Midterm 2 - Suicide trends and notes

What ratio of adolescents have contemplated suicide

1/3

How many suicides have warning?

85% have some kind of warning

• 25% have attempted in the past

Higher suicide rates in: (general)

• Wealthy

• Unreligious

• Unmarried

• Unmarried

• Unemployed

• Those working with others’ lives

Higher suicide rates in: (men)

People in:

• Arts

• Entertainment

• Sports

• Media

Who’s more likely to attempt? Who’s more likely to succeed? (M or F)

• Women more likely to attempt (3x)

• Men more likely to succeed (4x)

  • Men are 80% of suicides in Canada

Correlation of suicide and IQ (M and F)

• Not correlated in F

• Correlated in M with low IQ

  • Thought that they aren’t able to cope with stress and problems as well because of lower IQ

Correlation of suicide and IQ (M and F)

• Age of F is not correlated

• Age of M is correlated

  • Higher in adolescent boys (increase in the last generation)

  • Drop in early adulthood

  • Increase around 55

  • Drop until 70s, then slight uptick

Higher risk in university (what is cause?)

• Interpersonal problems (not academic)

• 2nd leading cause of death

Suicide contagion

• Triggered by others around you committing or someone you admire

  • Celebrities

More or less suicide on holidays?

Less

Other causes of suicides

• Unexpected events

  • Natural disasters

• Viewed as honourable in some cultures

Warning signs

• Depression

• Feeling trapped or hopeless

• Losing control of thoughts

• Extreme anxiety/rapid mood swings

• Insomnia

• Agitation

• Social with drawl