Why is the suicide rate higher out west?

Question

I thought people were happy there due to better weather, lower taxes and less population.

Answer 1

Perhaps it has to do with the number of guns in the west and people being able to act on their feelings.  My father commited suicide with a gun and I live in NM.

Answer 2

If you are thinking California, Oregon, and Washington, these suicide rates are not that high, CA ranks 42, OR 39, WA 21.. Even Seattle, like someone suggested does not have a high suicide rate. According to the most recent data, Montana has the highest rate, followed by Nevada, Alaska, New Mexico, and Wyoming. If you actually look at the population of these states and how many people per mile, they are not that densely populated. Four of these are classified as frontier states, that means very low populations.

The less populated a place is, the less likely people are going to be able to have large support systems, activities to do, less services available, and really the better weather is debatable. Visiting these places may make them seem good places to be but when you literally have 6 weeks of summer, no fall or spring, just 6 weeks of no snow, it does get depressing.

I live in Wyoming. When there is no town that is even 50,000 people, there is not much available. Yes, the mountains are pretty, Grand Tetons are great to vacation at, but when you have to drive at least three hours to get to an oncologist doctor (cancer doctor) it gets depressing.

The higher suicide rates happen when there is not a chance to maintain confidentiality when there is some mental illness going on, even just depression. When there is not much to do, everyone young and old turn to alcohol and drugs. This increases the likelyhood of accidential or suicidial deaths.

Answer 3

Well not as much California or Arizona. In Arizona there's generally like 1 suicide a year-ish. But Seattle has the highest suicide rate in the whole country. It's not surprising, either. You go there and it's always raining, the sky is always gray, and the city is just pure industrial-like. Kind of depressing..

Answer 4

Because of all the liberal nut jobs in Cali,

Or for Nevada, one word,  Casinos.

Answer 5

Weather: some people actually like snow storms...they let us make snowmen. :)

Lower taxes: No clue.

Less population: Equals less friends and more loneliness.