University of California LGBTI Association
Too many young people, especially men, are killing themselves, and the full scale of suicide among the gay and lesbian population is only beginning to emerge. As activists we can help fight this epidemic through reaching out, understanding, empathising and supporting people. We must do more to retain interest; instead of people coming and joining in once or twice then disconnecting, we must help them to integrate and take part, becoming long term members of and contributors to our community and organisations. Where people are striving to reach their goals we must take an interest, mentor and encourage. We have already lost too many gay and lesbian people to suicide and we must resolve to do more to fight this scourge.
Very little is known of the incidence of mental health issues and suicide in the trans and bisexual communities. Gay Activist understands that members of these communities are at least just as badly affected as gay men and lesbians are, and that the gender reassignment process itself can create mental health issues. (Source)
If you yourself have been suicidal, read on; you may recognise in this article some clues about your own feelings which will help you to deal with them, and there are some resources at the end of this article.
What are the facts, and what are the factors that cause so many of our community to kill themselves?
Young men and women, generally
The suicide rate for young men has doubled since the early 80s, while for women it has almost halved.
12 young men kill themselves every week in the UK. Young men are more likely to die by their own hand than be killed in a car crash.
Only 39 per cent of suicidal young men would consider phoning the Samaritans.
67 per cent of suicidal young men say they have nowhere to turn for emotional help.
Suicidal young men are four times more likely to smoke and ten times more likely to take an illegal drug to relieve stress.
More than one in three young men would ‘smash something up’ instead of talking about their feelings.
Less than one in five young men would ask their father for emotional support.
78 per cent of depressed and suicidal young men have experienced bullying.
69 per cent of suicidal young men have experienced violence from an adult.
50 per cent of suicidal young men have been in trouble with the police compared to 17 per cent of the non-suicidal.
A suicide in a family makes the remaining family members three times more likely to also consider and attempt suicide.
Gay young men and women
Lesbian young people are up to six times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. Young gay men are 30 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts: some have made as many as nine unsuccessful attempts to kill themselves. The highest rates of suicide are among those who are isolated from support.
Research emerging in December 2008 indicated that teenage gay people who have been rejected by their parents are far more likely to self-harm, take hard drugs and commit suicide than teenagers who are wholeheartedly loved and supported by their parents.
Men and women, generally
Suicide is far higher – and rising – among unskilled men than among professional men. Men are more likely to kill themselves if they are from ethnic minorities, unmarried or gay. Men who have been in prison are more likely to commit suicide than those who have not (source). More women than men attempt suicide each year, but are less likely to succeed. Women tend to choose overdose, which can usually be treated in hospital, while men tend to choose dramatic and violent methods of killing themselves. Suicide is now the biggest single cause of death of men aged 25 to 34, who are more than five times likely to take their lives as women of the same age, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Each year about 3,600 men take their lives, compared to 1,200 women.
Gay men
The situation for gay men is even more acute. 25 to 60 per cent of gay people seek counselling at some stage in their lives (Source: Counselling Directory). Gay and bisexual men face a higher risk of considering and attempting suicide, and of killing themselves. Mind’s researchers interviewed nearly 3,000 gay and bisexual men between 1996 and 1998. They say that 73 per cent of gay men have experience of stress. In 35 per cent stress was due to their sexual orientation. 21 per cent of the men said they had previously made a plan to kill themselves, 12 per cent had attempted suicide, and a further 8 per cent had considered suicide because of their sexual orientation (Source: Mind).
Older men, generally
Older men have the highest suicide rates in the UK. Suicide in older men is strongly associated with depression, physical pain or illness, living alone, and feelings of hopelessness and guilt. There is a lack of medical resources for older men. Older men also experience some specific hormonal, physiological and chemical changes sometimes referred to as the male menopause generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though they can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65, and can affect all aspects of a man’s life, including their mental health.
To summarise, the main factors causing higher incidence of suicide are:
Isolation and loneliness.
Inability to talk about their problems to anyone.
Loss of a role in society.
Ill health.
Discomfort of the health service due to experiences of homophobia, and fear of being out with their doctor.
Distrust of counselling services with the expectation of homophobia.
Problems coming to terms with their sexuality or other aspects of their lives and circumstances.
Lack of family support and understanding.
Fear of or experience of perceived or real failure.
Internalised homophobia.
Having been prosecuted for criminal activity.
Helplines
Samaritans helpline: 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours)
For local and national support groups and information services for specific problems look in your Yellow Pages Directory (in the first few pages of the directory)
Further reading
National Health Service Live Well Guide – mental health issues for gay men and lesbians
Mental Health Day and the Gay community
World Mental Health Day (10 October each year)
Links checked 21 May 2012
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