perspective. One big reason for gender disparity in suicide rates is that men choose more lethal means to kill themselves.

“Men have a higher completion rate of suicide,” Dr. Saunders says. “Women actually have more attempts, but their means of suicide is often overdosing with pills, which is not as lethal. When a man decides to kill himself, he’s usually going to use a firearm or hang himself. Surviving a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head is extremely rare.”

Often, family members and friends are naïve about a male contemplating suicide. That’s because men tend to bottle up their feelings and suffer in silence.

“Women will often cry out for help and make suicidal gestures,” Dr. Saunders says. “Men have an inner world that’s very private and can be very difficult for others to access. Men need to understand it’s OK to reach out for help and vent their frustrations and problems.”