9 out of 10 people who attempt suicide and survive will not go on to attempt suicide at a later date

[DreamEnd]

Haven't read whole thread, but re OP.
I don't think I believe the statistics.
I've attempted suicide (and failed, obviously) many times. Actually my last attempt was (impulsively) about 3 weeks ago.

I didn't die but nor did I go to the hospital, nor did I tell anyone.

They can only base their statistics on data that says:

1. Someone attempted. Got saved, called for help, had intervention, whatever - but essentially ended up in hospital
2. What about the countless attempts nobody knows about?

Because after the stigma associated with my teenage years and when people knew, the pity or looking at you like you're an alien species - I simply stopped telling anyone. It'd only be if someone found me (unlikely, I live alone) a failed attempt would go on my medical record.

According to my medical record I may have had suicidal ideation fairly consistently my whole life but I haven't tried to kill myself for maybe… 18 years?

Which is complete and utter bullshit but I refuse to be locked up, watched, or treated like an alien species. So, nobody knows. And I'm pretty sure that many people are like me.

They summarized over 90 studies to come to that conclusion so I think it's fair to say it's maybe not a completely accurate representation but surely a good one

Surely there are attempts nobody knows about but I think their data on what the average attempt is is fairly accurate

 

[AshersGirl]

They summarized over 90 studies to come to that conclusion so I think it's fair to say it's maybe not a completely accurate representation but surely a good one

Surely there are attempts nobody knows about but I think their data on what the average attempt is is fairly accurate

I wrote a big long response but then I freaked out about it being too personally identifiable (like my employers lurking here knowing who I am )

Yay, paranoia. Below attempt to be more anonymous.

I'm in the U.K. I do statistical analysis on healthcare data. I know the inconsistencies of how it's gathered and interpreted first hand (without detailing too much - we are shit at tying the picture together and decades behind technology wise in public sector because of financial constraints). I am ye of little faith when it comes to any statistics published by our government due to first hand experience in how healthcare stats are gathered and compiled, and how elective opt in research studies work (ie, cohort of patients consenting to participate in follow up studies, including bias for honesty in responses, or… who even gets asked!)

Academia often draws upon datasets compiled by our government.

There are so many variables that can't be accounted for, so statistics are always ballpark. Other countries are probably much better.

I love data. I'm just jaded to it's worth when the methods of compiling are chaotic and often inconsistent. I say half the time my job is comparing apples to oranges.

So do most other analysts I've ever engaged with in U.K. healthcare.

 

[DreamEnd]

I wrote a big long response but then I freaked out about it being too personally identifiable (like my employers lurking here knowing who I am )

Yay, paranoia. Below attempt to be more anonymous.

I'm in the U.K. I do statistical analysis on healthcare data. I know the inconsistencies of how it's gathered and interpreted first hand (without detailing too much - we are shit at tying the picture together and decades behind technology wise in public sector because of financial constraints). I am ye of little faith when it comes to any statistics published by our government due to first hand experience in how healthcare stats are gathered and compiled, and how elective opt in research studies work (ie, cohort of patients consenting to participate in follow up studies, including bias for honesty in responses, or… who even gets asked!)

Academia often draws upon datasets compiled by our government.

There are so many variables that can't be accounted for, so statistics are always ballpark. Other countries are probably much better.

I love data. I'm just jaded to it's worth when the methods of compiling are chaotic and often inconsistent. I say half the time my job is comparing apples to oranges.

So do most other analysts I've ever engaged with in U.K. healthcare.

Keep in mind that that particular study only 1/3 was from UK. The other were from other European countries but I get what you are saying. At least some data is better than no data I guess

 

[RemainingDubious]

over time

How much time?

70% had no further attempts.

Unless the study tracked people from after an attempt until actually death it doesn't mean they actually won't attempt again at some point.

Figures lack detail too. Could it be possible some of those 70% ended up with brain damage after an attempt and no longer have mental capacity? Could some of them have become handicapped and physically unable to try again. Could some have died in "accidents"? Could some have died naturally shortly after?

Statistics can be manipulated to show what someone wants them to show.

How many of those 70% live a meaningful life they're actually happy with?

 

[DreamEnd]

How much time?


Unless the study tracked people from after an attempt until actually death it doesn't mean they actually won't attempt again at some point.

Figures lack detail too. Could it be possible some of those 70% ended up with brain damage after an attempt and no longer have mental capacity? Could some of them have become handicapped and physically unable to try again. Could some have died in "accidents"? Could some have died naturally shortly after?

Statistics can be manipulated to show what someone wants them to show.

How many of those 70% live a meaningful life they're actually happy with?

You can click on the link there is more tbere

Even studies that focused on medically serious attempts–such as people who jumped in front of a train (O'Donnell 1994)–and studies that followed attempters for many decades found similarly low suicide completion rates. At least one study, published after the 90-study review, found a slightly higher completion rate. This was a 37-year follow-up of self-poisoners in Finland that found an eventual completion rate of 13% (Suominen 2004).


This isn't a study on the quality of life. That would require a different study. You can look at how many suicide attempts end up in brain damage and see how it would be likely. They summarized over 90 studies to come up with this data. And it's from Harvard too I trust it very much.

 

[wait.what]

@mmikkee1: I'm curious—why introduce this report here? There is very little overlap between the demographic it's focused on (people with no serious illnesses or disabilities who have unsecured firearms in their homes) and the general demographic of SaSu posters (people with at least one significantly disabling condition, most of whom don't possess guns and wouldn't use one to ctb if they did).

How do you see the report's conclusions relating to SaSu's user base, if at all? I'd prefer to avoid any more speculating about reincarnation. We've got a wretched excess of "life after death" threads as it is.

 

[DreamEnd]

@mmikkee1: I'm curious—why introduce this report here?

I thought it was interesting

There is very little overlap between the demographic it's focused on (people with no serious illnesses or disabilities who have unsecured firearms in their homes) and the general demographic of SaSu posters (people with at least one significantly disabling condition, most of whom don't possess guns and wouldn't use one to ctb if they did).

Was there a poll? I might have missed it

How do you see the report's conclusions relating to SaSu's user base, if at all?

It might relate to some, might not relate to some. Idk.

I'd prefer to avoid any more speculating about reincarnation.

I'm sorry you don't get to dictate what I should or shouldn't post about. Take it up with mods

We've got a wretched excess of "life after death" threads as it is.

We have a lot of doomer threads too but you don't see me complaining.

I just thought this study was interesting because personally I never knew this. I don't think I need to defend myself here. This doesn't break any rules and whether or not you consider this unrelated to the suicide discussion is a matter of your personal opinion which you have now freely shared.