Differences in Suicide Among Men and Women

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSuicide Attempts & Risk of DeathSuicide MethodsSeverity of Suicide AttemptsPrior Suicide AttemptsSelf-Harming BehaviorDepression and SuicideLGBTQ Suicide RatesTheories & ExplanationsFor Parents and Loved Ones

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Suicide Attempts & Risk of Death

Suicide Methods

Severity of Suicide Attempts

Prior Suicide Attempts

Self-Harming Behavior

Depression and Suicide

LGBTQ Suicide Rates

Theories & Explanations

For Parents and Loved Ones

Close

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Official statistics and research studies have found that there are a number of gender differences in suicide. These differences are known as the gender paradox of suicide. While women are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, for example, men are much more likely to take their own lives.

Complicating the issue is that much of the research on this topic doesn’t include nonbinary people. Understanding these gender differences can help experts better design and develop prevention and intervention strategies.

Suicide Attempt and Risk of Death

The differences in attempts and completed suicides in women have erroneously led many people to believe that suicide attempts in women are often a method of getting attention rather than a serious risk. This is far from true.

It’s important to note that among women, an attempted (but failed) suicide attempt is the most significant risk factor for suicide in the future, and all suicide attempts, whether in men or women, need to be taken very seriously.

One of the most important reasons for the difference between suicide attempts and completed suicides between men and women is the method of suicide used.

Men tend to choose violent (more lethal) suicide methods, such as firearms, hanging, and asphyxiation, whereas women are more likely to overdose on medications or drugs.

Suicide Methods in MenFirearmsHangingAsphyxiation or suffocationJumpingMoving objectsSharp objectsVehicle exhaust gasSuicide Methods in WomenSelf-poisoningExsanguination (bleeding out from a cut such as a “slit” wrist)DrowningHangingFirearms

Suicide Methods in MenFirearmsHangingAsphyxiation or suffocationJumpingMoving objectsSharp objectsVehicle exhaust gas

Firearms

Hanging

Asphyxiation or suffocation

Jumping

Moving objects

Sharp objects

Vehicle exhaust gas

Suicide Methods in WomenSelf-poisoningExsanguination (bleeding out from a cut such as a “slit” wrist)DrowningHangingFirearms

Self-poisoning

Exsanguination (bleeding out from a cut such as a “slit” wrist)

Drowning

Understanding the Suicide Rate in Men

There are also differences in suicide methods beyond those between these two genders. For example, one study found that:

Researchers have explored the possibility that suicidal intent may play a role in this discrepancy. One study found that women tend to exhibit less serious intent to die than men.

Suicide Warning SignsRegardless of gender differences in suicide, everyone should be aware ofthe risk factors and warning signs of suicide. If you or a loved one have a history of depression, you may wish tocreate a suicide safety planas well.

Suicide Warning Signs

Regardless of gender differences in suicide, everyone should be aware ofthe risk factors and warning signs of suicide. If you or a loved one have a history of depression, you may wish tocreate a suicide safety planas well.

While men are more likely to die as a result of a suicide attempt, women are more likely to engage in what is known as deliberate self-harm (DSH) or self-injury. DSH involves any sort of self-harming behavior, whether or not the intent is to commit suicide.

Research suggests that people who use self-injury are not usually trying to kill themselves, though sometimes they do. While many people associate self-harm with a desire for attention, it is not and is often done in private. Examples of DSH include non-lethal drug overdoses and self-injury, such as cutting.

While suicide may not be the motivation, many people who engage in self-harm may be having suicidal thoughts and may also go too far in their self-harming behavior, resulting in unintentional suicide.

Research has found some key risk factors for suicide in those who engage in self-harming behavior, including:

An Overview of Self-Harm and Cutting

It’s thought thatmajor depressionoccurs in roughly half of people who commit suicide, both men and women, and there are differences in this regard as well.

Women are twice as likely as men to carry a diagnosis of major depression, though, as noted, completed suicide occurs much more often in men than women. It’s also known that women are more likely to seek treatment for depression than men.

Research has found that suicidal thoughts and rates are much higher among those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, andnon-binary.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are three times more likely to think about suicide and seven times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth.

The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found:

A study published in theAmerican Journal of Public Healthfound that every incident of LGBTQ harassment or abuse, both verbal and physical, more than doubles the risk of self-harming behaviors.

The researchers suggest having a long-standing GSA reduces homophobic bullying and improves student mental health no matter their sexual orientation.

