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Old 12-19-2007, 01:02 PM
 
Location: Austin 'burbs
3,225 posts, read 14,062,322 times
Reputation: 783

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Quote:
Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte View Post
I've heard alot about the "suicide rate" in Seattle, but I don't know anyone from that area who has committed suicide. I know someone from GA who has committed suicide.
This is a morbid thread!

I know someone from Seattle who committed suicide. It wasn't via the bridges though.
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Old 12-22-2007, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Washington
57 posts, read 238,574 times
Reputation: 22
Default Grey Skies

Born and raised near Seattle, and have spent quality time there as an adult and still visit. I would have to say that I don't think there is a rash of suicides, but sure does get a lot of newspaper ink every time. And the Aurora Bridge seems to attract them more than any of the other bridges. However, I think the grey skies in Washington contribute to depression for sure. I found the info on Nevada interesting as I would love to move there and see the sun in winter. I also know a few people that have that Seasonal Affective Disorder to some degree or another. I don't think I do, but personally feel suffocated if I don't see the sun and horizon for a week or so.
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Old 12-22-2007, 01:52 PM
 
Location: Davenport, Florida
3 posts, read 27,798 times
Reputation: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjcjmom View Post
Born and raised near Seattle, and have spent quality time there as an adult and still visit. I would have to say that I don't think there is a rash of suicides, but sure does get a lot of newspaper ink every time. And the Aurora Bridge seems to attract them more than any of the other bridges. However, I think the grey skies in Washington contribute to depression for sure. I found the info on Nevada interesting as I would love to move there and see the sun in winter. I also know a few people that have that Seasonal Affective Disorder to some degree or another. I don't think I do, but personally feel suffocated if I don't see the sun and horizon for a week or so.
Suffocated for sure!! I only spent the Winter of 2003-2004 in Western Washington, and it was enough to drive me to Phoenix for two years to dry out!! I threw the half-full Paxil bottle in a garbage can at SeaTac Airport on my way out of town. Now I call The Sunshine State, Florida, home. SAD hit me hard, and I now refuse to live north of the 30th parallel

WA is a beautiful place for scenery when the conditions are right, and I am glad I had the opportunity to explore the PNW while I lived there. I'll return for visits in the future, but only during August
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Old 12-23-2007, 03:48 PM
 
534 posts, read 3,111,404 times
Reputation: 240
Quote:
Originally Posted by angelbug View Post
A couple weeks ago I saw this list of depression rankings by state...Oregon and Washington, which are commonly perceived to have high depression and suicide rates, were ranked 35 and 37, flanking New Mexico, which certainly doesn't have a lot of gloomy winter rain!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22044451/
I've heard several times that Oregon has one of the highest rates of anti-depressant usage - I'm surprised to hear that the depression rate is low.

It doesn't feel like the suicide rate is high in Seattle, but I have heard news reports that at one point it had the highest middle aged white male suicide rate in the nation. I still can't find a link to it.
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Old 12-24-2007, 01:37 PM
 
38 posts, read 35,311 times
Reputation: 11
Often, all of Western Washington gets lumped together and called "Seattle" -- so I think this perception came from a statistic that showed Tacoma as the "most stressful" U.S. city based on statistics like divorce rates, suicides, economic factors, etc.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/01/10/life.stress.reut/

Since I was interested, I looked up an analysis that ranks states with best, meaning lowest rates of depression and suicide as #1, which is South Dakota (go figure). Washington is in the bottom half, but is no where near being considered the worst. It looks like Utah, worst depression, shares that distinction (highest per capita depression rates) with Alaska, highest per capita suicides. Washington ranks 35th and 36th respectively.
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/state-ranking
Again, bear in mind that, on this chart #1 is lowest/best, not highest/worst rate of occurrence.
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Old 12-24-2007, 01:41 PM
 
38 posts, read 35,311 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by angelbug View Post
A couple weeks ago I saw this list of depression rankings by state...Oregon and Washington, which are commonly perceived to have high depression and suicide rates, were ranked 35 and 37, flanking New Mexico, which certainly doesn't have a lot of gloomy winter rain!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22044451/

The ranking is from happiest to saddest -- 35 and 37 are not good rankings on this poll.
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Old 12-24-2007, 01:42 PM
 
Location: The Emerald City
1,696 posts, read 5,192,275 times
Reputation: 804
Quote:
Originally Posted by MK1971 View Post
Often, all of Western Washington gets lumped together and called "Seattle" -- so I think this perception came from a statistic that showed Tacoma as the "most stressful" U.S. city based on statistics like divorce rates, suicides, economic factors, etc.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/01/10/life.stress.reut/

Since I was interested, I looked up an analysis that ranks states with best, meaning lowest rates of depression and suicide as #1, which is South Dakota (go figure). Washington is in the bottom half, but is no where near being considered the worst. It looks like Utah, worst depression, shares that distinction (highest per capita depression rates) with Alaska, highest per capita suicides. Washington ranks 35th and 36th respectively.
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/state-ranking
Again, bear in mind that, on this chart #1 is lowest/best, not highest/worst rate of occurrence.
Not exactly worth bragging about.
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Old 12-24-2007, 01:43 PM
 
38 posts, read 35,311 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by 41Willys View Post
Not exactly worth bragging about.
No, it's nothing to brag about at all. Just trying to keep it on the objective side before one of the city's valiant defenders comes in and writes 15 paragraphs on how, unlike the most literate city statistic, the bad depression score statistic has no actual bearing or mathematical value. However, it's still not the #1 gloomy, stressful, dystopian city -- apparently that's Tacoma!
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Old 12-24-2007, 01:57 PM
 
Location: The Emerald City
1,696 posts, read 5,192,275 times
Reputation: 804
Quote:
Originally Posted by MK1971 View Post
No, it's nothing to brag about at all. Just trying to keep it on the objective side before one of the city's valiant defenders comes in and writes 15 paragraphs on how, unlike the most literate city statistic, the bad depression score statistic has no actual bearing or mathematical value. However, it's still not the #1 gloomy, stressful, dystopian city -- apparently that's Tacoma!
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Old 12-26-2007, 12:49 PM
 
Location: Arizona
1,053 posts, read 3,089,967 times
Reputation: 470
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenbar View Post
This is a morbid thread!

I know someone from Seattle who committed suicide. It wasn't via the bridges though.
I heard of a kid in jr high who committed suicide, one of my friend's siblings, and a supervisor at a job I where I used to work. From what I heard, I don't think they were weather related tho (especially the friend's sib).
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