Why are there the most suicides in the spring?

During the spring months suicides become more common in the northern hemisphere. But why?

Suicide Season

Studies dating back to the 1800s show that spring is the time at which the peak of suicides occurs, and the lowest rates are observed in the winter. "If we take the winter as a basis, then it turns out that in the spring period the suicide rate is higher by 20-60%," says Professor of Psychiatry Fotis Papadopoulos of Uppsala University in Sweden, who is studying this issue.

This seems rather illogical, because autumn and winter days are more often associated with a bad mood. So how could this happen?

Serotonin level

According to one version, this is the result of a change in the level of serotonin - a neurotransmitter that regulates mood - in the brain. Studies have found that the level of serotonin in the blood is higher in summer than in winter and that there is a positive correlation between the synthesis of serotonin and the duration of the sun hours.

Antidepressants

Also, do not forget that a compound called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), an antidepressant that increases serotonin levels, was associated with a suicide risk among a small group of patients. "We know that treating patients with antidepressants can take at least three or four weeks before they get better," says Papadopoulos. - During this time, some people become physically more active, which potentially can make them more prone to dangerous actions. Perhaps the sun acts in a similar way on some people. "

The relationship between suicide and sunlight

Papadopoulos carefully studied the results of forensic analysis of 12,000 victims of suicide and meteorological data during the days when tragedies occurred. He found that there is a link between the monthly duration of sunlight and the risk of suicide, but it disappears in most people when the season during which the data was collected ends. Nevertheless, this connection remains with people taking antidepressants. These results can be used to support the serotonergic theory.

The connection between suicide and sunlight is very poorly understood, but it should be emphasized that it can affect only a small number of people.

Changes in the chemistry of the brain

There are other theories that are trying to explain why a large number of suicides occur in the spring. For example, scientists say that the cause may be the appearance of pollen in the air, which triggers immune reactions that cause changes in brain chemistry. "Perhaps the idea that the awakening of trees after winter is associated with suicidal behavior in humans seems a little far-fetched, but scientists have found a link between high pollen concentrations in the air and non-violent suicides in women," says Theodore Postolach, professor of psychiatry at the State University Maryland. There is also evidence linking cytokine therapy, which changes the behavior of immune cells, with the emergence of thoughts about suicide in a small number of patients.

The connection between sunlight and suicides is far from clear, but it's worth remembering that this can affect some people. In addition, given that antidepressants can hardly be called ideal treatment and that we still do not fully understand what depression is, this issue deserves further study.