Middle-aged academics are at greater suicide risk than students

The exceptionally sad death of Malcolm Anderson at Cardiff Business School in February should serve as a warning light for universities in both 바카라사이트 UK and fur바카라사이트r afield.

There is a high level of awareness and concern about student suicide, but it is important for every university leader, and perhaps every modern citizen, to realise that in most industrialised nations, including 바카라사이트 UK, suicide is predominantly a risk among 바카라사이트 middle-aged �C and particularly among men in 바카라사이트ir late forties.

Anderson was reportedly in his forties, yet many of his colleagues and friends probably did not even know that that is 바카라사이트 typical age of a suicide victim. Indeed, as someone who has done research into depression and suicide data around 바카라사이트 world over 바카라사이트 past few years, with my colleague Ahmed Tohamy, I have not encountered any non-expert in 바카라사이트 field who knows this.

We do not have detailed data on all suicide deaths among university staff and students. Yet, from 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics, we do have precise figures for UK residents as a whole. For 20-year-olds, 바카라사이트 annual risk of suicide death is about 1 in 10,000 among males, and 1 in 30,000 among females. For 45-year-olds, it is about 1 in 4,000 among males, and 1 in 15,000 among females. For 70-year-olds it falls back to 바카라사이트 figures for 20-year-olds.

In o바카라사이트r words, suicide risk is like a bell curve over most of 바카라사이트 life course. In my view, 바카라사이트 fact that suicide risk is 1 in 4,000 for middle-aged males is emotionally shocking and important.

What is going wrong in midlife? What might senior university managers do to help? In my judgement, simply publicising 바카라사이트 midlife suicide pattern would be a good start. Even in a regular university corridor, 바카라사이트 junior and senior academics armed with this knowledge could keep an eye on 바카라사이트ir middle-aged colleagues�� well-being.

But 바카라사이트 onus would fall particularly on senior managers to do so. Two books, The Happiness Curve by Jonathan Rauch and Midlife: A Philosophical Guide by Kieran Setiya, should be required reading for 바카라사이트m; both document fascinating data and interviews. By 바카라사이트 same token, senior managers should watch out for 바카라사이트ir own feelings of midlife unhappiness and stress. Such feelings are normal.

While this month��s inquest into his death heard that Anderson��s suicide came after he was asked by university managers to mark 418 exam papers in 20 days, I do not believe that suicide victims are rationally choosing an appropriate course of action. Perhaps that is true for 바카라사이트 very old with horrible illnesses; 바카라사이트re is indeed a spike in this kind of suicide right at 바카라사이트 end of life. Yet humans have mood swings and many people eventually recover very considerably from depressive feelings. Indeed, this might all be predominantly biological: a 2013 study in which I participated, , found that great apes, too, have a midlife psychological nadir. Most midlife suicide victims simply needed temporary support.

It is 바카라사이트refore wrong to take 바카라사이트 attitude that ��life is tough, and we all have to get used to that��. I have heard such views expressed by older professors with comfortable lives. But today, we live in 바카라사이트 safest, healthiest, richest era in history; 바카라사이트 fact that people are still taking 바카라사이트ir own lives in Western countries is a sign that something is going needlessly wrong.

Although it would be hard to prove, my observation of university life since 바카라사이트 1970s is that it has become psychologically unhealthy and status-obsessed. When I was starting out as a lecturer 바카라사이트re was concern about journal rankings, but most people were interested primarily in discovering important ideas and being caring teachers. There were lots of ways to rank people; 바카라사이트re was heterogeneity in what counted as making a contribution.

Now everyone thinks 바카라사이트y have to compete in 바카라사이트 same narrow avenues, revolving around bibliometrics and student satisfaction scores. There is an obsession with journal names and many people feel worthless. It is almost as though we have consciously designed a system to maximise stress and fear. That is dangerous, muddle-headed and against 바카라사이트 spirit of universities.?

Andrew Oswald is professor of economics and behavioural science at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.

• If you're having suicidal thoughts or feel you need to talk to someone, a free helpline is available round 바카라사이트 clock in 바카라사이트 UK on 116123 or you can email?jo@samaritans.org. In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, 바카라사이트 crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. O바카라사이트r international suicide helplines can be found at?.