Rise in numbers of old men committing suicide

New research undertaken by Dr Helen Klieve, from the Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention at Griffith University in Queensland, has highlighted a growing number of men, 75 and over, who are taking their lives.

While the highest rates are now in the 25-34 year olds and 35-44 year olds, the next highest rate and fairly close to that is the 75 plus year old males.

Many of the key risk factors for suicide, across any age or demographic, are quite similar, in that some of the key risk factors around loss and grief, a loss of purpose in life, a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, isolation and certainly depression.

Many of those factors are very common: people do not end their lives because they want to die. They end their lives because they cannot bear to live anymore.

Risk factors for older men include loneliness, poor health and difficulties in coping with life in retirement. Often where there are physical symptoms, they might be also related to psychological symptoms, especially in men, who tend to have less help-seeking behaviour.

Professor Ian Hickie from the national depression initiative, ‘Beyond Blue’, says it is crucial older men have access to treatment.