WKRG.com » News Stream » Local »

Holiday Suicide A Myth?

By Diana Lucio

Published: Thu, December 06, 2007 - 10:34 pm

Short URL: http://wkrg.com/a/7847/

Last week a crime scene was set up outside of this Grand Bay residence after deputies say a 17-year-old teenager took his life.
On Tuesday the lives of a married couple came to a tragic end after authorities say a husband murdered his wife and then turned the gun on himself.
All results of suicide.. and Mobile County Sheriffs Chaplain Ron Pierce says he has noticed a significant increase since Thanksgiving week.
"I have made 4 death notifications that were suicides and 2 attempted suicides that we've had," Said Pierce.
But although there has been a notable increase this year in Mobile County, we wanted to find out whether there is truth to the myth that the suicide rate goes up during the holiday season.
Sherill Alexander is with AltaPointe Health Systems in Mobile. She says according to national statistics,
"...The data indicates that the suicide rates actually peak during the spring and the summer months and not the winter months,"Said Alexander.
Chaplain Pierce agrees. He says the holiday season helps fuel the myth.
(pierce 1) "Why would they do that at Christmas, why would they do that at Thanksgiving. It's so much more dramatic, that it seems to be more prevalent."
But no matter when it happens Pierce says suicide is a growing epidemic. "We have these myths people who talk about suicide they won't do it. That's not true, they will do it, "Said Pierce.
There are still a couple of ways to get help.The AltaPointe's "Access To Care" Program offers a 24 hour hotline 7 days a week, at 251-450-2211.
Another number you may want to keep in mind, 211, it is a crisis intervention line, provided by The United Way.