Research highlights gender differences in suicide prevention strategies

A recent study shows clear differences between the sexes: close family is important for girls with suicidal thoughts, whereas activities such as sports, leisure activities or other hobbies provide particularly good protection for boys.

Every year, more than 600 people in Norway take their own lives. This sad statistic has remained stable for decades. Two out of three people who commit suicide are men, and the number of suicides in Norway increased last year.

“We all need to put down roots and have a sense of belonging. The antidote to loneliness is to be part of something and have a place to be yourself,” says Victoria Bakken, who is a Ph.D. candidate at NTNU.

She has recently published her initial findings on the factors that can help to prevent young people from committing suicide. What helps boys may not necessarily be the same as what helps girls.

The study shows that there are clear differences between the sexes:

• For girls with suicidal thoughts or who have attempted to commit suicide, a secure attachment to parents and good family dynamics provide particularly good protection.
• For boys with suicidal thoughts or who have attempted to commit suicide, activities such as sports, leisure activities or other hobbies provide particularly good protection.

A different approach is required for boys

“For girls, it is important to be able to seek support from parents—because it is important to have someone to talk to. For boys, it is much harder to talk about suicidal thoughts.

“Many boys say they don’t want to bother or worry their loved ones. This prevents them from talking to someone about their problems. We have to use other approaches when it comes to boys,” says Bakken.

Many of her sources described their adolescence as a black hole, but a change of environment made them see life and the future in a brighter light. She believes that early suicide prevention is very important because it has a long-term effect.

“The things that protect you in your adolescence can continue to protect you as an adult,” says Bakken.

In her doctoral work, she has used data where nearly 2500 young Norwegians have been followed over 26 years. The data subjects were about fifteen years old when they responded to a questionnaire for the first time.

In addition to analyzing data from the extensive questionnaire, Bakken has conducted in-depth interviews with fifteen of the young people, now as adults.

In the interviews, she listened to their reflections and perspectives on difficult times in their lives, and what actually helped them when they struggled with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts during their adolescence.

A change of environment can help

A clear finding is that a change of environment can be especially important for people struggling with dark thoughts.

“It helps to get away from a bad environment and possibly change schools,” says Bakken.

Many of her sources described their adolescence as a black hole, but a change of environment made them see life and the future in a brighter light.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that one needs to change schools. It may not be that straightforward for everyone, but seeking out new activities, interests or something else that can represent a change of environment can have a significant effect. It is important for both boys and girls to find something they enjoy doing, preferably with others,” says Bakken.

She believes it is fundamental to see the context surrounding a person with suicidal thoughts.

“Research shows that around half of the people who commit suicide had mental illnesses that were known to the people around them, but that also means that half didn’t. There may not necessarily be something wrong with the person themselves, but things such as continuous bullying could trigger these kind of tragic events,” says Bakken.

She believes that the young people of today are mentally stronger than many public voices would have us believe.

Understanding common struggles

“I think today’s young people are very strong for managing to cope with being subjected to so much body pressure, war and mental health issues around the clock through social media. In between the make-up videos on TikTok, brutal war videos may suddenly pop up. Constant bullying also takes place on digital platforms,” says Bakken.

While Bakken believes that many young people are mentally strong, she also thinks that many do not receive enough information about what is normal to struggle with.

“During certain periods in life, it is normal to have existential thoughts about life and death, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are mentally ill. Feeling stressed and having dark thoughts is normal, it doesn’t mean you have anxiety or are depressed.

We need to broaden our understanding of what type of thoughts and feelings are considered normal. Young people need to have the opportunity to learn about this somewhere,” says Bakken

The researcher concludes by stating that suicide prevention is a societal responsibility, where individuals or small groups around a person can also play a significant role.

“We mustn’t just dig ourselves into a hole, we need to find out what actually works. If we don’t find out what works, we will just have to build higher fences on bridges.”