‘SA women report higher depression, men account for more suicides’

As South Africa observes Depression Awareness this month, a health expert says that while women are more frequently diagnosed with depression , men continue to die by suicide at a devastatingly higher rate. According to the SA Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH), men account for approximately 79% to 80% of all recorded suicide deaths in the country, making the male suicide rate roughly 4 to 5 times higher than that of women. Registered Counsellor Lehlohonolo Mazindo warns that stark discrepancy does not mean men are not experiencing depression, but they are dying undiagnosed due to deeply entrenched societal conditioning that penalises male vulnerability. “When you are a woman and you say, ‘I’m going for therapy’, it becomes an act of self-care, but if you are a man and you say ‘I’m going for therapy’, I’m going to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist or even a medical practitioner, now you are not man enough, you are not masculine, you are behaving like a woman.” He says this rigid framing often labels psychological openness as a feminine trait, forcing men to suppress their emotional struggles to avoid being judged or stripped of their perceived masculinity. Mazindo challenges the pervasive myth that men simply refuse to communicate. “We have built a narrative that men do not talk; in actual fact, men do talk when they feel safe, when what they face is not going to be used against them or being assigned labels that are derogatory to a man.” He says when emotional support is absent for men, internal psychological distress builds in the unconscious mind, eventually spilling over into sudden, extreme behavioural changes. “We are too quick to judge men based on their behaviours without understanding what’s going on in their mind, in their soul, in their emotions, in their unconscious mind, in their belief systems, in their conditioning that is leading to the behaviours.” Mazindo says, “The behaviour is just the visible part of the invisible part that is created on the inside, so instead of dismissing man’s behaviour as just the things that they do, let’s look deep within and see what are the psychological drivers of those behaviours.” He emphasises that mental health struggles never excuse harmful or abusive actions, reaffirming that individuals remain strictly responsible for protecting those around them and urges families to look deeper into sudden behavioural shifts. Mazindo says when a man is moving from severe depression toward suicidal ideation, his behaviour generally swings toward noticeable extremes. “Some sudden change of behaviour: this man used to be among people; suddenly he starts isolating…Isolating does not only mean moving physically from people, sitting alone in a room. Sometimes you are sitting on the couch browsing on the phone as a way to isolate yourself from people around you.” PODCAST | SABC News’ interview with Mazindo: If you or a loved one are struggling with silent battles, confidential, immediate help is available. Reach out to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) Suicide Crisis Line at 0800 567 567 or LifeLine South Africa at 0861 322 322.