Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
SUICIDE among men due to depression continues to wreak havoc in many households locally with experts calling for increased mental wellness programmes to be introduced at family level.
The death of South African music icon Riky Rick by hanging on Wednesday sparked debate on how efficient health systems have been in helping men cope with failure, disappointment and feelings of worthlessness.
Some took to their pages and spaces to highlight how men continue to struggle with depression silently as they dread mockery that often follows confessions of their struggles on social media.
Globally, Zimbabwe is ranked 34th in terms of the suicide rate, according to the latest available World Health Organisation data for 2018 and 2019.
More men are committing suicide compared to females.
Renowned psychiatrist Dr Wellington Ranga said mental wellness issues should be prioritised daily and not only when prominent people take their lives.
He said families would have invested so much in educating children to be relevant but no one has taken time to teach children how to cope with loss, disappointment and social ills affecting the general populace nowadays.
“The problem is rooted in the fact that we are quick to teach our children Mathematics preparing them for the world but no one cares to explain how they should cope with loss of loved ones, failed relationships or financial challenges. As they become adults, they struggle to deal with challenges and often become depressed which explains the high rates we have,” he said.
“I do not think these issues need any policy, as individuals we should be comfortable to talk about these issues because no policy will reduce these suicide cases.”
Dr Ranga said men succeed in their suicide attempts as they go for the most dangerous weapons compared to women.
“The fact on the ground is more women attempt suicide but they do not succeed as they use tablets or objects which are not as deadly compared to men. We need to teach men how to handle job losses, catching one’s wife cheating and saving lives,” he said.
Dr Ranga also urged religious leaders to continue offering counselling services to members of the public who have nowhere to turn to whenever they are in distress.
Padare Men’s Forum gender officer Mr Ziphongezipho Ndebele said a man’s masculinity is seen as closely tied to physical and emotional strength and invincibility.
“Being told to be a man throughout one’s upbringing and also in adulthood reinforces the idea that men ought to be tough and deal with issues on their own. There is widespread social expectation that men must never rely on other people, talk about their feelings or seek help for their physical or emotional health,” he said.
Mr Ndebele said most men find it hard and unnecessary to seek mental health assistance or counselling services.
He said this is the reason why many are depressed and resorting to suicide as society belittles any man who attempts to seek help or open up about their struggles. Zimbabwe is among countries with high suicide rates in the world making suicide the 14th leading cause of death in the country.
In the last five years, more men committed suicide compared to women, according to a mental wellness organisation, Create Zim.
Reports show that from 2015 to 2019, 2 058 men died by suicide compared to 505 females during the same period.
“You’ll realise that mental illness is most common in men because they don’t seek help or share their problems. Many men are battling with depression and we all need to reach out more and share the message that it’s okay not to be okay. If you look at the suicide statistics in recent years, they’ll reveal a worrying trend and show you that we are indeed in a crisis,” said Mr Ndebele.–@thamamoe
Online Reporter