Is it true that Seattle has a high suicide rate? (live, statistics)

[Ile Flottante]

Depression and high suicide rate seem to be part of comment about Seattle. But I couldn’t find statistics on it. And I see peopel on the street smiling all the time.


So is this a rumor or just an old story?

[allforcats]

I've lived 22 adult years here, and have never heard of any rash or continuance of suicides in the PNW. Ditto depression. In fact, proving that "weather" is not the point, several sources say Nevada is the state with the highest rate. The CDC says: 10 of the 13 western states are in the highest 25% of the suicides in the nation and Nevada, specifically Las Vegas, has the highest rate in the nation. Here's the CDC's link:
Regional Variations in Suicide Rates -- United States, 1990-1994

Observing folks here over more than two decades, I'd say depression and suicide are individual and not climatic. Isn't it interesting how so many people on the Washington forum say they love it here?

[toughguy]

I am pretty sure on a per capita basis, the western U.S. as a whole is higher than the rest of the country. I think all of the early 90's heroin casualties and Kurt Cobain probably has something to do with the perception of Seattle residents being depressed as well. Also, our demographics probably contribute to a slighly higher rate than average: relatively small black population, which has a lower risk of suicide, combined with comparitively high amounts of people of Scandinavian or Asian ancestry, which culturally has higher rates of suicide than the U.S.

[renaejrf]

I lived in Seattle for 3 years and in that 3 years I don't think I encountered a single person diagnosised with depression. And just being overall depressed.....sometimes people would get gloomy but when the sun came out....it was like the whole world opened up! People were so happy, friendly, and enjoyed life!

[pwright1]

No it's not true at all.

[41Willys]

That's what I always heard.(Seattle #1) When I visited my brother in PDX there's a bridge there that has a nickname.(Can't remember rite now) That is famous for people jumping off to their death.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

That's what I always heard.(Seattle #1) When I visited my brother in PDX there's a bridge there that has a nickname.(Can't remember rite now) That is famous for people jumping off to their death.

I think that's the Vista Bridge or the Vista Avenue Viaduct in Portland but from what I remember from my history classes, it was during the depression (1930s!) that people were jumping off of it and that's why it was named "the suicide bridge." I'm not so certain that people are still jumping off of it and if they are, I'm thinking it's not because of the weather.

[jwb123]

There is a similar bridge in Seattle too. Is it the I5 bridge? Or the one right below it that crosses into the U District?

I also know the one in Freemont that crosses above Adobe has had it's share of suicide jumps.... I know someone who used to work in the Adobe building...

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

There is a similar bridge in Seattle too. Is it the I5 bridge? Or the one right below it that crosses into the U District?

I also know the one in Freemont that crosses above Adobe has had it's share of suicide jumps.... I know someone who used to work in the Adobe building...

Do you mean Aurora? ...the Aurora Bridge. Yes, there have been some suicides off of the Aurora Bridge. I believe it's the first choice of places to commit suicide in Seattle.

edit: I didn't realize this but on average, someone jumps from the bridge every three months according to the WSDOT. (broken link)


ETA: that should have read "somebody attempts to jump from the bridge every three months" see Seattle Times article

Also, update on the completion of the safety fence, February 2011:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/94708764.html

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr9...rabridgefence/

http://www.seattlefriends.org/




.

[scubashawn68]

Duh ! Of course it is.