Mental Health

The Most Joyful Time of the Year Is Associated with Increased Suicide Rate, Paradoxically.

Studies indicate that people's mental health is significantly impacted at Christmas and New Year's time, leading to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Many studies on suicide investigate time trends as there are noticeable patterns in the literature. The time of the year is a significant indicator of suicide rates. However, qualitative data is not rich yet. Therefore some scientists conduct country and culture-specific studies.

In this post, I’d like to introduce an informative and high-quality study on Christmas and New Year times to validate the findings in the growing literature about suicide statistics. Then I interpret findings based on my other reviews and experience with people in my circles.

This study was conducted in 2018 after completing an analysis of the trend, specifically focussed on the population in the Netherlands to identify specific patterns for this nation.

The research aimed to gain insight into time trends that can contribute to developing effective suicide prevention strategies for Dutch citizens. The researchers found evidence for time trends in the Dutch population as understudied. Hence, they aimed to fill in the gap.

Researchers reviewed and analyzed 33,224 suicide events that occurred in the Netherlands from 1995 to 2015. After collecting over 20 years of data from Statistics Netherlands in an Excel database, researchers transposed to the researchers to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

They also looked at age, gender, and province in a longitudinal population-based design with Poisson regression analyses and Bayesian change point analyses. The Netherlands had 15.5 million people in 1995 and 16.9 million in 2015.

The paper published in Frontier concluded that “evidence was found for time trends in suicide incidence in the Netherlands. It is recommended to plan mental health care services to be available, especially at high-risk moments, in springtime and at the beginning of January.”

The research team suggested further research to explore the protective effect of Christmas on suicide incidence. I look forward to such inspiring research contributing to public health policies.

In addition to validating the hypothesis for the Dutch citizen, what I found more interesting in this research is their extensive literature review about the association of Christmas with the suicide rate.

As they reviewed many papers, it is not possible for me to cite them in my story, but I’d like to give a summary of the findings from their investigation to give you an idea under five points.

Interested readers can obtain 71 citations beautifully organized with links in this Frontier paper, publicly available as a complete text.

1 — “As for winter holiday trends in suicide, legend has it that suicide rates are increased at Christmas. The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that many news stories in the past 17 years supported this belief.”

2 — “People may experience a worsened general mood during the Christmas days because of family strains, loneliness, or seasonal affective disorder, and increased alcohol use might aggravate this.”

3 — “A remarkable finding in these studies is that suicide rates seem to be higher on New Year’s Day and January 2, suggesting that suicides may be delayed until after the Christmas holidays.”

4 — “Christmas is a Christian holiday, and in countries with other predominant religions, one would expect other trends. Indeed, in Turkey — where 99% of the population is Muslim — fewer suicides were observed in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.”

5 — “However, Christians have become a minority of about one-third of the Dutch population due to secularization and increased immigrant religions in the Netherlands. The Christmas festivities might still play a protective role since Christmas is also a popular holiday in the non-religious population.”

An Inspiring New Story Related to this Research

Earlier today, I published and read an insightful and inspiring article submitted to my publication, ILLUMINATION.

It was titled When the Holidays Bring Pain Instead of Joy — These 4 Tips May Help. The author of this article, Lori Armstrong, asked, “what about those who struggle with overwhelming sadness during the long holiday season?”

Lori mentioned her first realization that the holidays brought nothing but despair to others was while working at the Napa Police Department in the mid-1980s.

She recalled the high rate of suicide and death investigations that skyrocketed. After inquiring with a sergeant, Lori discovered that the suicide rate has always been astronomical during this nostalgic time of year.

Lori points out that “the worst thing you can do is feel like it is not okay to feel sad — own your feelings. It will be better for you. The holidays will pass, and better days are ahead.”

As she highlighted, and I agreed, studies indicate that forcing ourselves to appear cheery when we slowly die inside does not work.

Another takeaway point in Lori’s story is that dwelling on happiness through materialistic desires (commonly associated with the holidays) can increase feeling less adequate and increase the risk of depression.

An indication of why people commit suicide during holiday times.

My understanding of the literature is that the holiday season might be a challenging time for some people, giving them more stress than other times even though any time of the year can be difficult for some people.

Holidays can be a busy and hectic time, with many people feeling pressure to fulfill various obligations. Shopping and traveling might put significant pressure on people. The pressure of these additional activities can be stressful for some people.

Some people feel more stressed during the holidays because of the high expectations that often come with this time of year. Many people feel pressure to have the ideal holiday that they imagine throughout the year.

Thus, it can be stressful when their desires do not go as planned or when they feel they are unable to meet these expectations. Economic constraints during this time might also add extra pressure on some people.

As Lori mentioned in her story, “unfortunately, the holidays do bring pressure — pressure to buy presents we cannot afford and pressure to put on our best face in front of family and friends.

“You may feel the need to self-isolate as the tasks and expectations feel overwhelming. It is not uncommon for many families to be strained as the dysfunctions rear their ugly heads.”

