European journal of public health
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Eur J Public Health · Jun 2015
Nothing like Christmas--suicides during Christmas and other holidays in Austria.
Contrary to the myth that suicides increase around Christmas, multiple studies reveal that suicide rates decrease towards Christmas and return back to normal or even peak in the beginning of the new year. We aimed to replicate this effect for Austria. ⋯ Compared with other holidays, Christmas time is clearly associated with fewer suicides in Austria, too, and may even counteract the 'broken promise' effect. This finding may help clarifying common myths in suicide prevention and may enhance the proper timing of preventive efforts.