Continuing the conversation about men and suicide: Effective and emerging programs

Body of Abstract: This presentation will argue that there are multiple effective, responsible, and equity-based suicide prevention resources and programs that reach and support men. This session will highlight Man Therapy, which has creatively been reaching men for over a decade. Similar to other programs like Movember, the Men's Shed Association, and the Center for Boys and Men, Man Therapy does not require eliminating traditional definitions of masculinity or manhood. Instead, they work to include suicide prevention strategies, like seeking out and asking for help and prioritizing one's mental health, within a broader definition of "masculinity.”

“Male Suicide is Killing Us” was the title of a breakout session at the 2024 AAS conference in Las Vegas. The session emphasized the fact that males account for 80 percent of suicide deaths in the U.S. This fact has remained steady for many years and for various reasons, including males using firearms as a method in their suicide attempts, being less likely to access traditional behavioral health services, and waiting until physical and mental health problems reach a crisis before seeking help. It also remains a fact that males perpetrate violence at higher rates than females, have higher rates of heart disease, substance use disorders, unintentional injuries and death, and are more likely to be uninsured. The presenter of “Male suicide is killing us” argued that a current and more recent backlash on males and a lack of focus on male suicide in the field contribute to high suicide death rates among males of all ages. The session also suggested there are very few programs and resources available specifically aiming to reach men.

This workshop will present a response to the 2024 session by providing examples of successful and promising programs that focus on meeting men where they are. Rather than emphasize how males are being left behind and overlooked, this workshop will highlight programs and services designed specifically for boys and men that are having success in the U.S. and internationally. The session will explore Man Therapy (www.mantherapy.org), a website and accompanying public health campaigns designed to change the conversation about male suicide and mental health and empower men to take ownership of their mental health. Presenters will share twelve years of user data, as well as published research findings on the impact of Man Therapy. A brief data overview of risk and protective factors and contributing circumstances for men, and data from Colorado that indicate the potential impact of a program like Man Therapy will be highlighted.

Man Therapy, first launched in July 2012 and featured as a plenary session at the 2013 AAS conference in Austin, TX, was created through a public, private, non-profit partnership in Colorado. Through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and guidance from national suicide prevention experts, a number of conclusions (i.e., using humor, softening mental health language, connecting the dots to physical symptoms, and meeting men where they are) shaped the approach to building Man Therapy. These approaches and the historical and social definitions of “maleness” will be presented and discussed.

The overall goals of Man Therapy are to: 1) Create social change among men and the general population about mental and overall wellness; 2) empower men to take ownership of their mental wellness and increase male help-seeking behavior; and 3) reduce suicidal thoughts and death among men. Since its 2012 launch, there have been more than 2.3 million visits to www.mantherapy.org, including from all 50 US states and 200+ countries. In the first 10 months of 2024, users completed a total of 149,550 head inspections (a 20-question self-assessment) compared to a total of 4,498 completed in 2016. Nineteen US states have partnered with Man Therapy to create and promote state-specific resources and outreach to men in their communities. The program continues to grow and engage more audiences (i.e., military, construction, and firearm owners) year over year as more partners invest in campaign promotion. In February 2024, a Spanish language version was added to the website.

This presentation will offer a brief state spotlight to show how Colorado incorporates Man Therapy in its comprehensive suicide prevention approach. Man Therapy launched in Colorado, and the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention continues to partner with Man Therapy to reach local need. Colorado OSP has worked together with Man Therapy to support construction-specific messages, lethal means safety modules, and equity-centered evaluation.

Findings from a CDC-funded study conducted by Dr. Jodi Frey, et al was published in Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior in 2022. Findings from the study will be presented as evidence that male-specific approaches working to reduce male suicide are not underfunded or hidden in the shadows. Instead, robust research and evaluation works to ensure that programs like Man Therapy are reaching and supporting men.

Man Therapy is also successful in including and engaging users of diverse sexual orientations, identities, and ethnicities, as observed in a 2024 diversity, equity, and inclusion study funded by the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention. The majority of all participants responded neutral to positive to Man Therapy’s character, message, and tone, but most importantly the deciding factor in that favorability was not observable by any demographic group. To further meet the unique needs of diverse users, Man Therapy has added a new ‘Man Therapists’ directory, where users who are ready can learn about and connect with real-world clinicians and therapists.

This presentation will highlight additional resources and programs specifically designed to reach men or male youth that are having a positive impact, including Movember, the Men’s Shed Association, the Center for Boys and Men, Sources of Strength, and the Gun Shop Project. Professional and academic associations like the American Public Health Association’s Men’s Health Caucus, the Global Action on Men’s Health, and the Men’s Health Network, are also working in the U.S. and internationally to reduce the premature mortality of boys and men.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to define how traditional definitions of masculinity have negatively impacted many health outcomes for males, including suicide death rates.
• At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be equipped to describe one or more programs currently available that are designed specifically to provide resources for and engage males.
• At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to discuss data and research findings that show promise from one program specifically designed to engage and impact men.