Comments on: Random Conversation of Suicide http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/ Where There's Snow, There's Firepower Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:19:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Regolith http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20937 Regolith Sat, 29 Mar 2008 04:58:41 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20937 Debunking the myth that guns = more suicides is easy, thanks to our Allmighty Overlords(TM) at the UN (bonus - gun haters are more likely to respond well to UN Stats). They keep a database of suicide rates by country. And by linking suicide rates to gun restrictions, its patently obvious that culture and the environment have far more to do with it than the availability of guns. For instance, Japan has a far higher suicide rate than the US, and yet guns are nearly unavailable. Suicide rates are also high in third world nations (which aren't known for their lax laws on anything, let alone guns) and nations that have colder climates (which would explain why M0ntana and Alaska have such high suicide rates). Here's the data: http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suiciderates/en/ Debunking the myth that guns = more suicides is easy, thanks to our Allmighty Overlords(TM) at the UN (bonus - gun haters are more likely to respond well to UN Stats).

They keep a database of suicide rates by country. And by linking suicide rates to gun restrictions, its patently obvious that culture and the environment have far more to do with it than the availability of guns.

For instance, Japan has a far higher suicide rate than the US, and yet guns are nearly unavailable. Suicide rates are also high in third world nations (which aren’t known for their lax laws on anything, let alone guns) and nations that have colder climates (which would explain why M0ntana and Alaska have such high suicide rates).

Here’s the data:
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suiciderates/en/

]]> By: Brad http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20922 Brad Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:12:36 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20922 Actually, I found the statistics on website of the gentleman who prepared their statistics,<a href="http://mypage.iusb.edu/%7Ejmcintos/SuicideStats.html" rel="nofollow"> Dr. John Macintosh</a>. You're right that men are more likely to use guns - 57% of all male suicides are with a gun. Women were higher than I thought -31% of female suicides are with a gun. Women poison themselves at a much higher rate than men. I'm not sure if taking pills counts as poison - it probably does. These statistics do not account for failed attempts, but it does jive with your statement. Also surprising is that 71% of suicides by the elderly are with a firearm. Actually, I found the statistics on website of the gentleman who prepared their statistics, Dr. John Macintosh. You’re right that men are more likely to use guns - 57% of all male suicides are with a gun. Women were higher than I thought -31% of female suicides are with a gun. Women poison themselves at a much higher rate than men. I’m not sure if taking pills counts as poison - it probably does. These statistics do not account for failed attempts, but it does jive with your statement.

Also surprising is that 71% of suicides by the elderly are with a firearm.

]]> By: David http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20920 David Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:10:43 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20920 More than four Montanans looking for a man-to-man relationship here: http://montana.craigslist.org/m4m/ and looking for, err, something else here: http://montana.craigslist.org/search/cas/?query=m4m More than four Montanans looking for a man-to-man relationship here: http://montana.craigslist.org/m4m/

and looking for, err, something else here: http://montana.craigslist.org/search/cas/?query=m4m

]]> By: BobG http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20918 BobG Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:26:56 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20918 Women are less likely to use guns. They are also more likely to take a bunch of pills and then call someone on the phone. More of them are looking for sympathy than suicide. Women are less likely to use guns. They are also more likely to take a bunch of pills and then call someone on the phone. More of them are looking for sympathy than suicide.

]]> By: Brad http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20912 Brad Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:32:58 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20912 Slightly off topic, but still about that suicide report you linked to earlier: One of the things that I found interesting about that suicide report is the relationship between male & female attempts versus actual suicides. According to the report, there were nearly 26,000 males who killed themselves versus 6,800 females, a ratio of nearly 4:1 . However, the ratio of male attempts to female attempts was 1:3! Women try more, but men are far more apt to carry out a successful suicide attempt. (I use the term "successful" because it's the only word I can think of, there's no real success in suicide). I'd be curious to see methods of female suicides and attempts versus methods of male suicides and attempts. I'd also be curious to see which methods were more likely to result in a failed attempt. Slightly off topic, but still about that suicide report you linked to earlier:

One of the things that I found interesting about that suicide report is the relationship between male & female attempts versus actual suicides. According to the report, there were nearly 26,000 males who killed themselves versus 6,800 females, a ratio of nearly 4:1 . However, the ratio of male attempts to female attempts was 1:3! Women try more, but men are far more apt to carry out a successful suicide attempt. (I use the term “successful” because it’s the only word I can think of, there’s no real success in suicide).

I’d be curious to see methods of female suicides and attempts versus methods of male suicides and attempts. I’d also be curious to see which methods were more likely to result in a failed attempt.

]]> By: Justin Buist http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20906 Justin Buist Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:50:54 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20906 <i>"how many gays do you think are really in Montana?" </i> Four. “how many gays do you think are really in Montana?”

Four.

]]> By: countertop http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20904 countertop Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:48:21 +0000 http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/03/28/random-conversation-of-suicide/#comment-20904 Don't know about gay's, grizzles, or suicide . . . but I've always heard Montana was where Men were Men and Sheep were scared . . . or maybe its grizzlies - which really puts a new spin on the whole gay Bear subculture. And thinking about that, well, I guess getting all gay and butt-like on an unwilling grizzle probably a pretty certain way to get yourself killed. So it all makes sense now, doesn't it. btw, your email's not working. keeps getting bounced back to me. Don’t know about gay’s, grizzles, or suicide . . . but I’ve always heard Montana was where Men were Men and Sheep were scared . . . or maybe its grizzlies - which really puts a new spin on the whole gay Bear subculture. And thinking about that, well, I guess getting all gay and butt-like on an unwilling grizzle probably a pretty certain way to get yourself killed.

So it all makes sense now, doesn’t it.

btw, your email’s not working. keeps getting bounced back to me.

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