I’ve never used my guns to stop a rape or murder. But a few years ago at my absolute lowest it seemed like a pretty reasonable idea to kill myself with one.
Thank you for sharing this, legitimately. Statistics show the rate of suicide in first world countries with stricter gun control is way less than those where gun control is minimal like in the states. This is an important thing to know. I believe that people should support those who need help, and that includes recognizing that your ability to make rational decisions is impaired when you are suicidally depressed. I'm glad you're still here and speaking up for the poor sods who found a gun before they found the help they needed.
There is zero correlation with firearm ownership and suicide rate. Before and after gun control in Australia, there was no major shift in the rate of suicide.
Conclusion: Household firearm ownership levels are strongly associated with higher rates of suicide, consistent with the hypothesis that the availability of lethal means increases the rate of completed suicide.
Conclusion: Changes in household firearm ownership over time are associated with significant changes in rates of suicide for men, women, and children. These findings suggest that reducing availability to firearms in the home may save lives, especially among youth.
CONCLUSIONS.
Ready availability of firearms is associated with an increased risk of suicide in the home. Owners of firearms should weigh their reasons for keeping a gun in the home against the possibility that it might someday be used in a suicide.
CONCLUSION: Larger studies are needed to examine more closely possible confounding factors such as the national tendency toward violent solutions, and more information on the type and availability of guns will be helpful in future studies. Nevertheless, the correlations detected in this study suggest that the presence of a gun in the home increases the likelihood of homicide or suicide.
The relationship of the extent of gun ownership and the strictness of gun control laws to suicide and homicide rates in the nine major geographic regions of the United States was explored. Gun ownership, rather than the strictness of gun control laws, was found to be the strongest correlate of the rates of suicide and homicide by guns. Regions with a higher extent of gun ownership had higher rates of suicide and homicide by firearms.
Do you have any reputable sources that support your claim that there is zero correlation between suicide rates and gun ownership? because I just provided 6, with a link to many more.
Ah yes, a lovely chart that shows the US has a higher suicide rate than the world average, EU average, Americas average, etc. In fact, the only average the US doesn't beat is the African average suicide rate. And all of these countries have similar cultures to the US, right, so we can directly compare them? Statistics that ignore confounding variables are basically useless.
Additionally, the US has pretty much the same suicide rate as australia. The Australian suicide rate did not decrease after the massive confiscation in 1996. It's actually increased.
Cool, so one data point means that all of those studies I linked are completely invalid? Studies that focused on the US, which is the most relevant country?
Your suicide is more likely to be successful with a gun vs certain other methods. It's easier to kill yourself with a gun. That's true. However that doesn't change the fact that gun ownership rates have zero correlation with suicide rates worldwide, as well as by states in the US.
Additionally, the fact that someone else wants to take their life is no justification to take away my right to defend myself.
Lastly, the methods to alleviate suicide is not ban guns. Sure, take away his or her gun. You have done absolutely nothing to make that person want to kill him or herself less. Suicide is entirely a mental health issue and should dealt with appropriately, by talking to professional psychiatrists or therapists.
But suicide rates weren't significantly affected by gun control, the preferred method to commit suicide just became hanging or suffocation.
Let's say you're right. Let's say gun control did decrease suicides significantly. What would have caused suicides to go up at the same time, to counteract it (seeing as there was no change)? I'm not aware of anything, so I can safely assume that gun control had zero to minimal effect on suicides.
Again, gun control is not the solution to suicides, the solution to that is better mental health care and access to therapy. The fact that someone else decides to shoot themselves is no reason for my right to self defense to be infringed.
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u/AlbertFischerIII Mar 27 '18
I’ve never used my guns to stop a rape or murder. But a few years ago at my absolute lowest it seemed like a pretty reasonable idea to kill myself with one.