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by triceratops
1624 days ago
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> It just seems strange that amidst a period where people are self-reporting increases in mental health issues that the suicide rate would drop. Maybe the lockdowns brought people closer together with roommates and family. Long commutes are awful for mental and physical health - widespread WFH cut down on that significantly. Home cooking went slightly up[1] which improves physical and mental health because of healthier eating. People had to do more outdoor recreational activities instead of going to malls and bars, and maybe that made them healthier and less likely to commit suicide. There are so many confounding factors that it's impossible to tease them apart. 1. https://www.fooddive.com/news/survey-7-in-10-consumers-say-t... |
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What confuses me about theories like that is that self-reported mental health issues were up in 2020 [1]. I would have thought if it was increased closeness to roommates/family or home cooking or recreational activities then people would report higher life satisfaction and lower rates of mental health issues.
That CDC report even indicates a 4.4% rate of suicidal ideation, which is higher than normal.
It might be something we never know, but it does make me curious and skeptical. If the data really is correct, there might be advances in mental health treatment hidden here somewhere, which would be great.
1. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm