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Tue Mar 4 15:16:51 GMT 2008

We have seen an increase not only in suicide attempts but also assaults. No only in teens, but? adults up into the mid 40s. Most of the suicide attempts?have been intentional ODs and the assaults fist fights or stabbings.

We are also rural and I have long held the belief that that our winters up here have an effect. We probably don't have as much snow as ME but I would bet we are much colder. When winter seems longer than usual, as it has this year, some will start feeling frustrated and cooped up (something like "The Shining?") or maybe they have too much time to think.?Either way, the weather imposed isolation?definitely contributes to people doing really stupid things.

Vicky Black RN EMT
Grand Forks ND

-----Original Message-----
From: Bjorn, Pret <pbjorn at emh.org>
To: Trauma &amp; Critical Care mailing list <trauma-list at trauma.org>
Sent: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 8:34 am
Subject: Suicide Blip

Our trauma service has seen a disturbing increase in suicides and
suicide attempts over the past couple of months.  We're rural, so both
the numerators and denominators are small; but hear me out:  for January
and February, we have six registered self-inflicted major traumas.
That's half again as many for all of '07, and six times the total for
Jan/Feb '06 and '07 combined.  It's a blip; but it's a hell of a blip.  

Is anyone else seeing the same?

Pret Bjorn, RN
Bangor, ME USA
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Suicide Blip