Facts and Suicide Rates in Men

Men account for 75-80% of deaths by suicide.[1][2][3]

Men’s mental health struggles often go unrecognized or undiagnosed, and due to widespread stigma and misunderstanding surrounding suicide, deaths by suicide may be incorrectly or mistakenly listed as ‘deaths by unintentional injuries’. As such, many of the statistics below are likely to be under-estimations of the real toll that suicide takes on men, their families, and their communities.

When discussing suicide, it is important to think about the language we use. Instead of saying “commit suicide” or “kill themselves” we recommend referring to these tragedies as “deaths by suicide”. This careful choice of words is crucial, as terms like “commit” and “kill” can imply criminality or sinfulness, which may deter men who are having these thoughts from seeking the support they need. Our goal is to encourage individuals contemplating suicide to reach out for help. Therefore, we must avoid any language that might dissuade them from accessing the support they deserve.

Key Statistics Around Suicide and Mental Health

  • Almost 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, nearly twice the number who die by homicide.[4]
  • For every death by suicide, there are approximately 20 suicide attempts made.[5]
  • Each death by suicide leaves behind a community of bereaved family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. For every death by suicide, at least 7 to 10 people are directly affected by the loss.[6]  
  • Research shows that mental illness is the most important risk factor for suicide. More than 90% of people who die by suicide struggle with their mental health and/or addiction.[7][8] Researchers estimate that up to 60% of people who die by suicide have major depression.[9][10]

UNDERSTANDING THE HIGHER RATES AMONG MEN

The global disparity in suicide rates between men and women is a well-documented phenomenon, with men consistently exhibiting higher rates. This disparity is attributed to a complex interplay of many factors.

While men tend to use more lethal methods of suicide (e.g., hanging, firearms), they are also more likely to die during any attempt – meaning that the difference in methods alone does not explain the vast discrepancy in suicide rates between men and women.[11] Other factors, such as substance use, severity of underlying illness, loneliness, and shame, must be considered as contributing factors to the elevated suicide rates among men.[12] Together, these findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and public health initiatives to address the unique challenges faced by men in relation to suicide risk.

WHAT PERCENT OF SUICIDES ARE MEN?

Across Canada, the US, and the UK roughly 75% of deaths by suicide are men. 

  • Canada: In Canada, men account for 3 out of every 4 suicides. Roughly 8 men take their life every day, amounting to 3,000 deaths per year.[13]
  • UK: In England and Wales, men die by suicide at a rate 3 times more often women. Nearly 12 men lose their lives to suicide every day, or approximately 4,200 suicides each year. [14]
  • USA: In the United States, the suicide rate among males is 4 times higher than that of females. Male deaths represent 79% of suicides, amounting to roughly 100 men dying by suicide every day, over 36,000 annually. [15]

Suicide is a leading cause of death for men under age 50

  • Canada: Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for men under the age of 50.[16]
  • UK: Suicide is the single largest cause of death for men under the age of 50.[17]
  • USA: Suicide is the 2nd most common cause of death for men under the age of 45.[18]

Men are much less likely to get help for their mental health

According to a meta-analysis looking at 20 studies across North America and Western Europe, 19.7% of men (fewer than 1 in 5) had contact with mental health professionals in the year leading up to suicide, compared to 35.0% of women.[19]

  • Canada: According to a 2005 survey of 132,221 Canadians, men were found to be 2.7 times less likely to utilize mental health services than women.[20]
  • UK: Only 36% of referrals to the United Kingdom National Health Service for talk therapy are for men.[21]
  • USA: In the year before suicide, only 35% of men, on average, sought care from a mental health practitioner.[22]

Thoughts of suicide are common among men

16.2% of our Depression Self Check submissions reflect daily thoughts about suicide.

  • Canada: In 2019, 1,666,200 Canadian men over the age of 15 (roughly 9% of the male population) reported that they have seriously contemplated suicide in their lifetime.[23]
  • UK: According to a 2014 survey, 5.4% of men over the age of 16 reported having thoughts of suicide within the past year.[24] 
  • USA: In 2021,12.3 million adults reported experiencing suicidal thoughts, and males and females were found to have similar rates.[25] 

Next Steps

Learn more about how to seek support and help prevent suicide in men on our main Suicide in Men page. 

