Movember Aims To Raise Awareness About Men’s Suicide

Each year, men across the globe grow mustaches throughout the month of November. For some, the decision may be a spontaneous gesture designed to give their faces a new look. But millions more do so in support of Movember, an annual event that aims to raise awareness of various issues pertaining to men’s health, including suicide. Men’s suicide may not garner many headlines, but men are far more likely than women to take their own lives. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men died by suicide 3.85 times more than women in 2022. Veterans Day also occurs in November, and the month is a good time to point out that rates of suicide among men who served in the military also are a cause for concern. According to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, the unadjusted suicide rate of veteran men was 35.9 per 100,000 in 2021, which marked a 3.5 percent increase over the previous year. The suicide rate among veteran men was markedly higher than the rate among non-veteran adults in the United States. Suicide rates among non-veteran adults were 16.7 per 100,000 in 2021, which is less than half the rate among veteran men in the same year. November can be a great time to raise awareness about men’s suicide, and individuals and groups looking to do so can utilize events like Movember and Veterans Day to draw attention to the issue.