Suicide and mental health problems in men in Poland

Abstract

Background: Women in Poland suffer from mental disorders more often than men (except for addictions). However, men are about six times more likely to commit suicide than women. What could be the cause of this situation? The aim of the article was to analyse the potential correlation between mental health and suicide in men. Materials and methods: The review was based on the available scientific literature on male depression and suicide. We searched Pubmed, Scopus and Google Schoolar (from 1.11.2019 to 31.01.2020). Results: Polish statistics may differ from others due to the fact that current diagnostic criteria often fail to take into consideration the typical symptoms of mental disorders in men. Male suicide attempts are more commonly lethal. Men are also more likely to try to deal with mental problems on their own, often using alcohol, which, in many cases, leads to suicidal behaviour and addictions. This disparity between the numbers of suicides among men and women in recent years indicates an urgent need to promote mental health among men. Conclusions: Polish health policies should focus more on the mental health of men. It is very important to develop standards of promoting male mental health, which would meet the specific health needs of this group. It is necessary to provide physicians with new diagnostic tools which will allow for better identification of typical male symptoms of mental disorders.