air pollution causes damage to the lungs and vessels; the particulate matter is even deposited. A study in Canada now adds another to the known fatal consequences: With the air pollutants, the number of suicides also increases, reports a team led by brain researcher Paul Villeneuve in «Environmental Research«.
The research group first used a national database in Canada to determine where and how many people had committed suicide between 2002 and 2015. In total, they came to more than 50 000 Suicide – on average ten a day, with an upward trend.For this purpose, the team determined the nearest air measuring station and recorded the exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) before suicide. The subjects also served as their own control group: air pollution on the day of suicide was compared with that of the same day of the week in the same month.
Compared to German limit values, the values were low: the average concentration of nitrogen dioxide was 8.3 and of ozone 23.7 billionths of parts per billion (ppb), and for particulate matter it was 5.5-_ Micrograms per cubic meter. Nevertheless, the burden was enough. «A short-term increase in NO2, O3, PM2.5 and temperature is associated with an increased risk of suicide in Canada,» the researchers summarize. The correlation was strongest for ozone.
Another observation: The pollutants had a stronger effect on women and in the warm season from April to September.The latter can be explained by open windows and longer stays outdoors. The suicides were even more closely related to temperature than to air pollutants. Almost ten degrees Celsius more within three days meant around ten percent more suicides. However, the temperature on the day of death itself had the strongest influence. The situation was different for pollutants: suicides were most strongly associated with them when an average over the day of suicide and the two preceding days was calculated.
Previous studies have already come to similar conclusions: A Meta-analysis found a link between suicides and air pollution, especially from nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. The exact mechanisms have not yet been clarified, writes the group. The suicides would probably be «triggered» by the effect of the pollutants in the brain. There are indications that PM2.5 could promote inflammatory reactions of glial cells and ozone oxidative stress.The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis could also be affected, which has been linked to depression, aggressive behavior and suicide. High temperatures could also disrupt the nervous system in regulating emotions.
Do you ever think about taking your own life? Does life seem pointless to you or does your situation seem hopeless? Are you out of hope? Then please contact contact points that can help people in crisis situations: family doctors, psychotherapists or psychiatrists in private practice or the emergency services of clinics. Contacts are arranged by the medical on-call service under the telephone number 116 117.
The telephone pastoral care advises around the clock, anonymously and free of charge: by telephone under the nationwide valid numbers 0800 – 1110111 and 0800 – 1110222 as well as by e-mail and chat on the page www.telefonseelsorge.de.Children and young people can also find help under the number 0800 – 1110333.
Source — https://www.spektrum.de/news/suizide-macht-schlechte-luft-lebensmuede/2122638