Depression and Suicide

A pamphlet by the Mental Health Research Fund noted that even though the number of suicides is nearly equal to the number of traffic fatalities, little attention is paid to suicide. Suicide often occurs in reaction to overwhelming stress, & often involves sadness & other depressive or psychiatric symptoms. This editorial argues that suicide prevention could by aided by doctor’s recognition of depression & its dangers, & by laymen realizing that it is not normal to speak of killing one’s self. RM