A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “suicide”. Follow an idea across the archive.
A review of David Foster Wallace's 'The Pale King', examining its themes, the author's style and personal struggles, and the reviewer's evolving perspective on Wallace's work and legacy.
A review of 'Two Arms and a Head', a paraplegic's memoir and argument for physician-assisted suicide, exploring the book's content and the broader debate around Medical Assistance in Dying.
Scott Alexander directs readers to his essay on Works in Progress examining why suicide rates didn't increase during the COVID-19 pandemic as expected.
Scott investigates unusually high suicide rates in Guyana, Greenland, and Siberian regions, exploring potential ethnic, cultural, and social factors contributing to these trends.
Scott Alexander explores why US suicide rates aren't higher despite high gun ownership, concluding that the US likely has a low base rate elevated by gun availability.
Scott Alexander shares his experiences and reflections as a final-year psychiatric resident, discussing communication techniques, challenges in psychotherapy, and the anxiety of managing patient risks.
Scott Alexander examines the relationship between gun ownership and homicide rates, finding a likely causal link but noting it's not the main factor in the US's high murder rate.
Scott Alexander critiques a study claiming to have found biomarkers for suicide risk, arguing that the results are overstated and such a test would have limited clinical utility even if accurate.
Scott Alexander critiques the inefficiency of psychiatric care for poverty-related issues, suggesting a Basic Income Guarantee as a potentially more effective solution.
Scott Alexander argues that depression and suicide rates are not reliable indicators of societal well-being, critiquing simplistic interpretations of mental health statistics in social comparisons.
Scott criticizes interpretations of a study suggesting psychiatric care might cause suicide, arguing this ignores the more likely explanation of selection bias.
Scott examines the feeling of being a burden in depression, arguing that society owes individuals support and suggesting a need for new ways to find meaning beyond traditional 'contribution'.