Bellmore, NY - April 10, 2014 - Ask most people which time of the year they think has the highest suicide rate and they will answer during the dark and cold winter, especially around the holidays. Instead, recent studies continue to report that suicide and suicide attempts actually spike during the Spring.
While studies and research are ongoing, there has been, to date, no clear-cut explanation for this seasonal enigma. One theory suggests that during the winter, people with depression are often surrounded by persons who are feeling down and despondent, too, because of the weather. However with the arrival of Spring, people who were feeling down because of the weather start to feel better; and people who are depressed for other reasons remain depressed. They see others around them begin to emerge from the “winter doldrums” and they start to question whether they will ever be happy.
“We know that this seasonal statistic is counter-intuitive to commonly-held beliefs,” states Theresa Buhse, Associate Executive Director, Long Island Crisis Center. “However, by correcting this myth, we can be more pro-active in being suicide aware and preventive if we know the reality.”
The Crisis Center urges everyone to be aware of the possible “signs of suicide:”
- Sadness and crying
- Increase or decrease in sleeping patterns
- Boredom and listlessness
- Angry shifting to silent withdrawal
- Withdrawal from usual social activities, loneliness
- Loss of interest in hobbies, sports, job or school
- Drop in grades, inability to complete assignments or pay attention in class
- Increased risk-taking
- Sense of worthlessness and low self-esteem
- Increased use of drugs and alcohol
- Neglecting personal hygiene and appearance
- Re-occurring themes of death and self-destruction in poetry, writing, artwork
- Lack of plans for the future
- Statements like “I want to die,” “I don’t want to live anymore,” I want to go to sleep and never wake up,”
- “Soon this pain will be over,” “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
The Crisis Center provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention through its 24/7 hotlines at 516-679-1111; or its online and live chat at www.licconline.org; or by texting “LICC” to 839-863 (Monday through Friday, 3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) or walk-in counseling at 2740 Martin Ave., Bellmore.