Suicide among men: a gender’s paradox

Abstract

In Brazil, women judge their health status worse and have greater suicidal ideation when compared to men. However, the male population dies younger and in greater numbers, with a greater effect of suicides. The gender stereotype, therefore, influences the way individuals use their bodies and perceive their emotions. This essay aims to demonstrate the relationship between the high rate of suicide among men and the idea of ​​masculinity, as well as to present possible ways to reverse this reality. Social expectations based on patriarchy, including notions of work and virility in males, create situations of constant stress and frustration. Concomitantly, men maintain a historical distance from health care, as they are related to the ideas of vulnerability and feminization, which contributes even more to the high rates of suicide in this population. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a need for improvements in the education of health professionals and doctors in training, with more specialized and individualized approaches, aiming at greater effectiveness of practices in the educational, preventive, and health-promoting areas.