Mental health struggles affect everyone — especially men. In fact, North Range Behavioral Health reports that suicides among middle-aged men have increased significantly in the past 20 years.

However, Silvia Sara Canetto, a Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University, noticed that while suicide rates are typically higher in men, they aren't always  — a discrepancy she attributes to cultural differences.

According to a press release from CSU, Canetto conducted a study to determine how culture influenced suicide mortality in men. After analyzing suicide rates, unemployment rates, and male caregiving practices, she and her team found that suicide decreased in men who partook in family caregiving.

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The study also noted that, while important, unemployment did not overly affect the mental health of men who engaged in family care.

"This means expanding beyond dominant frameworks of men's suicide prevention with their employment-support focus," said Canetto in the release. "Our study took a public health perspective. Its findings point to new directions for suicide prevention."

Canetto hopes that the study will encourage suicide prevention programs to incorporate family caregiving into men's mental health practices, a move that she believes would be "more conducive" to the well-being of both men and women in the long run.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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