The Correlation Between Suicide and the Seasons

It’s logical to think that most suicides occur in winter. Herman Melville described Ishmael’s suicidal depression in Moby-Dick as “a damp, drizzly November of my soul,”[1] hence the title of Geroge Howe Colt’s book on suicide, November of the Soul. Add to this the hustle and bustle of the holidays, when some people feel left out, or the dread of getting together with family members who a person might prefer to avoid, and the days leading up to a major holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas would seem to be peak suicide times. In fact, however, suicide rates are highest in the spring. It’s a time of rebirth, but not for everyone.

T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land” starts with these oft-repeated words: “April is the cruelest month.” It goes on, “winter kept us warm, covering Earth in forgetful snow,” but the new life evoked by spring is temporary, and hope that ends up being unfulfilled is the worst sort of pain.

Susanna Kaysen shared a similar sentiment. In her memoir Girl, Interrupted, she wrote about the 18 months she spent in a psychiatric hospital. At one point ,she noted, “It was a spring day, the sort that gives people hope: all soft winds and delicate smells of warm earth. Suicide weather.”[2]

Depression may start in winter, but it’s most intense in the spring. When the sun comes out, most of us feel rejuvenated, but those who continue to battle inner demons are reminded that they are different—not hopeful, and once again alone.

A study of 866,000 suicides in the United States and 74,000 in Mexico found a correlation between warming trends and suicide. The study, which was conducted by Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, concluded that hotter temperatures result in more suicides—as many as 40,000 more in the two countries—representing a 0.7 percent increase in the suicide rate in the U.S. and a 2.1 percent increase in Mexico.

To further the point that weather has a direct influence on people’s mental state, and conse­quently contributes to thoughts of suicide, the same researchers evaluated more than 600 million Twitter posts and determined that every 1.8-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature (or 1 degree Celsius) resulted in a 1 percent greater likelihood that the tweet was depressive in nature, containing words such as “lonely” or “suicide.” This mirrored almost exactly the correlation they found between increased suicides and hot weather. Researchers noted that when they analyzed the tweets by gender and economic status, they found no difference between men and women, or between rich and poor.[3]

Inasmuch as suicides have been increasing in recent years, as have the effects of global warming, the study raises the strong possibility that the two—climate change and suicide—may be related, and not in a small way. In fact, the report concludes that when it comes to suicide, the effect of increased temperatures is “comparable to the estimated impact of economic recessions, suicide prevention programs, or gun restriction laws.”

More studies are needed to confirm this, but it’s one more thing for everyone to worry about as icecaps melt, sea levels rise, and so-called “natural” disasters such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and fires become increasingly common.

If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7 dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.