Why are Russian men killing themselves?
In 2019 Russia had the highest rate of male suicide in the world (48.3 per 100,000)
The combination of harsh living conditions, lack of religious adherence, alcohol abuse and struggles with fulfilling the traditional masculine role in society is resulting in Russian men killing themselves at an alarming rate.
Economic Situation
Currently, 21 million people in Russia live in poverty surviving on less than $200 a month.
Alfa Bank chief economist Orlova said, “When inflationary pressure increases, it’s the poor who suffer in the first place”.
Russia’s 40 million pensioners who on average receive a measly $190 a month are bearing the brunt of Russia’s bleak economic situation.
Pensioner and former radio factory worker Boris Lisitsyn said,
“In the 90s there was nothing in the shops but fridges were full. Now it’s the other way round, there’s everything in the shops but fridges are all but empty”.
Russia’s pensioners are not only dealing with economic hardships but they are having to contend with lack of adequate aged care. Russian aged care homes are understaffed and underfunded. They resort to grouping patients with radically different kinds of needs together.
The director of aged care non-profit, Joy in Old Age, Elizaveta Oleskina describes aged care homes as being simply “human storage” and operating as a warehouse where there is no thought to rehabilitation.
The dire situation Russian pensioners are facing has resulted in them experiencing a 30% higher rate of suicide than the general Russian population.
Weather
Russia is famous for its challenging weather. Studies have shown that depression is more prevalent in countries which are colder and have a higher number of rainy days. Hours of sunshine has also been shown to have a positive relationship with general sense of well being. Moscow averages 187 rainy days per year and receives just 14 hours of sunshine in December, fourth-lowest of European Cities.
The lack of sunshine in Russia particularly in the winter months has resulted in 45% of the population suffering from vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to have a positive relationship with suicide. Grudet compared vitamin D levels in suicide attempters, non-suicidal depressed patients and healthy controls and found that 58% of the suicidal patients were clinically deficient in vitamin D, compared to 30% of the healthy controls and the non-suicidal depressed patients. The unforgiving nature of Russian weather and the subsequent effect it has on an individual’s health is likely to be playing a role in the country’s high suicide rate.
Russia’s harsh living conditions don’t fully explain the high rates of male suicide because many countries have much tougher living conditions and much lower suicide rates such as Papua New Guinea which has a male suicide rate of 10 per 100,000, 4 times less than Russia’s rate despite 40% of the population living in poverty. Also, Russian women who experience the same living conditions as Russian men have significantly lower rates of suicide (7.5 per 100,000). Why Russian men have struggled far more in modern Russia compared to women (making up 86.5% of the suicides committed each year) appears to be due to a greater loss of purpose compared to women.
Religion
Russian women are far more religious than Russian men. 80% of Russian women are Orthodox Christians compared to 63% Russian men. Russian men (24%) are twice as likely as women (12%) to be atheist. Studies have shown that religious individuals are less likely to commit suicide compared to individuals who are not religious. This appears to be because religion provides individuals with a strong support network and a higher goal in life for example reaching heaven. Also, many religions act as a deterrent against suicide as the act of suicide is outlawed resulting in punishment in the afterlife.
Alcohol Abuse
Dean of the School of Criminal Justice at the State University of New York, Pridemore said: “Alcohol appears to play an important role” in the difference in suicide rates between men and women in Russia.
Russian Men are far more likely to binge drink than women, especially strong spirits such as vodka resulting in rapid intoxication. In a study of citizens of Novosibirsk 30% of Russian men, compared with only 1% of women, reported binge drinking at least once a month. In another study of citizens of Novosibirsk aged between 45–69, 19% of men were found to be problem drinkers compared to just 1% of women. Binge and problem drinkers are more likely to engage and act on suicidal ideation as well as experience higher levels of anxiety and depression. In 2016, 22% of deaths in Russia were attributable to alcohol fortunately this is down from 2012 where 30% of deaths were alcohol related. The fact that Russian men drink far more than women and the effect heavy drinking has on mental health may partly explain the suicide gap between the genders.
Role of Russian Men in Society
The Russian man is expected to sacrifice himself for his country, family, wife and children.
Professor of People’s Economy and State Service, Korostyleva said,
“Russian men are prisoners of a centuries-old gender model that stipulates them to be hunters while women’s role is to sustain fire”.
This results in men who are facing increasingly bleak economic opportunities struggling to fulfill their traditional role as breadwinner, leading to anxiety and depression. The resulting anxiety and depression are further compounded by Russian men engaging in the only acceptable form of relaxation; drinking. The thought of seeking mental health or abstaining from problem drinking is often mocked or met with disbelief. The inability of many Russian men to live up to societal gender expectations combined with a culture which shuns help as not being masculine has resulted in Russian men developing mental health problems with no paths to healing.
Russia’s high rate of suicide appears to be the result of economic hardships, harsh weather and alcohol abuse. The stark suicide gap between Russian men and women appear to be caused by the difference in religious adherence, role in society and alcohol consumption.
