Year: 2007 Source: American Journal of Psychiatry, v.164, no.5, (May 2007), p.720-721 SIEC No: 20070526

The author discusses the incidence of suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in California. While acknowledging that simply smiling at someone who is at high risk of suicide is not all that it will take to save their life, he suggests the message a smile conveys may make a critical difference to that person. He wonders if for the most desperately ill & hopeless patients, a smile & a hello from their psychiatrists might provide a human barrier to suicide.