Why do so many American men die by suicide?

While it’s likely that some of the males without known mental health issues were concealing struggles, the study hints at a different explanation for why males commit suicide rather than just poor mental health: Men are more impulsive than women.

This emotional reactivity, exacerbated by alcohol intake and coupled with much greater access to guns (men are twice as likely than women to own a gun), result in far more males taking their own lives. About 83% of suicide attempts with firearms result in death, by far the most “effective” method.

Greater investment and focus on mental health is undeniably needed in the U.S., but to make a dent in the tragic number of American male suicides, reducing firearm access, advocating responsible alcohol use, lowering poverty, and teaching males healthy coping methods to deal with acutely stressful situations might save a lot more lives.