The shocking reality of what happens to suicide rates during the holidays

For some people, the holidays can be a time of struggle – financially, physically or mentally.

This had led to the belief that people are more likely to die by suicide in December, around the celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve.

However, according to a long-term study from the University of Pennsylvania, this is a myth. Last year, suicides – which will result in the deaths of 49,000 Americans by 2022 – were actually at their lowest in December and peaked in August.

This pattern held true even when the team looked at countries with different seasons: suicide rates decreased in winter.

Yet surveys found that in 2023, 80 percent of American adults chose December as the month with the most suicides.

The Penn researchers have been tracking this phenomenon since 1999 and want to set the record straight, which could help save people if suicide rates actually increase.

Dan Romer, the research director at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at Penn, who led the study, said it’s true that many people can feel down around this time of year, either because of the weather, nostalgia or family problems.

Dr. Romer said: ‘Psychologically, because of the shorter and dreaker winter days in the US, we tend to associate them with suicide. But that’s not what actually happens.’

It is unclear why warmer months with longer days might lead to more suicides. But independent researchers suggest it may be related to inflammation that occurs with seasonal allergies, or that people with depression feel more alienated when the world outside is bright and hopeful.

The Penn researchers collect this facts each year based on CDC death rate data. It comes from the National Vital Statistics System system, which collects information from death certificates in each state.

On average, over the 25 years since they started keeping the data, they said December, November and January have consistently been among the lowest for suicide.

In 2023, the average number of suicides per day in one month was 135. The lowest three months were December, with 123 suicides per day; November, with 126 suicides per day; and October with 131 suicides per day.

The highest months were August, with 142 suicides per day; July with 141 suicides per day; and May, with 139 suicides per day.

Unexpectedly, for many, some of the hottest and sunniest months of the year were actually the deadliest for suicides.

The researchers wanted to investigate whether this percentage also occurred in places where the seasons were different. So they looked at Australia, which is experiencing seasons opposite the US.

Dr Romer’s team found that suicide rates were lower in Australia’s winter months (June, July and August).

The month with the fewest deaths was June, the start of winter down under.

It’s not entirely clear why suicides are more common in summer than in winter, but experts have several theories.

Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Adam Kaplin, who was not involved in the Penn studies, suggested it might have to do with biology.

In the spring, people are more likely to battle allergies, which cause chronic inflammation in the body, and there is a link between inflammation and depression, he said.

Dr. Kaplin said: ‘Overwhelming evidence suggests that inflammation from a variety of sources, including allergic reactions, can cause or worsen depression. Our immune systems try to ward off viral infections all winter long, but not to ward off allergies.”

Another theory has to do with the length of the days, says Barton Goldsmith, a psychotherapist who was not involved in the study. He theorized further Psychology today It could be due to the longer days in the summer months.

Goldsmith said, “I think the days are a lot longer than in the winter, and that can be hard when you’re depressed.”

He added that alcohol and drug use also tends to increase in the summer, which could play a role.

Another theory from Dr. Kaplin is that spring and summer can make depressed people feel more left out and alone, because neurotypical people tend to be more active at this time of year.

Dr. Kaplin said, “I also think spring is particularly hard for people who are depressed because after a largely lonely winter, these people find themselves in a world of rebirth, rejuvenation, and celebration. Instead, they feel gloomy and sad.’

The Penn researchers also conducted studies into the way the media covered the topic, and said that despite their data, people still seemed to believe suicide risk was higher during this festive time of year.

This comes with real concerns about the potential for social contagion – with people believing suicide is more common during the dark, dreary days of winter, making them more likely to carry out the act themselves, he said.

Dr. Romer added: “There is no need to give people the false impression that others are committing suicide, when in fact that could lead to infection.”