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, remember, HeadsUpGuys is here to help. Get practical strategies to navigate these thoughts and keep yourself safe.

Suicide in Men
Managing Suicidal Thoughts

References:

  1. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2020). Suicide in Canada: Key Statistics (infographic) – Canada.ca. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/suicide-canada-key-statistics-infographic.html
  2. Mental Health Foundation. (2021). Men and mental health. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/men-and-mental-health 
  3. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Changes in Suicide Rates — United States, 2019 and 2020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7108a5.
  4. World Health Organization. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative. 
  5. World Health Organization. (2019, July 8). Suicide prevention. https://www.who.int/health-topics/suicide#tab=tab_1
  6. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2021). Suicide in Canada – Canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/suicide-prevention/suicide-canada.html
  7. Weir, E., & Wallington, T. (2001). Suicide: the hidden epidemic. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 165(5), 634–636.
  8. Mościcki, E. K. (2001). Epidemiology of completed and attempted suicide: toward a framework for prevention. Clinical Neuroscience Research, 1(5), 310–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1566-2772(01)00032-9
  9. Cavanagh, J. T., Carson, A. J., Sharpe, M., & Lawrie, S. M. (2003). Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review. Psychological medicine, 33(3), 395–405. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291702006943
  10. Lesage, A. D., Boyer, R., Grunberg, F., Vanier, C., Morissette, R., Ménard-Buteau, C., & Loyer, M. (1994). Suicide and mental disorders: a case-control study of young men. The American journal of psychiatry, 151(7), 1063–1068. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.151.7.1063
  11. Cibis, A., Mergl, R., Bramesfeld, A., Althaus, D., Niklewski, G., Schmidtke, A., & Hegerl, U. (2012). Preference of lethal methods is not the only cause for higher suicide rates in males. Journal of Affective Disorders, 136(1-2), 9–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2011.08.032
  12. ibid.,
  13. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2020). Suicide in Canada: Key Statistics 
  14. Mental Health Foundation. (2021). Men and mental health. 
  15. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Changes in Suicide Rates — United States, 2019 and 2020.
  16. Statistics Canada. (2020). Leading causes of death, total population, by age group. https://doi.org/10.25318/1310039401-eng
  17. Mental Health Foundation. (2021). Men and mental health. 
  18. Leading causes of death: WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Visualization Tool. (2022). CDC. Retrieved August 13, 2024, from https://wisqars.cdc.gov/lcd/?o=LCD&y1=2022&y2=2022&ct=10&cc=ALL&g=00&s=1&r=0&ry=2&e=0&ar=lcd1age&at=custom&ag=lcd1age&a1=0&a2=49
  19.  Luoma, J. B., Martin, C. E., & Pearson, J. L. (2002). Contact With Mental Health and Primary Care Providers Before Suicide: A Review of the Evidence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(6), 909–916. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.6.909
  20. McDonald, B., Kulkarni, M., Andkhoie, M., Kendall, J., Gall, S., Chelladurai, S., Yaghoubi, M., McClean, S., Szafron, M., & Farag, M. (2017). Determinants of self-reported mental health and utilization of mental health services in Canada. International Journal of Mental Health, 46(4), 299–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2017.1345045
  21. Mental Health Foundation. Men and Women: Statistics . https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/men-women-statistics 
  22. Luoma, J. B., Martin, C. E., & Pearson, J. L. (2002). Contact With Mental Health and Primary Care Providers Before Suicide: A Review of the Evidence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(6), 909–916. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.6.909
  23. Statistics Canada. (2020b, August 6). Mental health characteristics and suicidal thoughts. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310009801
  24. Mental Health Foundation. (2016). Fundamental Facts About Mental Health 2016. Mental Health Foundation: London. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/fundamental-facts-about-mental-health-2016  
  25. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, April 25). Suicide data and statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html

Related Articles