A Drop in Suicides around Major National Holidays

Abstract

To study the fluctuation of suicides around the holidays, we examined 188,047 U.S. suicides from 1973 to 1979. Correcting for the effects of extraneous variables, such as seasons and days of the week, we found that suicides dropped by an annual average of -102.5 in the period surrounding the holidays. One set of holidays (Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) was associated with an unusually low risk of suicide before, during, and after the holiday. Another set of holidays (New Year's Day, July 4th, and Labor Day) was associated with a low risk of suicide before the holiday and a high risk just afterwards. Almost all demographic groups experienced a low risk of suicide around the holidays: whites, blacks, males, females, retired persons, and persons of working age. Only white teenagers deviated from this pattern. Thus, the evidence does not support the widespread popular assumption that holidays are a risk factor in suicide.

Influence of Method on Seasonal Distribution of Attempted Suicides in Italy

“…The major Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Succot) occur, in effect, during the months of September-October, a period which coincides with the trough observed by Schreiber et al [66] in their time series. A major effect of national holidays on suicidal behaviour had previously also been reported in the USA: Phillips and Wills [67] found a drop in the suicide rate in the few days before as well as during all holidays.…”

Temporal Disappointment, Homicide and Suicide: An Analysis of Nonwhites and Whites

“…Holidays are said to lower suicide risk through promoting increased interaction among friends and family. Phillips and Wills (1987) present some data, in passing, on nonwhites. They re port that blacks experienced a drop of 10.16 suicides during holiday periods compared with a drop of 55.52 for whites.…”

“…Third, the present study employs national data. Most of the previous research on temporal effects has been based on local samples, which raises questions about the generalizability of the findings (see reviews in Phillips and Wills 1987;Cheatwood 1988;Gabennesch 1988). …”

“…A complete theory of lethal violence needs to encom pass both forms of aggression. As a corollary, research has neglected possible racial differences in the impact of temporal variables on lethal violence (e.g., Blachly and Fairley 1969;Phillips and Liu 1980;Bollen 1983;Phillips and Wills 1987;Gabennesch 314 SOCIOLOGICAL FOCUS 1988;Cullum et al 1993). This is, in turn, a reflection of the more general neglect of race, per se, in research on lethal violence (e.g., Stack 1982;La Free et al 1992).…”

Class Inequality and Adult Attainment Projects among Middle-Aged Men in the United States, 1980-2010

“…For example, holidays suppress suicides. These effects are not described in this article, but a review can be found in the literature (Phillips and Wills 1987;Lester and Beck 1975). The dependent variable of interest is the suicide count for each day of the week following a suicide (or event).…”