Lori’s point is spot on, as the holiday season usually increases socialization. This is an excellent thing for many of us. However, it can be overwhelming for those who are introverted and do not enjoy large gatherings.

However, the most important factor mentioned in the literature is the phenomenon of “loneliness,” which is a known factor for increased suicide rates globally.

For example, the holiday season can lead to increased loneliness and isolation for some people if they are unable to join loved ones or are feeling disconnected from others.

The feeling of loneliness can contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression which are known causes of suicide attempts.

Some friends revealed their loneliness during the Christmas and New Year times. Some of them couldn’t connect with their families and community members.

For example, an elderly neighbor one day said after he lost his wife to breast cancer, no one knocked on his door for many years until we moved to the suburb to greet him and invite him to a Christmas barbecue in our backyard.

He enjoyed the socialization so much and became friends with other neighbors and attended many social events. So my wife became a linchpin for his social disconnection.

Some people get extra emotional on special days like Christmas, Easter, New Year's day, and birthdays. Years ago, a friend felt suicidal on her birthday, but fortunately, she recovered with help from a social worker.

During our conversation after the incident, she said she felt awful on her birthday as not a single person remembered it. As we were very good friends, I asked her what was different the day before and the birthday as I don’t celebrate mine.

I understood that it was very important for her since her childhood, as her birthday equated to acceptance and love in her mind. However, after the friendly discussion, she understood that every day is special and precious in this ephemeral world.

When people are in an intense emotional state, they cannot think logically as the thinking brain shuts down. Therefore, we need to find ways to help them to calm their emotional and reptilian brain and activate the neocortex. A friendly approach with empathy and compassion is the best way to achieve this goal.

Conclusions and Takeaways

Suicide is a substantial public health problem. It affects people from various age groups, backgrounds, and circumstances.

Unfortunately, suicide is a leading cause of death globally. It has a profound impact on families, communities, and society as a whole. Data on suicide rates from the World Health Organization (WHO) is eye-opening.

The most affected groups are young adults (ages 15–29) and seniors over the age of 70. We need to pay special attention to people in these age groups.

Since 2005, depression has significantly risen globally. Seven hundred thousand plus people die due to suicide every year, mainly caused by depression. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15–29-year-olds, according to WHO.

Ten days before this Christmas, one of my favorite dancers committed suicide. I posted a story showing my tribute to famous dancer Stephen Boss who ended his life at age 40.

His death touched my heart deeply as I have been following Twitch since 2005. He was part of my life. Like millions of people, I miss him so much.

In that story, I quoted Medical Doctor Alex Lickerman, who documented why people commit suicide.

The six reasons include being “depressed, psychotic, impulsive, crying out for help, having a philosophical desire to die, and making a mistake such as oxygen deprivation to get high.”

As I mentioned in my previous articles, one of the most common reasons for suicide is severe depression, usually triggered by addictive behavior and anhedonia.

Even though it is a challenging condition, the good news is depression is treatable by qualified healthcare professionals if patients and their loved ones seek timely help and collaborate.

How can we help those who are disadvantaged, get anxious, are depressed during the holiday, and have suicidal thoughts?

In my opinion, the following three high-level points can help.

1. Raise awareness about suicide prevention using various resources.
2. Foster connectedness by building and maintaining strong social connections with those people.
3. Offer additional support such as friendship, counseling, therapy, and access to support groups and other resources.

Being physically healthy and fit is a fundamental requirement for overall health and well-being. However, it does not guarantee one’s mental health. Therefore, we shouldn’t judge people based on their physical looks.

Instead, we need to look beyond appearance and observe mental cues. Some people can hide their mental conditions behind great looks, sweet words, and beautiful smiles. Our intuitive power can guide.

If you have suicidal thoughts, it is crucial to seek help immediately. Some key points are talking to someone, calling a helpline, creating a safety plan such as avoiding triggers and aggregators, and seeking professional help.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, it is vital to seek help as soon as possible. Many resources are available to support those struggling, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1–800–273-TALK) and other local and online resources.

Suicidal thoughts can come to anyone. Being prepared is crucial. There are many resources from various organizations providing guidance and links to valuable information sources.

For example, you might check links at World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International Association for Suicide Prevention, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Please check this guidance from NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health informing us about suicide prevention, “If You Know Someone in Crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.”

Empathy and compassion can improve the lives of others while improving ours. We are all connected by invisible links as part of the collective consciousness. Our words and behavior can influence others.

When communicating, we should always put ourselves in their shoes, listen carefully, talk gently, and behave nicely. We must refrain from harsh judgments and diminishing the pain of others.

Holidays are special times when we can brighten the lives of others with our compassionate touch. Therefore, meaningful connection with others is critical for our overall consciousness.

We can make a valuable impact on others’ lives with our empathy, compassion, care, and timely support.

Thus, we should always urge those close to people struggling with pain, loneliness, and hopelessness to check them and take timely action.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you don’t celebrate these days, I hope you have a festive season with your loved ones. Take good care and enjoy every moment with acceptance and love.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

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