Why is it that the more developed a country is the higher it's suicide rates are?

[Mr Rayon]

Richer countries have higher suicide rates?

 

What are some plausible psychological explanations for this?

[Ben Banana]

I could stab this with so many 'good' guesses. It might just have a very broad range of causes. Interesting topic, though.

 

EDIT: Would it be fine if, in the case of lacking a strong appeal towards any specific probable explanation, we could simply list a number of 'good' ones, then further weed them out, generalize and perhaps classify by discussion? This will be interesting.

Edited September 5, 2012 by Ben Bowen

[akh]

Perception of personal value and success. A severe disconnect between our daily activities the natural world in which we all evolved; the artificial constructs of modern society.

 

There is little idle time to think about ones failure, when most of ones time is consumed by meeting very basic necessities. You simply don't have the mental latitude when all your energy is invested in existing to see another day.

[iNow]

Maslow

[JMJones0424]

Unequal reporting rates?

[iNow]

Richer countries have higher suicide rates?

Ah... yes. This is a thread by Mr Rayon. I should know better by now... The opening premise was untrue, and hence any proposed answers rendered moot since they're aiming at a flawed target. "Explain why leprechauns cause your television to eat babies. What are some plausible explanations for this?"

 

 

http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en/

[imatfaal]

Cos - I love playing with Gapminder Graphs

 

Suicide Per 100,000 people per year vs per Capita GDP (PPS$ based on 2005)

 

just gotta check those assumptions before asking why