Gay Suicide and the Holidays

By some estimates, gay men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight counterparts and the numbers increase exponentially during the holidays. I suspect that this increase during the holiday season is due no doubt in part to (i) the family rejection many gays have experienced with their families, (ii) alienation from the religious backgrounds in which they were raised and (iii) the expectation that one is supposed to be "happy" during the holiday season. As Health Scout reports, this year may be even worse:

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Sagging spirits, sagging economy. That's the holidays this year, with many people both blue and broke -- the usual melancholy compounded by the highest jobless rate in three decades and a jackknifing stock market. . . . "Mental health problems are common and spike more often during the winter months not only because of the holidays, but also because of seasonal affective disorder," said Dr. Timothy Fong, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Impulse Control Disorders Clinic. "This year, more than anything else, financial stressors are bringing that out."

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[People who] once paid cash for counseling just can't afford to pay anymore, especially with going rates in the Los Angeles area ranging from $125 to $400 and up. And insurers are tightening up regulations. One patient who spent four days in the hospital recently detoxing from prescription drugs found himself with an unanticipated $8,000 bill for the stay. "His holidays are ruined," Fong said.

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Another factor that can play in also is the fact that suicide risk persists for many years after attempted suicide. I know this from my personal experience - once you have nearly succeeded in "ending it all," it seems far easier to slide back into the mindset. It is something I continue to struggle with and this holiday season is no exception (I sometimes think the former wife's strategy is to try to push me to another attempt, in fact). A study in the UK found as follows:

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(British Medical Journal) -- The risk of suicide for people with a history of attempted suicide or deliberate self harm (parasuicide) persists without decline for two decades, finds a study in this week's BMJ. . . . Clinicians are encouraged to pay particular attention to the management of patients immediately after an episode of parasuicide, say the authors. Previous deliberate self harm remains a potent risk factor for subsequent suicide, even if it occurred many years ago, they conclude.

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So what does one do? Mental Health America has some suggestions here. It is also important to remember that suicide is not chosen per se, but rather happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain. Another resource page can be found here. Of course, another thing is to consider is seeking professional help if one can afford to do so..