ATLANTA — The holidays are officially here and with the celebration, also comes a conversation of concern.
A commonly shared claim circulating online is that the suicide rate increases over the holidays. But is that really the case?
11Alive’s Verify team reached out to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center and Dr. Valdesha DeJean jean with the Georgia Psychological Treatment Center.
Despite popular belief, CDC data shows the holiday season typically has some of the lowest monthly suicide rates, with the lowest numbers reported in December. The statistics proving the connection between holidays and suicide: False. Research director Dan Romer with the Annenberg Public Policy Center has tracked the myth’s prevalence in headlines over the year.
“Year after year, there were more stories that supported it than debunked it until last year,” Romer said.
More outlets debunking the myth is a shift from prior years, according to the center’s newly released research.
“We were fortunate in having a number of press stories that effectively debunked the myth,” said Romer in a press release. “We’re hopeful that the message is getting out: While this time of year may be emotionally fraught for some people, there’s no truth to the idea that the suicide rate peaks over the holidays.”
According to Romer, spreading such a myth can have adverse effects.
"We don't want people to get the idea that if they are currently in a crisis that this is a solution people are using in their crises,” Romer said. “We are concerned by suicide contagion."
While the claim that suicides spike during the holidays is indeed false, there is an understanding that the holidays can be a difficult time for some.
"What I tend to see is a lot of holiday grief,” Dr. DeJean said. “Maybe loved ones have passed away throughout that year. Also, family dynamics that may be dysfunctional or family that are difficult to interact with is a problem..." she said.
According to the CDC, suicide takes more than 47,000 lives every single year. So regardless of the season, here are signs to be wary of, according to Dr. DeJean: Drastic changes in appearance, sharing morbid thoughts and isolating behavior.
For anyone who needs help or wants to find resources on suicide prevention, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. You can also call the 24/7 hotline number at 1-800-273-8255.
OTHER HEADLINES: