Data reveals scary trend in men’s mental health nationwide
Hello, all. I will forewarn you that this week’s topic is a heavy topic. So if you wish to bow out now, feel free. Also, I’m not sure if I’ve touched on this topic before in the TRG; I hope it’s not a repeat. But, at least it’s important to be aware of the new statistics out there. One has to be aware of the extent of the problem in order to most effectively address it.
I’m writing about suicide, and the signifi cant increase in the number of suicides in the past couple of decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released data showing that the U.S. had 49,449 deaths by suicide in 2022, the highest number ever recorded in U.S. history. That number also put the suicide rate higher than it has been since the beginning of World War II. In 2022, suicide deaths rose 3 percent, with an increase of more than 1,000 deaths.
Suicide rates increased 37 percent between 2000-2018 and decreased 5 percent between 2018-2020. However, rates nearly returned to their peak in 2021. The average rate of suicide in 2021 was around 14 deaths per 100,000 people.
The number of deaths by suicide increased 2.6 percent from 2021 to 2022. All racial groups saw an increase in the number of suicides, with the exception of American Indian/Alaska Native people. All age groups also saw an increase in the number of suicides, except for the 10- to 24-year-old age bracket, which actually saw a decrease of 8.4 percent.
Despite the CDC data being released not that long ago — the webpage was last updated Aug. 10 — I was hard-pressed to find national news outlets covering this story, other than a couple of short video clips. Much less was I able to find any in-depth coverage breaking down the demographics of the data, other than Daily Wire writer Matt Walsh pointing out this very fact in an opinion piece of his own. Thus, I figured it was even more important to publish the information, because this isn’t an issue we should ignore. With that said, the following are some more specific statistics.
Some trends become evident when looking at the gender and occupation of those committing suicide. Males accounted for 39,255 of 49,449 suicides in 2022, or roughly 80 percent. It’s fair to say we are experiencing a men’s mental health crisis, although a lot of men suffer in silence.
Especially vulnerable were men living in rural areas. The latest data showed that men working in the professions of “mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction” have the single highest per capita suicide rate in the country, at more than 54 deaths per 100,000 men. Construction is the nexthighest category. In addition, a 2021 study by the CDC found that farmers have higher than average rates of suicide. Research has also shown that veterans are at greater risk of committing suicide, with the rate of suicide for veterans 1.5 times higher than that of the general population (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016).
As far as the age of person, people age 85 years and older have highest rate of suicide, at 22.4 per 100,000. The age groups of 7584 and 25-34 are roughly tied for the next highest rate, with those age 75-84 having a rate of 19.6 and those age 25-34 having a rate of 19.5.
The data is provisional and based on U.S. death certificates, so it could be subject to slight change. The complete report can be viewed at cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-datastatistics. html. I hesitate to speculate too much on the cause of the increase in the number of suicides, because every person has a different story and different factors that led them to that tragic point. However, one potential reason I would offer is a lack of God in people’s lives. If a person has no higher purpose to live for, no hope beyond the here and now, they could end up feeling hopeless pretty quickly. Another factor is the economic downturn and people struggling to provide for their families. If a person is out of work and can’t provide for their own basic needs, much less their family’s, it would have to be very discouraging at the least. People derive a lot of meaning from their work.
One other factor is the increased use of technology and people missing out on faceto- face social connection. There’s just no substitute for that. People need people. A lot of people are missing out on church groups, music groups, service clubs, recreational clubs like dance halls or bowling leagues, neighborhood get-togethers or any other avenues that bring people together. One doesn’t realize how important those social groups are to a person’s own wellbeing and sense of community until they are gone.
Along with that, there’s the breakdown of the family unit. Family brings community and dispels isolation. Young men report that they’re single at more than twice the rate of young women, with similar statistics concerning unhappiness and depression. Caring for and providing for a family is not a foolproof way to great mental health, but it certainly provides a sense of purpose and, one would hope, a support system in the form of a spouse, someone with which to share burdens. That and the general state of the world, with conflicts between nations, natural disasters, political turmoil, tribalism, division and disesase is not doing anything to help people’s mental state.
So, there are a lot of factors working against us. But, on the flip side, as dark as things may seem, there is always a reason to have hope. Light is stronger than darkness. And, we’re stronger when we support each other. So if you know someone you think might be struggling with mental health or even suicidal thoughts, reach out to them. And if you’re struggling yourself, please reach out to someone. You don’t have to fight this battle alone.
If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline. org.
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