Increase in Holiday Suicides Just a Myth?
by
Steve Watters
on Dec 21, 2007 at 11:18 AM
The kids wanted to finish watching "It's a Wonderful Life" this morning. One of the last scenes I caught before coming into the office was George Bailey jumping off the bridge after contemplating suicide.
At the office, I came across a Los Angeles Times article saying that scene "could well have given birth to the media myth that Christmas is a trigger for increased suicides and episodes of depression."
But then it went on to say:
It is a baseless notion, according to a body of published studies by statisticians who have examined hundreds of thousands of suicides in the United States and around the world. The number of suicides goes down, not up, over the holiday season, by as much as 40%.
During the season of good cheer, there are certainly those whose blue mood stands in stark contrast to the season's bright lights and festivities. But pointing to the Christmas season as a cause of increased depression and risk for suicide is just wrong, says Dan Romer, director of the Annenberg Adolescent Risk Communication Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.
While disputing the suicide myth, the article affirmed that the holidays can be tough to face.
This is not to say that the holidays are easy for everyone. "Some people have unreasonable expectations -- the holidays have to be happy," says Dr. Ian Cook, director of the UCLA depression research program. If in-laws are sniping at you about your home, your food and your lifestyle; your 2-year-old has already broken his new toys and is wailing; and your sister's teenage daughter is sulking in the family room, happiness can be a tall order.
But the same holiday traditions that can bring headaches can also bring comfort:
No matter how bad it may seem, holiday rituals add up to more good than bad, buffering adults and children against depression and anxiety.
Barbara Fiese, chairwoman of psychology at Syracuse University, reviewed 32 studies done over 50 years and concluded that holiday family rituals may be annoying, but they're good for us. People with strong family routines and rituals at holiday time reported more marital satisfaction, better academic achievement among children and better overall health among family members, she found.
May your Christmas traditions (and the birth we celebrate) be a source of great comfort to you regardless of whatever headaches or disappointments you may be facing this time of year.
Focus on the Family has a staff of more than 20 licensed Christian counselors available to talk with you. If you are struggling with depression and would like to talk with one of them, please call (719) 531-3400 Monday-Friday 9-4:30 (Mountain time), and ask for the Counseling department at extension 7700. One of the counselors' assistants will arrange for a counselor to call you back at no charge to you.
1. Adam D had the following to say on Dec 21 at 3:59 PM:
Hmm this doesn't bode well. Suicide rates are actually going down? All right men, we need to step up and get that percentage back where it ought to be! Who's with me!?
2. Shazia had the following to say on Dec 21 at 5:25 PM:
No offense Steve but I would appreciate it if you didn't push aside the issue of people truly feeling suicidal during the holiday season. Maybe you are all cozy with your family at this stage in your life but that isn't true for everyone.
3. Christopher had the following to say on Dec 21 at 5:30 PM:
Adam D, I know that you meant your comment as a joke, but it is still incredibly offensive. It's also very obvious that you have never lost a loved one to suicide (as I have). Even so, a Christian doesn't have to have been personally affected by suicide to find your words offensive. The fact is that, Biblically speaking, all people are made in the image of God, and anytime that any person commits suicide, Christians should be saddened... not least for the fact that if that person is not saved, he/she will be going to eternal torment for his/her sins.
4. Bethany had the following to say on Dec 21 at 5:35 PM:
Wait a second... there are already fewer men than women--don't take 'em all with you! :-p
5. Rich had the following to say on Dec 21 at 10:34 PM:
Shazia,
I think you misread his post. He wasn't pushing aside the issue of people truly feeling suicidal during the holidays. Rather, he was giving evidence that the rate of suicides during the holidays goes down, not up as conventional wisdom suggests. Its just a matter of truth. I don't know if the evidence holds water or if its a narrow selection of evidence, but suffice it to say, his contention and your contention are two very different things.
Here's an analagous example: imagine that the rate of abortions per year is going down--say, to below 1 million per year (again, I'm not claiming this is the case, just asking you to imagine). If someone comes along and espouses the old stat of 1.5 mil abortions per year, just because I'd take issue with that person doesn't mean I'm pro-abortion, and it doesn't mean I don't care about the unborn. Rather, I'm a pro-life person who cares about accuracy. It is the same in Steve's post.
6. Sarah had the following to say on Dec 22 at 12:22 AM:
Dear Steve,
I don't mean to offend by anything I say, but I was quite taken aback by your posting. I really enjoy reading what Boundless writers/readers have to say...but I am wondering why I feel as I do about what you wrote.
