Help-seeking patterns and attitudes to treatment amongst men who attempted suicide

A high percentage of those who complete suicide are not in contact with the psychiatric services and this is particularly evident among men who are the most at-risk group.

To examine take-up of psychiatric services and attitudes to treatment among a sample of men who made a suicide attempt.

Fifty-two males, aged between 18 and 30 years, who made a medically serious suicide attempt, were followed up 7 years later using chart information and national mortality records.

On discharge from hospital all participants were referred to psychiatric aftercare services but one-third (32.7%) never presented and 20% attended only for a short period. Yet almost half (48%) of the sample made a subsequent attempt and 12% completed suicide. Factors contributing to low take-up of services include lack of awareness of psychiatric symptoms, reluctance to disclose distress and negative attitudes to seeking professional help.

Young males are reluctant to seek professional help for psychiatric problems even following a serious suicide attempt. Factors influencing this include health behaviours linked to traditional expectations for men as well as the type of services provided.