Seidler Zac E, Wilson Michael J, Oliffe John L, Kealy David, Toogood Nicholas, Ogrodniczuk John S, Rice Simon M
Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Front Sociol. 2021 Oct 1;6:727069. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.727069. eCollection 2021.
While research has explored the intersection between masculinities and men's experiences of suicidality, comparatively little attention has been paid to the stories surrounding suicidal men's decision to seek help. The ways in which men experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors embody masculinities alongside their enlistment of mental health services remains largely unknown. The present study explored 262 Australian men's stories surrounding the impetus for help-seeking for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The sample comprised men ranging in age from 17 to 74 years ( = 40.99; SD = 15.92 years), with most participants residing in a metropolitan area (55.3%), employed full time (43.1%), non-indigenous (95.4%) and heterosexual (73.7%). Participants elaborated on their reasons for help-seeking an open-text qualitative survey, delivered as part of a larger study exploring help-seeking experiences of Australian men. Thematic analysis of responses generated four themes highlighting the diversity of experience across men, with some highlighting impacts of emasculating early trauma(s) on their suicidality, while others reflected an impulsiveness tied to situational stressors that fractured their masculine identity (e.g., relationship breakdown; job loss). Many men had epiphanies as they reached the limits of their self-reliance and came to terms with their need for help. As their suicidality was witnessed by-and began to impact-those around them, the sight of their previously masked pain by others often facilitated their help-seeking journey. The present findings underscore the complex and multifactorial role of masculinities in men's suicidality and their paths to help-seeking. Important inroads for future public mental health promotion efforts are discussed, in terms of leveraging self-reliant and caring masculinities in helping men to develop healthy coping in the context of suicidality.
虽然已有研究探讨了男性气质与男性自杀经历之间的交叉点，但对于围绕有自杀倾向男性寻求帮助的决定的相关故事，却相对鲜有关注。有自杀想法和行为的男性在接受心理健康服务的同时，展现男性气质的方式在很大程度上仍不为人知。本研究探究了262名澳大利亚男性关于因自杀想法和行为而寻求帮助的动因的故事。样本中的男性年龄在17岁至74岁之间（平均年龄 = 40.99岁；标准差 = 15.92岁），大多数参与者居住在大都市地区（55.3%），全职工作（43.1%），非原住民（95.4%）且为异性恋（73.7%）。参与者在一项开放式定性调查中详细阐述了他们寻求帮助的原因，该调查是一项探索澳大利亚男性寻求帮助经历的更大规模研究的一部分。对回答的主题分析产生了四个主题，突出了男性经历的多样性，一些主题强调了早期创伤对他们男子气概的削弱对其自杀倾向的影响，而另一些主题则反映了与情境压力源相关的冲动性，这些压力源破坏了他们的男性身份认同（例如，关系破裂；失业）。许多男性在达到自力更生的极限并接受自己需要帮助时，有了顿悟。当他们的自杀倾向被周围的人目睹并开始影响到周围的人时，他人看到他们此前隐藏的痛苦往往推动了他们的求助之旅。本研究结果强调了男性气质在男性自杀倾向及其求助途径中所起的复杂和多因素作用。讨论了未来公共心理健康促进工作的重要切入点，即如何利用自力更生和有爱心的男性气质来帮助男性在自杀倾向的背景下发展健康的应对方式。
