Fascinating statistical article about suicide on birthdays

[Tintypographer]

Higher Risk of Suicide on Milestone Birthdays: Evidence from Japan - Scientific Reports

Recent studies suggest that the risk of suicide is higher during and around birthdays. The so-called “birthday blues” might be stronger on birthdays at milestone ages (e.g., 20, 30, 40), as these symbolic ages might represent occasions for existential stock-taking that may highlight failures and...

www.nature.com

An article in Nature which is one of the top science publications in the world discussed the incidence of suicide around birthdays. My birthday is close which is why I began thinking about this topic.
Didn't finished before I hit post reply:

The data is from Japan but is striking on the details associated with the age of 20 and around 60-65 for retirement ages.

It's clear there are vulnerable ages for individuals that are at increased risk of suicide.

 

[Caspers]

If you CTB on your birthday, there is only one anniversary to make people sad. I see people melt down when it gets close to the date of a traumatic injury, so at least only having one a year would reduce the suffering.

 

[dreadpirateroberts69]

As much as I would love to ctb on my birthday, it happens to be on a holiday as well so doing it then would also ruin that holiday for everyone I know. After I go, I hope that they are eventually able to remember me fondly and celebrate my life when my birthday comes around (though I know this is wishful thinking).

 

[FuneralCry]

I would like to ctb on my birthday, it is a day that I dislike and I find it to be so depressing. I do not like a day that is supposed to celebrate an existence I do not want and did not ask for. I'm not sure I would ever be able to stick to a specific date for ctb though, I will just do it when the pain of living gets to be unbearable.

 

[Wrennie]

Higher Risk of Suicide on Milestone Birthdays: Evidence from Japan - Scientific Reports

Recent studies suggest that the risk of suicide is higher during and around birthdays. The so-called “birthday blues” might be stronger on birthdays at milestone ages (e.g., 20, 30, 40), as these symbolic ages might represent occasions for existential stock-taking that may highlight failures and...

www.nature.com

An article in Nature which is one of the top science publications in the world discussed the incidence of suicide around birthdays. My birthday is close which is why I began thinking about this topic.
Didn't finished before I hit post reply:

The data is from Japan but is striking on the details associated with the age of 20 and around 60-65 for retirement ages.

It's clear there are vulnerable ages for individuals that are at increased risk of suicide.

Initially, before I got sick, I was planning on potentially CTBing on my 30th birthday. Nothing really to look forward to past that date (not that there's much to look forward to in life right now at 25, either… aside from organ failure).

 

[MelancholyMagic]

Birthdays are sad. It's the day your suffering started (well, more or less). But beyond that, it is the mixture of childhood memories that really gets to me.

 

[Crazy4u]

I would love to ctb on my birthday but I can't. My birthday is in June and I live in a desert area!!

 

[Ligottian]

Perhaps a bit of an aside...According to Schopenhauer, Jonathan Swift early in life took up the custom of reading aloud on his birthday the verses from the Bible in which Job cursed the day of his birth.

 

[9BBN]

If you CTB on your birthday, there is only one anniversary to make people sad. I see people melt down when it gets close to the date of a traumatic injury, so at least only having one a year would reduce the suffering.

Exactly. "Birthday blues" makes it sound like birthdays are a source of suicidal ideation. The logic is backwards. We're simply trying to minimize the collateral.

 

[Depressed Cat]

I developed an intense dislike for my birthday after I first experienced depression. It not only reminds me of the day I came into existence (which I didn't ask for), it also makes me aware of the fact that I have spent another whole year of my wretched existence in this world.

I would definitely prefer to CTB on my birthday if it were near, and also at or near the exact time if possible.

 

[olkf]

I had planned to ctb the night before my birthday but I wanted to give myself a chance to enjoy most I can. it backfired as I have been isolated ever since

 

[lastlife_]

That's interesting, but also unsurprising. I think a lot of people feel stressed, sad or anxious around their birthday - at least I do. I previously found some seasonal statistics while researching at some point last year and found that, I think, April - June has the highest average for suicide yearly, followed secondly by December/New Year. Which is interesting because I thought it would be the other way around, but I do find myself feeling the most depressed and suicidal during spring/summer so it kind of makes sense. I wonder how birthday statistics would compare on a chart with seasonal statistics..

 

[CiproKilledMe]

The best day to ctb would be on Feb 29th of a leap year so that people only have to grieve once every four years

 

[thereisthemist]

This do be a very reasonable interesting idea, I myself never thought of that.

 

[xLosthopex]

I have always had MAJOR anxiety about getting older, I still feel like a child and cannot cope with adulthood… seriously like if I had no other issues at all that would be enough for me to still ctb. I intend to ctb before my birthday at the end of March because then I'll no longer be able to say I'm in my 'early 20s' and I just cannot cope with not being perceived as young. I think it's part of the reason I have anorexia nervosa also, to try to keep my body as child-like as possible
So yeah I'm giving myself another month to ctb

Another member on here ctb just before his birthday too, and we actually shared the same birthday… his one year anniversary will be coming up soon

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

For me, both Valentine's and my birthday sound pretty ideal. In reality it doesn't really matter what number is on the screen/paper, but I guess setting a date will improve my chances of finally getting it done.

 

[myopybyproxy]

I recall reading that in Japan and Korea, the most suicides - amongst those thereabouts 5-24, anyway - occur in the fall before school begins. Not surprising.

Being a student myself, I plan to wait until a break or between semesters. Last time I tried during a regular school day and that set me back a year due to forced treatment. Well, it was less the day and more the fact that I failed, but even if I had failed during the summer or winter break it would have not been as bad due to missing less schoolwork. During those breaks there is more time to plan and focus fully on being sure it will work.