Suicide epidemic

A suicide epidemic is a large number of suicides taking place over a period of time in a manner that resembles a disease epidemic. Such epidemics have occurred in the former Soviet Union in the 1990s,[1] among police officers,[2] on Indian reservations,[3] and in Micronesia.[4] The Werther effect occurs when suicides that are made publicly known encourage others to imitate them.[5] It has been suggested that the teaching of stories such as Romeo and Juliet may encourage suicide among young people.[6]

  1. ^ E Brainerd (2001), "Economic reform and mortality in the former Soviet Union: a study of the suicide epidemic in the 1990s", European Economic Review, 45 (4–6): 1007–1019, doi:10.1016/S0014-2921(01)00108-8, S2CID 154383668
  2. ^ JM Violanti (2007). Police suicide: Epidemic in blue. Charles C Thomas Publisher. ISBN 978-0-398-07762-4.
  3. ^ JA Ward, J Fox (1977), A suicide epidemic on an Indian reserve, Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal
  4. ^ FX Hezel (1987), Truk suicide epidemic and social change (PDF), Human Organization
  5. ^ J Thorson, PA Öberg (2003), Was There a Suicide Epidemic After Goetheʼs Werther? (PDF), Archives of Suicide Research
  6. ^ DM Stupple (1987), "Rx for the suicide epidemic", English Journal, 76 (1): 64–68, doi:10.2307/818306, JSTOR 818306