why does it seem that more people die around the holidays?

[caitycaity]

 

[Cindy B]

Its not surprising that the suicide rate is really high this time of year.

People are depressed and have a hard time with the season, holiday, don't want to be joyful, don't want to participate in gifts, and so on.

My MIL has a really hard time with Christmas..one of her siblings committed suicide on Dec 24, and her parents died on Dec 24 a few years after that.

 

[snoopy]

I think it just seems that way, because its more meaningful when its associated with a holiday.

Or maybe more people do die around the holidays.

Thank goodness neither of my parents died at Christmas. Christmastime is hard enough without having to associate a death with it. My father died on July 3rd, though, so I also associate the 4th of July with his death. Kind of depressing, since I do love that holiday.

 

[jipsy]

I think Cindy's right about suicide rates. You also have alot of traffic related deaths, because more people are travelling to visit family. Also, DUI deaths, because of drinking to celebrate and driving. My mother told me a couple of days ago that my voice teacher, from when I was in high school, was killed over Thanksgiving holiday by a drunk driver. She wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected when he hit them from behind. Her husband survived.

It's just alot of different factors I think Caity.

 

[browneyes]

I don't know. My SO and my mom both lost their mothers in Decembers (my SO's mom died December 1994 and my grandmother died a week before Christmas 1990).

 

[Steve H.]

Cindy is right about suicide rates -- I've heard similar things.

Snoopy -- same thing in our family. DW lost her father this past July (the 2nd), so the 4th of July will definitely have a different meaning to us from now on.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

My mom died the day before my birthday. It's been 12 years, but my birthday is still tainted.

I think deaths are more noticable during times that are supposed to be happy. I saw a funeral procession on Saturday, and took more note of it than I normally would because it's so close to Christmas.

 

[Jenzebelle]

A really good friend of mine killed himself on NYE a few years ago.

Between the stress of the holidays, the fact we have less sunlight, and the loneliness of this time of year - I think it is too much for some people to bear.

And because of people drinking and driving, and driving like maniac on unsafe road conditions, a lot of people get injured or killed in car accidents.

Another reason to remember to not drink and drive

 

[nativetxn]

I agree with Snoopy. I think we are very aware during the holidays of loss and memories of loved ones we lost

 

[DonnaS]

My mom died on Halloween and my dad's funeral was on Good Friday (before Easter) and my brother died just before Memorial Day.

 

[Bob O]

I have seen more attempted suicides arpund the holidays as cry's for attention but in actual suicides i havent seen a increase and in regards to highway deaths i have found fewer occur because in my city the weather usually isnt that good so people are traveling at slower speeds so while they may crash more the fatality rate is higher in summer when people are speeding more.

 

[phamton]

Statistically, suicides do not go up during the holiday season. But according to the National Centre for Health Statistics, suicide rates actually
decline around the holidays, with December having the fewest
suicides of any month. The media seems to perpetrate this myth of suicides being more common during hoildays.

See: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/29/1728_67796

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.htm

http://www.stats.org/spotlight/holiday.html

http://www.newswise.com/articles/2002/11/SUICIDE.AIC.html

That being said, my brother-in-law committed suicide the day after Christmas 14 years ago. He was 34 years old and bi-polar.

Bev

 

[Lucky4me]

I was told by the funeral director that more people die in October and November than any other months. (My Mom died in Oct.) This was 15 years ago. I don't know if that's still the case.

I'm glad she didn't go on a Holiday too, but as soon as I see the leaves changing colors, I start thinking about the anniversary of her death.

I do miss her most at Christmas. I went through all her cookie recipes this afternoon. It makes me sad but I'm also comforted by seeing her handwriting....

 

[snoopy]

Isn't that weird about the handwriting connection, Lucky4Me? I have the same thing - whenever I see my mother's lovely handwriting (people really learned to write beautifully back in the day) I get so nostalgic for her, but strangely comforted, as you said.

I guess its like a legacy of sorts. Interesting that you should bring that up.

 

[DonnaS]

I have the handwriting connection, too. I also have an answering machine recording with my dad's voice. I won't let DH get rid of the old answering machine in case I want to listen to it.

 

[Wendy]

That is so true about the handwriting! Just a few days ago I went to look up some of my mom's old handwritten recipes for holiday baking. It always makes such an impact on me when I see her handwriting. Lots of memories come flooding back, but it's comforting somehow.

 

[Lucky4me]

LOL, my wording makes it sound like she went on a Holiday. Well, I guess she did in a way... It's taken me 15 years to laugh like that about it. I still miss her in every way, but the pain has eased.

Snoopy, my Mom wrote letters to several of my siblings before she died, but not me. She did tell me a few days before her death, that I had a good head on my shoulders and she wasn't worried about me. I wasn't so sure, but now I can see she was right. The others needed those letters. I still would have liked one anyway, to me, seeing her handwriting is more connecting than seeing her picture.

This may sound morbid, but I write a new letter to each of my children every year or so, to be opened after I'm dead. Just in case I drop over tomorrow they'll have something from me, just for them. It's mostly me saying much I love them and how proud I am of them, but also some Motherly advice thrown in there. They don't know I do this because they'd probably be freaked out. Hopefully they won't be when they read them all...

 

[caitycaity]

my mom is still alive, and i have the handwriting connection with her. she recently mailed me some recipes and seeing her handwriting is comforting somehow.