Happiest countries have highest suicide rate?

[lewisnotmiller]

This is in large part caused by two things that are different than most countries. One is that there's less of a stigma in the Scandinavian countries against one whom commits suicide or their family, including more support, including financial, for families affected by suicide.

Secondly, the Scandinavian countries are not at all leery about calling some deaths "suicide", such as maybe a person taking a hair-pin turn in their Volvo at high speed going off a cliff. Also, families can still collect on their life insurance policies-- at least the last time I've heard

Thirdly, the long darkness of winter pays a toll as well, and even the personalities of Swedes tends to change from summer to winter. Know as being relatively quiet and introverted people, this is far less true during the summer months.

I remember quite a few years ago running across a comparative study that found that U.S. suicide rates are almost as high as those in Sweden if we here in the States compiled stats in the same way the Swedes do. However, I don't know if this still would be true.

It's an interesting point. The OP didn't link to any stats, but rather a 2011 story which used Scandinavian countries as an example without stating any hard figures.
It's at least partially based on different reporting methods used to determine when a death is a suicide (as you have indicated). Kind of a legacy myth from the 60s and 70s that Scandanavians kill themselves at a particularly high rate. Myth might be too strong a word, I guess, but still...
In terms of 2015 WHO figures, Nordic countries rank as follows;
Finland - 35
Sweden - 46
Norway - 102
Denmark -105

Meanwhile, the top 5 countries are Sri Lanka, Guyana, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Cote de Ivorie.
I suspect the linking of happy countries to high suicide rates is probably overstated, and quite possible completely misrepresented by the Time article mentioned in the OP.

List of sovereign states by suicide rate - Wikipedia

 

[lewisnotmiller]

No, I'm pretty sure that does not account for the data.

Per my post above, it actually might have, once upon a time.
The data is more standardised now (to whatever extent that is possible) and doesn't really tell the same story it used to.

 

[Nous]

Per my post above, it actually might have, once upon a time.
The data is more standardised now (to whatever extent that is possible) and doesn't really tell the same story it used to.

The information you and Metis have provided is crucially informative on the topic. Thanks. The World Atlas provides further information (and supports your figures): Suicide Rates By Country

I'm not sure how to account for the "spike" in Sri Lanka's or Guyana's suicide rates. Nevertheless, obviously suicide rates do a lot more fluctuating than one might anticipate.

 

[PureX]

Worldwide surveys have consistently ranked the Scandinavian countries — with their generous family-leave policies, low crime, free health care, rich economies and, yes, high income taxes — as the happiest places on earth. But this happiness has always been accompanied by a paradox: the happiest countries also seem to have the highest suicide rates.
Why the Happiest States Have the Highest Suicide Rates | TIME.com

Why do you think that is?

Also, why do you think men commit suicide more often than women?

"Poor people in developing countries survive and often find pleasure in their hard lives. There are few suicides in the poorest countries. For example, the U.S. suicide rate is approximately 13 per 100,000 people. In Costa Rica it's 4.9; in Mexico it's 1.4; and in Peru it's .5. Who has time for suicide? You're too busy surviving. There's little ambiguity and few questions about the meaning of life. Living! That's what life's all about. There's no "Mom, what am I going to do today?" You know what you're going to do: survive if you can. And survival is satisfying.
Are people in poor countries more or less likely to commit suicide than Americans? - Democratic Underground

Any other reasons you can think of why people commit suicide more often in wealthy countries?

Perhaps people's expectations are higher in countries where their basic needs are being assured. It leaves them with the luxury of high hope, and therefor the risk of having them denied.

Perhaps people in countries where everyone has to compete, to live, are killed by that competition before they get the "luxury" of choosing to do it to themselves. Who knows?

Personally, I don't think the phenomena are logically connected.

Are you actually trying to suggest that forcing humans to compete with each other for their survival, makes them happy?

 

[Truthseeker]

Worldwide surveys have consistently ranked the Scandinavian countries — with their generous family-leave policies, low crime, free health care, rich economies and, yes, high income taxes — as the happiest places on earth. But this happiness has always been accompanied by a paradox: the happiest countries also seem to have the highest suicide rates.
Why the Happiest States Have the Highest Suicide Rates | TIME.com

Why do you think that is?

Also, why do you think men commit suicide more often than women?

"Poor people in developing countries survive and often find pleasure in their hard lives. There are few suicides in the poorest countries. For example, the U.S. suicide rate is approximately 13 per 100,000 people. In Costa Rica it's 4.9; in Mexico it's 1.4; and in Peru it's .5. Who has time for suicide? You're too busy surviving. There's little ambiguity and few questions about the meaning of life. Living! That's what life's all about. There's no "Mom, what am I going to do today?" You know what you're going to do: survive if you can. And survival is satisfying.
Are people in poor countries more or less likely to commit suicide than Americans? - Democratic Underground

Any other reasons you can think of why people commit suicide more often in wealthy countries?

