CLEARWATER, Fla. - TelAve -- As communities observe International Survivors of Suicide Day on November 22nd, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Florida is taking the opportunity to address a persistent and harmful myth surrounding suicide during the holiday season. Contrary to widespread media narratives and public perception, CDC data definitively shows that suicide rates actually decrease in December and are among the lowest of the year—making the holiday suicide myth a dangerous piece of misinformation that may be undermining suicide prevention efforts.

Despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent annually on mental health interventions, suicide remains a significant public health crisis in the United States. More than 49,300 people died by suicide in 2023, with suicide ranking as the 11th leading cause of death nationally and the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10-34. Additionally, an estimated 1.5 million Americans attempted suicide in 2023, and 5.3% of U.S. adults (approximately 13.5 million people) reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past 12 months. Yet even as resources continue to increase—with excess costs arising from mental health inequities alone reaching an estimated $477.5 billion in 2024—effective suicide prevention remains elusive.

CCHR, a watchdog organization dedicated to protecting mental health human rights, believes that widespread misinformation surrounding suicide significantly clouds prevention efforts. One of the most persistent and damaging myths is that suicide attempts surge during the holiday season.

The Media's Role in Perpetuating False Narratives

The Annenberg Public Policy Center has tracked media reports on suicide since 2000 and found that during the 2023-2024 holiday season, 58% of articles linking the holidays and suicide perpetuated the holiday suicide myth, while only 42% debunked it. This pattern of media coverage has ensured that the misconception remains deeply embedded in public consciousness, creating unwarranted anxiety during the holiday season while potentially diverting attention and resources away from periods of actual higher suicide risk.

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In a nationally representative survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center in 2023, four out of five adults incorrectly selected December as the "time of year in which the largest number of suicides occur"—even though the other months provided as choices typically have much higher suicide rates.

What the Data Actually Shows

The CDC has emphatically stated that the holiday suicide myth supports misinformation and might actually hinder prevention efforts. According to analysis of CDC data from 2022 and 2023, December consistently had the lowest average daily suicide rate of the year, ranking 12th in suicide rates among all months. November ranked 11th, and January ranked 10th. In stark contrast, the highest suicide rates occurred in the spring and summer months, with June, July, and August ranking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively. This seasonal pattern has remained consistent over several decades and is observed in the southern hemisphere as well, where suicide rates peak during their summer months (December-February), further confirming that suicide rates are primarily influenced by seasonal factors rather than holiday-specific stressors.

Additional Concerns About Mental Health Treatment

Beyond the perpetuation of false information, CCHR has raised concerns about the growing reliance on antidepressant medications. According to new data released by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics in 2025, more than 1 in 10 U.S. adults took prescription medication for depression in 2023, with women (15.3%) more than twice as likely to take these medications as men (7.4%). Additionally, the prevalence of depression in U.S. adolescents and adults increased 60% in the past decade.

Research published in Pediatrics in 2024 revealed that antidepressant dispensing to adolescents and young adults increased by 66.3% from January 2016 to December 2022, with the rate of increase accelerating by 63.5% after the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. Notably, this dramatic expansion in antidepressant usage has occurred despite documented evidence that side effects from these medications can include suicidal thoughts and feelings.

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Furthermore, research has challenged the efficacy of suicide risk assessments. In a 2017 Scientific American article, psychiatrists Declan Murray and Patrick Devitt reported that 40 years of research on suicide risk assessment determined there is "no statistical method to identify patients at high-risk of suicide in a way that would improve treatment."

International Survivors of Suicide Day and a Call for Awareness

As November 22nd approaches, marking International Survivors of Suicide Day, the focus shifts to honoring those who have lost loved ones to suicide and supporting survivors in their grief and recovery. This observance underscores the importance of accurate, evidence-based information about suicide prevention and mental health treatment options that do not rely on potentially dangerous psychiatric drugs.

CCHR Florida invites individuals seeking accurate information about suicide and psychiatric drug side effects to visit the CCHR Center located in downtown Clearwater. Staff members are available to provide resources, education, and support for those navigating mental health concerns or seeking to understand treatment alternatives. Visitors can learn about the documented risks of psychiatric drugs, explore options for reporting adverse drug reactions, and access information on evidence-based mental health approaches. For more information, to report abuse, or to visit the CCHR Center in downtown Clearwater, please call 1-800-782-2878 or visit www.cchrflorida.org.

About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR's mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: "Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the 'free world' tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of 'mental health,'" he wrote in March 1969.