Why is Seattle said to have a high rate of suicide and depression? (job market, living in)

[Mtn. States Resident]

I agree with the posts above about isolation, age and socioeconomic factors being factors for people everywhere.

Often if a person suffers from Seasonal Depression they will start an antidepressant or move before going through another year of suffering. Not all residents have the same accessibility to psychiatric care.

All that being written how about some stats.


I caution any reader to look at the year data was compiled. Some is quite old. However, I opted for this as Seattle's data was written in 2012 for 2011.
The 15 Most Suicidal Cities In America - Business Insider

MSR

[Hemlock140]

Forbes discussed this too, as a myth. If we had older data from the 1970s-80s, we might find Seattle higher on the list, during the Boeing bust, and maybe that started the perception. Note that those highest on the recent list are those hit hardest with foreclosures in the 2008 housing bust.

10 Myths About US Cities and States Debunked - Forbes

[texastrigirl]

Oddly enough, most of them are sunny places as well.

[civic94]

as for myself its the cloudiness, non stop drizzle, lack of sun. its depressing. 13 years.



BUT i cant complain. where i am from (boston) it costs 2X more, at least i can survive here without working my behind off only to save nothing and live in a shoebox.

If I moved to florida where there is sunshine, I will be happy but due to the lack of high paying jobs and i have to struggle, i would be even worse off. thats the reason i am here.

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I suppose one could do a pretty good analysis of that issue by getting data about those that have done it. I have my own theory. The population is over 60% from other states or countries. Many come here without a job, with dreams of becoming the next Bill Gates. In addition, we have a huge economic disparity, with plenty of millionaires but also large numbers of homeless and everything in between. It has to be hard for someone struggling to make a living to see people driving by in a Lamborghini, or to wait for a big yacht to go by while the 520 bridge is up and they are taking the bus to the unemployment office.

This is a pretty damn ridiculously inaccurate assessment.
Seattle has one of the best job markets in the country. Most people moving here have secured positions at one of the companies in the area. This is the LAST place in America where people would be killing themselves over economic disparity of those "evil" rich people.

Go to my hometown Detroit and see what poverty looks like.

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by cocaseco

Isolation from what? I can't imagine what we are isolated from. Can you explain more for me?

We are kind of isolated from the rest of the country, geographically and culturally.
But I see no reason why that would play a factor in suicide rates.

[JBVirtuoso]

Suicides often happen due to things like financial stress, lack of a strong network of friends and family, and mental illness. The weather and geographic isolation have little if anything to do with it.

People might be less than excited when they look out the window and it's raining, but if that gives them suicidal thoughts, there's clearly something else going on.

[rossiapacifica]

The reputation for Seattle being a suicide capital actually started in the 1970's when Boeing went into a layoff frenzy. I believe that I read somewhere that sociologists have studied this to pieces, and concluded it wasn't the weather, but it was a combination of factors, including the weather, economy, retirees, etc. For the last twenty years the Seattle area has, on the average, had a very good economy. I have had other people tell me to my face that I would commit suicide if I moved back to Seattle. I have lived here off and on for, say 30 years now and haven't committed suicide, nor have I contemplated it.

I also sense that the movers and shakers here don't want to get rid of this stigma because they think that it will "discourage people from moving here" (as if everyone wants to move here!??? LOL) These movers and shakers are possibly the snotty "elitists" mentioned frequently in these forums; I don't give them any mind. I personally have no trouble making friends, chatting with people on the bus, wandering around downtown, etc.

I also note that other cities have "snotty" people as well, so this Seattle freeze thingy could just as easily be a Chicago freeze or a Miami freeze, or Cincinnati freeze, or Phoenix freeze or whatever at least based on my experience. A lot of it is your own attitude and conception.

Those who know their geography are aware that not all of the state of Washington is overcast. Parts of the state, and virtually all of the eastern part of the state get plentiful sunshine. Places such as Kennewick-Pasco-Richland and Chelan get possibly 300 days of sunshine a year in a dry, high-desert climate. One wonders what the suicide rate is there? As Seattle tends to have a lower unemployment rate than much of the rural part of the state, is it possible that those sunny rural areas have a higher suicide rate than does Seattle? Sunny places like Denver, Miami, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs have higher suicides rates than does Seattle. It can't be the weather--there is a combination of factors. Portland's suicide rate is higher than Seattle's, but they have similar weather.

A funny anecdote: A Southern California friend told me that they visited Vancouver, B.C. on vacation, and drove up the coast. I asked them if they looked around in Seattle. They said they didn't stop in Seattle because "it rains too much." Hilarious--Vancouver gets half again more rain than does Seattle, depending on which official weather station is consulted.

Just some thoughts for reflection.

Rossiapacifica

[RotseCherut]

THe suicide rate isn't high in Seattle, because people are too depressed to kill themselves.. THey rather just sit in the corner of a bar, cafe or coffeeshop, put their ear buds on, glue their face into their MacBook , drink an iced mocha out of a plastic cup on a cold, drizzly day and tune out the entire world. This is the REAL Seattle.. Suicide is more common in places where people have more of a passion for both life and death, Seattle seems to be a place where people have a passion for about nothing.

[Ira500]

Seattle seems to be a place where people have a passion for about nothing

Sure they do. I dare you to go Wallingford, a drop a little bit of something recyclable ,or a bit of food waste into their garbage.
There will be passion. It will be as if you'd killed their entire family.