Seasonality in suicide – A review and search of new concepts for explaining the heterogeneous phenomena

Ajdacic-Gross, Vladeta; Bopp, Matthias; Ring, Mariann; Gutzwiller, Félix; Rössler, Wulf

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.05.030

Cited by 92 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…The primary cause of this notorious seasonal spring peak in suicides remains unknown, but it cannot easily be explained by seasonal rhythms in either preventable (e.g., family or vocational loss, substance abuse, and access to weapons) or nonpreventable (e.g., genetics, age, and male gender) risk factors. Although some recent studies suggest that the amplitude of this seasonal rhythm in suicides may be decreasing in some countries [8], suicide data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that this is far from the case in the USA [9, 10]. Thus, in an analysis of the trends in US suicides from 1971 to 2000, the seasons emerged as an increasingly significant suicide risk factor over those 3 decades [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chris Cornell, the Black Hole Sun, and the Seasonality of Suicide

Schwartz¹

2019

Neuropsychobiology

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Purpose: Seattle-inspired rock and roll superstar Chris Cornell died by suicide in May 2017. In the northern hemisphere, May represents the peak of the widely replicated but still unexplained seasonal spring rhythm in suicide. Years earlier, Cornell had suffered openly from recurrent bouts of severe depression, and his early musical lyrics do indeed suggest an enduring sensitivity to the vicissitudes of depressed and suicidal states. Cornell’s most famous song, Black Hole Sun, suggests a mixed mood state, the incidence of which also peaks in the spring. The present work explores Cornell’s May suicide from a chronobiologic perspective. Methods: Review of Cornell’s lyrics and literature on suicide. Results: Cornell’s lyrics contain clear indicators of mixed depressive and seasonal imagery, highlighting 3 fundamental axioms of suicidology: (1) the yearly suicide rhythm peaks in May in the northern hemisphere, (2) mixed depressive states are particularly lethal, and (3) the suicide risk increases dramatically when recovering from depression and mood turns mixed. Conclusions: Cornell, in his life and music, left us with a novel and important hypothesis about the spring seasonality of suicide, namely, that the yearly suicide risk becomes maximal when winter turns to spring and there emerges a deadly mixed mood state under a May photoperiod, i.e., the suicide risk is maximal when a Black Hole Sun occurs in May. It is hoped that Cornell’s legacy and sensitive hypothesis inspire research into the etiology and treatment of the spring seasonality of suicide risk and mixed mood states. Limitations: The Cornell hypothesis was formulated based in part on several speculative inferences regarding the course of his functioning just prior to his suicide.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chris Cornell, the Black Hole Sun, and the Seasonality of Suicide

Schwartz¹

2019

Neuropsychobiology

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“…However, results of the analyses are not always consistent. According to one review, it would be impossible to universally grasp the influence of climate on suicide as the results of the serial analyses are not consistent (Ajdacic-Gross, Bopp, Ring, Gutzwiller, & Rossler, 2010). The findings from this studythat areas with low suicide incidence have long daylight hours and less snow, may be dependent on coastal area attributes and other factors that are unique to areas with low suicide incidence (Oka, 2012;Oka & Yamauchi, 2010.…”

Section: Influence Of Climate On Suicide Ratementioning

confidence: 80%

Social Ecology and Suicide: An Analysis of Topographic and Climatic Characteristics in Areas With Low and High Suicide Incidence

Oka

2014

PSYCHOLOGIA -An International Journal of Psychological Sciences

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The current article examines the potential role of topography in suicide. First, I analyzed suicide data from 3,318 municipalities in Japan during the 30-year period of . I found that suicide rate was higher in municipalities with steeper slopes than less steep slopes. Moreover, the association between steep slopes and suicide rate remained significant, controlling for other well-known ecological factors such as population density, daylight hours, and snow. Second, I found that elevation per se was less important in predicting suicide rate than the presence of sharp slopes. That is, even if two municipalities are located in the same elevation (e.g., 600 meters above the water level), a municipality with more steep slopes tends to have a higher suicide rate than a municipality with more flat areas. In a flat community, there are more shops, clinics, and other gathering places easily accessible to its residents than in a sloped community. More generally, I posit that harsh natural environments demand more patience and self-control, which in turn makes residents in harsh environments less likely to seek help from others, which could result in a higher rate of suicide.

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“…Hence suicide prevention strategies such as restriction of access to suicide methods, screening of risk population and strengthening of current medical emergency interventions could be initiated during the hotspot seasons of suicide. The hypothesis proposed to explain Suicide seasonality includes Biopsychiatric approach according to which seasonality in suicide are attributed seasonal affective disorders or due to the affect weather variables on neuroendocrine cycles (Ajdacic-Gross et al, 2010). Further according to the Social Psychological approach, suicide seasonality is determined by the intensity of the Social activity or could be due to failure to meet heightened expectations ahead of new cycle of year or simply by the opportunity to access of the means of suicide example seasonal agricultural activity in rural region increases the opportunity to access Pesticide (AjdacicGross et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends and determinants of suicide in Warangal District Telangana, India: six years retrospective study based on secondary data

Rawat

Joshi

Khan

et al. 2018

Egypt J Forensic Sci

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Background: Suicide is a major public health concern resulting in premature deaths. The six years (2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) retrospective study on suicide cases reported at a tertiary care center of Warangal district, Telangana, India aims to explore the trend and determinant of suicide. Results: Suicide was predominant among 35-< 45 years aged males and females aged 18-< 30 years. The suicide method varied, males preferred self-poisoning while female committed suicide by self immolation. Among males a summer peak while spring peak was observed for Non-Violent and violent methods respectively. The suicide in females peaked in autumn for non-violent method while Violent suicide was observed in summer. The Joinpoint regression analysis found no significant change in the suicide rate from time period (2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) in overall population or stratification by gender for Warangal district, Telangana India.

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Seasonality in suicide – A review and search of new concepts for explaining the heterogeneous phenomena

Cited by 92 publications

References 108 publications

Chris Cornell, the Black Hole Sun, and the Seasonality of Suicide

Chris Cornell, the Black Hole Sun, and the Seasonality of Suicide

Social Ecology and Suicide: An Analysis of Topographic and Climatic Characteristics in Areas With Low and High Suicide Incidence

Trends and determinants of suicide in Warangal District Telangana, India: six years retrospective study based on secondary data

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