Riya Bhagwan 
[Photo: Supplied]
Silence is putting more men at risk of suicide, as mental health experts warn that bottling up emotions is preventing them from seeking help.
Between 2020 and 2024, 370 men committed suicide, accounting for 76 percent of the total suicide rate.
Co-chair for the National Committee on the Prevention of Suicide Selina Kuruleca says the trend is continuing, with men still accounting for more completed suicides.
She says relationship problems are a leading cause of suicide among men.
Kuruleca explains that men traditionally keep their struggles to themselves, which can make it harder for them to cope with relationship problems and other challenges.
She says changing family structures are adding to the difficulties in managing relationships, as more people move away from extended family and communal living.
Lifeline Fiji Team Lead Jeremaia Merekula stresses the need to make men feel heard and supported when they choose to talk about their struggles.
“I believe for us males, that is something that, you know, we need a listening ear. We need someone that we can talk to and don’t judge us back, and for us, a lot of males, respect is something that we hold dear to our heart. A lot of times, when we talk about what we go through, it, somehow or the other, it comes back disrespected, and it stops us from reaching out.”
Men now make up 40 percent of Lifeline Fiji’s callers, but Merekula says more awareness is needed to encourage men to seek help and break the silence around their struggles.
