Sadness, Depression, and Suicide: sad Boys or bad Boys (IN: Real Boys’ Voices by W S Pollack & T Shuster)

This chapter discusses suicide among adolescent boys in the United States. The author identifies depression as a major proximate cause of suicide. He also emphasizes the role of gender stereotypes in society & the implications of these for boys. He asserts that boys express depression differently than girls, often leading to a misdiagnosis of anger rather than sadness. This argument is supplemented with vignettes of boys who have attempted suicide. The embarrassment, shame, & discomfort that young boys may experience when communicating feelings of depression & suicide to others are discussed. (SC)