Do Men Have A Death Wish?

Death gets you one of four ways — by accident, by illness, by another’s hand or by your own.

Men are
– three times more likely to die from drowning
– twice as likely to die from a fall
– three times more likely to die in a car accident
– twice as likely to die from an accident, over the age of 75 (although women outnumber men in this age group)

Men are
– 60% more likely to get cancer
– 70% more likely to die from it
– more likely to die from heart attacks or strokes

Men are more likely to be murdered (77%) and more likely to commit suicide (76%).

It’s a wonder that there are any guys out there at all.

So it is their fault?  They are the ones who choose to take risks, bottle up their emotions and avoid the doctor.

“It is very easy and tempting to blame men for this and to be fatalistic about it, but we do not think that’s right. Men do care about their health and don’t want to die young,” said Peter Baker, CEO of the Men’s Health Forum.

The Samaritans are looking at the societal issues at play which might be affecting men’s health.

“Could it be because our society favours girls or that we expect too much of our men?” asked Nicola Peckett, who works with the charity.

“We’ve been asking these questions and have enlisted the help of social scientists and anthropologists to help us find out.”

Generally speaking when there is a dangerous job to be done it is still the man who steps forward to do it — whether it is killing a spider or reshingling the roof. Sure, forward thinking women will offer to help, but more often that not it is the husband, father, brother or son who does the heavy lifting.

This is beginning to sound like it works in the women’s favour, but it really doesn’t.

While we might be happy to have someone around the house to do the dangerous jobs, that role pales in comparison to all that men do for us as friends and lovers.

So guys, drop that snow shovel — or better yet, hand it over. We can help.

The weaker sex has had enough cosseting and the manly men need a break. True equality comes when we keel over at the same time — preferably at the age of 97, snuggling in bed.