My dear youngest brother took his life in July, I have a close friend who has attempted suicide a number of times and I have worked as an emergency nurse - often caring for people who have attempted suicide. Recently a midwife colleague of mine was witness to a man jumping off a cliff as she went on her morning walk. I'm no expert but I know a little about this and I don't know why this "discovery" would warrant a post on here, I feel the anguish people feel is trivialised by it. I suspect it is in line with the "conservative" Christian defensiveness against anything that might mar something "Christian."
God is so much bigger than that. And the examples used in that article and quoted by you...of the anxieties and stresses of Christmas...these are not the things that people take their lives over! The fact they have family stresses means that they have family. And perhaps people do better academically if they have families to celebrate with but I struggle to think of why this issue has even been raised...to be defending Christmas or something? And the article talks about self-harm presentations and psych admissions, I wonder how many are found having already left us.
"Holiday rituals" are not some inherently good spiritual thing, they can be empty/materialistic/alienating. They can also be uplifting and renewing. Perhaps we would do better to think and pray for those who are depressed, to not take our loved ones forgranted and most importantly to seek God further still, that we may draw closer and closer to Him.
7. Micah L. had the following to say on Dec 22 at 7:00 AM:
My 24 year old brother committed suicide a few days after Thanksgiving this year. I can't really say that the holidays directly had anything to do with it but I know they certainly didn't help.
8. Christina had the following to say on Dec 22 at 7:19 AM:
I've never been suicidal, but I definitly understand the kind of depression that would lead to it around the holiday season - its a series of facing failed expectations within the span of one very long month.
Luckily, I have family and tradition to bolster that attitude and help me focus on my lack of my own personal family, unhappy job, or lack of community in my new town. Spending Christmas with my rather large family has ALWAYS been a BIG plus to Christmas holidays. For those that don't have that, I can't imagine what they'd be doing now.
Shazia, that was an unfair statement. He was only pointing out that Christmas isn't as hopeless as the media has portrayed it. You should take joy in the fact that not as many people fail to find comfort in this season - not attacking him for discrediting those who don't...that wasn't what he was trying to do...
9. Shazia had the following to say on Dec 22 at 10:10 AM:
Hi,
I know my tone was less than favorable. I guess the problem is that I find myself in the category of people who have found themselves suicidal during the holidays, and it is an ultra-sensitive issue for me, and I lashed out as a result. Sorry.
10. Sandra had the following to say on Dec 22 at 12:28 PM:
As someone who is currently thinking about suicide, I have to say that the Christmas season actually makes me feel a bit better, like change is in the air (for a little while), and I'll be seeing people (making it a little less lonely)...so I'm not really sure why the suicide rate would not be LOWER at Christmas.
11. Stanhope had the following to say on Dec 22 at 1:47 PM:
This article started out on a discussion of suicide and then, inexplicably, ends with a chirpy "Chin up there, Bucko! Don't let those pesky annoyances get you down!"
Maybe it was just a careless choice of words by the author, but anyone who has a true understanding of the dark depths of suicide would hardly describe its struggles as 'headaches' or 'disappointments'. (A headache is spending 2 hours in a car with your sister's squealing children; a disappointment is finding out you'll have to ride back with them. Serious depression is something very, very different.)
And maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there, but this article seem to smack of "Suicides during the Christmas season just make our religion look bad, so cheer up, OK?" Ugh.
12. Fred had the following to say on Dec 22 at 7:19 PM:
Steve,
Don't you love how you can post something seemingly innocuous and always find people who'll get offended by it?
13. Rachael had the following to say on Dec 22 at 8:40 PM:
Sandra...your post scares and saddens me so I want to respond even though I am not a counselor or familiar with your situation. My heart just goes out to you. Notice that there is a phone number you can call at the bottom of this post and people can talk with you if you are struggling with depression.
I can say that there is hope in Christ. While my struggles likely pale in comparison to yours, recently I've been planning/trying to battle those. And though the battles seem overwhelming to me, I know that God understands. He knows our hearts better than we do! Where can we get the strength to face our internal battles? Through hope in God. He will provide! He can help us get through them. Look at Scripture. Think about the times He has helped His people over and over. The same God who came through for His people before is the same God that can help us today! HE has the power to help us even when we are powerless. There is hope in forgiveness. When we accept the gift of salvation, His spirit comes to us as a deposit. That same power who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us who have trusted in Christ as our savior. He gives those who believe in Him a new start! We can be new creations in Him! It is by HIS strength and through faith in God's promises in the Bible that we can have hope.