People think that if they're rich, they'll be happy. But that is not so. Happiness is being close to good and and the poor are closer to God. Riches takes one away from God into material pleasures.

 

[Truthseeker]

It's an interesting point. The OP didn't link to any stats, but rather a 2011 story which used Scandinavian countries as an example without stating any hard figures.
It's at least partially based on different reporting methods used to determine when a death is a suicide (as you have indicated). Kind of a legacy myth from the 60s and 70s that Scandanavians kill themselves at a particularly high rate. Myth might be too strong a word, I guess, but still...
In terms of 2015 WHO figures, Nordic countries rank as follows;
Finland - 35
Sweden - 46
Norway - 102
Denmark -105

Meanwhile, the top 5 countries are Sri Lanka, Guyana, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Cote de Ivorie.
I suspect the linking of happy countries to high suicide rates is probably overstated, and quite possible completely misrepresented by the Time article mentioned in the OP.

List of sovereign states by suicide rate - Wikipedia

I guess in my previous answer I oversimplified. Sorry about that. Still material pleasures doesn't get one closer to God, and in the end that is bad. The poor suffers more than those that are well off I have to admit.

 

[JesusMyFriend]

I have just seen this post now but it's so true. Like give for example Ireland or the UK and suicide rates are quite high, which is weird coz living in a "first world country" people have everything they need, want or desire. All the commodities. Being also Peruvian, I know the mentality of people in my country. And as said, suicide rates are really really low. Like you said at the start, they Don't have the time to think, life is hard as it is, so why commit suicide? Also I have noticed they take life as it comes, happily and with great faith. It's quite amazing actually. .

 

[Rival]

I have just seen this post now but it's so true. Like give for example Ireland or the UK and suicide rates are quite high, which is weird coz living in a "first world country" people have everything they need, want or desire. All the commodities. Being also Peruvian, I know the mentality of people in my country. And as said, suicide rates are really really low. Like you said at the start, they Don't have the time to think, life is hard as it is, so why commit suicide? Also I have noticed they take life as it comes, happily and with great faith. It's quite amazing actually. .

It might be because the UK is a largely atheist country and people here have fewer issues with suicide. South America is more religious and the people there may be less inclined towards suicide because of religious beliefs. Just a theory though.

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Worldwide surveys have consistently ranked the Scandinavian countries — with their generous family-leave policies, low crime, free health care, rich economies and, yes, high income taxes — as the happiest places on earth.

Delusions of grandeur.
Certainly those surveys are nothing more than white monopoly capital propaganda.
I have had plenty of chance to live in those places,
but I prefer living in Africa, because here the people are really happy,
and white people are mostly a bunch of miserable cynical lying manipulative racist sods.

 

[Enoch07]

All true. However, that doesn't necessarily explain the gender disparity in suicide rates.

Neuroticism - Wikipedia is the reason for that. Women tend to be more neurotic. It's evolution is all, neurotic women are able to keep their children safe, because they are more cautious.

 

[Holdasown]

If everyone seems to be doing fine and you are not it can add to depression, drug use, more socially acceptable especially if for medical reasons. Suicide is still highly stigmatized in America. In Japan you have a nice forest to go to and die in peace. Males from Gen X in the use are ODing in really high numbers. I think it's drugs and feeling worthless.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Delusions of grandeur.
Certainly those surveys are nothing more than white monopoly capital propaganda.
I have had plenty of chance to live in those places,
but I prefer living in Africa, because here the people are really happy,
and white people are mostly a bunch of miserable cynical lying manipulative racist sods.

Ironic much?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

The information you and Metis have provided is crucially informative on the topic. Thanks. The World Atlas provides further information (and supports your figures): Suicide Rates By Country

I'm not sure how to account for the "spike" in Sri Lanka's or Guyana's suicide rates. Nevertheless, obviously suicide rates do a lot more fluctuating than one might anticipate.

Me either. I work with a lot of Sri Lankans, but not sure how straight an answer I would get on this topic.

 

[kiwimac]

Delusions of grandeur.
Certainly those surveys are nothing more than white monopoly capital propaganda.
I have had plenty of chance to live in those places,
but I prefer living in Africa, because here the people are really happy,
and white people are mostly a bunch of miserable cynical lying manipulative racist sods.

You cannot paint a whole population in that way without receiving some comeback. Like saying all Muslims are terrorists or all blacks are drug-users; it is BS of the worst kind and reflects an inability to think .

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I think many people are a bit confused about what comprises happiness.