The Burden of Being a Man: A Theological Exploration of Masculinity, Emotional Suppression, and the Rising Suicide Rate Among South African Men

<ns5:p>The rising rate of suicides among males has become a major health issue in South Africa, with recent statistics showing that men represent close to 80% of all documented suicides. While there exists plenty of literature investigating the psychological, social and economic reasons of suicide, the question of theological aspects of male suffering, emotional suppression and suicide still remains rather unexplored. Yet this problem becomes especially relevant in the South African context because of its continuing connection between religion, personal identities and well-being of people in terms of their physical and psychological state. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the connections between masculinity, emotional suppression, and the growing number of suicides among men in South Africa using an interdisciplinary methodological framework that includes theology and mental health studies. For conducting this study, a qualitative literature based methodology was used, involving the analysis of scholarly literature from the fields of theology, psychology, psychiatry, public health and masculinity. The data were analysed thematically, looking into the concepts of masculine identity, help-seeking behaviors, vulnerabilities and theological views on human flourishing. The results show that typical images of masculinity tend to promote emotional restriction, self-reliance, and helplessness, which makes men vulnerable to psychological problems and suicidal thoughts. The article also contributes to current discussions by stressing the importance of a contextual theological approach to gendered mental health problems.</ns5:p>