New Study Shows That As Heat Rises, So Could Suicides
Is the heat making you miserable? Apparently for some, the heat is so unbearable they may even end their life over it, at least according to one new study. We've all heard of the "winter blues," seasonal affective disorder where people usually start feeling depressed around the fall and peaks in the wintertime. By the time the spring comes around, the increase in outdoor activities and better weather can help shake the winter blues but turns out the heat can harm you too.
The hotter temperatures associated with global warming are also putting people at risk of feeling "lonely," "trapped" and even "suicidal."According to scientists at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley, a 1.8 degree increase in average monthly temperature will lead to a 0.7 percent increase in suicides in the United States. In Mexico, a 1.8 degree increase will lead to a 2.1 percent rise in Mexico. The heatwaves in the future could make life unbearable for some, and they may end up committing suicide rather than living in misery. Overall, there could be an additional 21,000 suicides seen through 2050. Heat stress is also an issue, in Pakistan, more than 60 people died in May during a heat wave. Another troubling issue? Heat and violence. The study found that people were more likely to fight when the weather was hot. So when it's hot out, it might be better to stay inside and try hard to be nice.