How LGBTQ Bullying Affects Suicide Risk

Why There Are Gender Differences in Suicide

A number of different theories have been suggested to account for the gender differences in suicide, including differences ingender rolesand societal expectations:

Experts suggest that gender might also influence what methods a person is familiar with or has ready access to use. For example, men are generally more likely than women to be familiar with firearms and use them in their daily lives, and thus, they might choose this method more often.

If you are a parent, you may have lost sleep learning about therisk of suicide in young people. Despite prevention and intervention programs aimed to help teens who are considering suicide, determining if a teenager is suicidal can be very difficult.

In addition to learning about the warning signs of suicide in adults, take a moment to learn about thewarning signs for suicide in teenagers, and become familiar with some of the commonmyths about teen suicide.

The Trevor Projectoffers help and resources for LGBTQ youth and can be reached at 1-866-488-7386. Call 911 if you or another person is in immediate danger.

What to Say to Someone Who Is Suicidal

Key Takeaways

While certain generalizations can be made about gender differences in suicide behavior, it should be noted that general tendencies cannot be taken as absolute guidelines for suicide prevention efforts.

Suicide attempts should always be taken seriously and not dismissed as attention-seeking behavior, nor should it be assumed that only people of a particular gender will use any given method.

It is important to note that more research is needed to better understand gender differences in suicide and to develop gender-targeted intervention strategies.

Some groups are particularly vulnerable to suicide due to the experience of discrimination and bullying. Increasing awareness and developing supportive alliances between people groups can improve suicidal patterns among vulnerable populations.

Suicidality in Borderline Personality Disorder

14 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Hamilton E, Klimes-Dougan B.Gender differences in suicide prevention responses: Implications for adolescents based on an illustrative review of the literature.International Journal of Research and Public Health. 2015;12(3):2359-2372. doi:10.3390/ijerph120302359Kann L, Olsen EOM, McManus T, et al.Sexual identity, sex of sexual contacts, and health-risk behaviors among students in grades 9-12: Youth risk behavior surveillance.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2011;60(SS07);1-133.Maddock G, Carter G, Murrell E, Lewin T, Conrad A.Distinguishing suicidal from non-suicidal deliberate self-harm events in women with borderline personality disorder.Australia and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2010;44(6):574-582. doi:10.1080/00048671003610104Mergi R, Koburger N, Heinrichs K, et al.What are reasons for the large gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts? An epidemiological analysis in four European countries.PLoS One. 2015;10(7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129062Schrijvers DL, Bollen J, Sabbe BGC.The gender paradox in suicidal behavior and its impact on the suicidal process.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;138(1-2):19-26. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.03.050Toomey RB, Syvertsen AK, Shramki M.Transgender adolescent suicide behavior.Pediatrics. 2018;142(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2017-4218Tsirigotis K, Guszczynski W, Tsirigotis M.Gender differentiation in methods of suicide attempts.Medical Science Monitor. 2011;17(8):PH65-PH70.

Hamilton E, Klimes-Dougan B.Gender differences in suicide prevention responses: Implications for adolescents based on an illustrative review of the literature.International Journal of Research and Public Health. 2015;12(3):2359-2372. doi:10.3390/ijerph120302359

Kann L, Olsen EOM, McManus T, et al.Sexual identity, sex of sexual contacts, and health-risk behaviors among students in grades 9-12: Youth risk behavior surveillance.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2011;60(SS07);1-133.

Maddock G, Carter G, Murrell E, Lewin T, Conrad A.Distinguishing suicidal from non-suicidal deliberate self-harm events in women with borderline personality disorder.Australia and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2010;44(6):574-582. doi:10.1080/00048671003610104

Mergi R, Koburger N, Heinrichs K, et al.What are reasons for the large gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts? An epidemiological analysis in four European countries.PLoS One. 2015;10(7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129062

Schrijvers DL, Bollen J, Sabbe BGC.The gender paradox in suicidal behavior and its impact on the suicidal process.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;138(1-2):19-26. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.03.050

Toomey RB, Syvertsen AK, Shramki M.Transgender adolescent suicide behavior.Pediatrics. 2018;142(4). doi:10.1542/peds.2017-4218

Tsirigotis K, Guszczynski W, Tsirigotis M.Gender differentiation in methods of suicide attempts.Medical Science Monitor. 2011;17(8):PH65-PH70.

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