I just encourage you (us) to cry out to God and search out the hope that is in the Scriptures...there is a lot in there to grasp onto. Reflect upon it. Find songs that make you remember God and reflect upon His promises. Listen to them again and again. Reach out for faith and hold it dear to your heart. We all need to do that.
I will pray for you. I'd encourage you to call the number at the bottom of this post to talk to a counselor, and also to seek out Christian guidance from other believers and from a church. Remember to cling close to the faith. Don't let it go. Stay in fellowship with other believers who can encourage you and remind you of God's promises.
I'm sorry if my response seems insensitive in any way. I'm not trained or experienced. I do know that we have hope in Him, and my hope and prayer is that you will see that too.
14. Christopher had the following to say on Dec 22 at 10:32 PM:
Sandra, I just read your post... I'm not sure if you are actually thinking about committing suicide, but if you are, PLEASE don't do it. My mother killed herself, and it has created so much pain in my family. Suicide is not a true solution to any problem. I have felt suicidal myself at times in the past, but getting to know God more deeply has changed my way of looking at suffering in this life. Are you a Christian, Sandra?
15. Paul had the following to say on Dec 22 at 11:55 PM:
Actually, Steve didn't write most of this article... it's an LA Times article (and me and the LA Times are not exactly homeboys...)
I'd be interested to see the actual statistics though...
16. Jo had the following to say on Dec 23 at 1:27 AM:
Fred -
I didn't find the post offensive at all but I can certainly understand the reasons people are giving for being upset by it. Can't you see how it would be really difficult issue for people that have been personally affected by suicide? It's not as if people are looking for excuses to be offended and it's not a trivial thing, it's devastating.
17. Holly had the following to say on Dec 23 at 4:26 PM:
Sandra, I have been where you are ("currently thinking about suicide") several times, and I offer you this as a new "frame" for your feelings. All of us who battle serious depression want relief. But relief is a feeling. For myself, I can find nothing in Scripture nor in any serious writing about the Christian faith (nor any other religion, for that matter) wherein an afterlife scenario involves relief for a suicide. Explaining oneself to the Lord whose grace He promised would always be sufficient is not a prospect that fills me with relief.
I urge you not to give up searching for the right medication. The right medication is why many of us are still alive and kicking.
Grace and peace to you.
18. Rachael had the following to say on Dec 24 at 12:35 PM:
Sandra...how are you? I wanted to send a quick message. Are you a believer? I think God might be working in my heart and I wanted to share that with you in case it helps you. I feel He's recently given me a very strong desire to change/battle. On the phone today my mom reminded me of getting back to the bottom line. Looking to Christ. It might sound too simple but I actually think that principle might change my life, and I've been a believer in Christ for most of my 27 years. I needed to be reminded of that I think. I don't have time to write or process everything but I feel very excited that I think God will provide power and that the battle starts with or is simply going back to the basics of believing in Him. It is so simple that we often make it complicated because we think it's too simple or we know it in our heads. Actually I could write a lot more but I may reflect upon this more and blog about it later - not sure when, though - if you click on my name you will see a link to my blog. Anyway I don't have time now but I really think there's power in forgiveness and going back to Him. I needed to be reminded about that and hope that you will also find hope in God's forgiveness and just looking to Him. I think I will expand more in the future on my blog. I actually think this Christmas just might be the most powerful one I've ever had in terms of realizing the power of salvation. Maybe...anyway - my advice -- remember to look to Christ. Again, it's so simple that we often make it complicated. Sorry this is written in a rush but I have to get going. I am truly writing from my heart though.
19. sandra had the following to say on Dec 24 at 1:34 PM:
yes, i am a christian. geeez.
20. Fred had the following to say on Dec 24 at 6:52 PM:
Jo,
I agree suicide is devastating but it's pretty obvious Steve wasn't trying to diminish it and even people who are sensitive about an issue need to appreciate that.
21. Kevin had the following to say on Dec 24 at 8:05 PM:
It's not surprising that responses to an article like this would be pointed, as it is a highly charged issue - especially to those who are close to it in one way or another.
Still, I'll choose to find it amusing how Christians get offended first and seek to understand each other second. Sings: they will know we are Christians by how appalled we are. Oh pity, too many syllables.
22. Sheri had the following to say on Dec 26 at 10:52 AM:
Maybe Steve was trying to point out that many researchers like to twist the facts around in order to make things linked to God look bad. If the celebration of the birth of Christ is shown to be a cause for people committing suicide, it will make it so much easier for Satan to try and get rid of Christmas entirely. Haven't you all noticed that this has already begun?