Suicidology: Data and Evidence

Latest episodes

• Episode 5: Can we prevent suicides by writing letters?

  October 25, 2026 · 27 min

  In 1969, psychiatrist Jerome Motto began sending short, kind letters to people who had refused care after a suicidal crisis, and his results made “caring letters” one of the most cited ideas in suicide prevention. This month, the largest…

• Episode 4: - Can we predict suicide?

  October 14, 2026 · 37 min

  Can we predict who will die by suicide? In 1983, Alex Pokorny tried with 4,800 psychiatric inpatients and nearly every rating scale available. More than 96% of the men he flagged as high risk did not die by suicide, and more than half of…

• Episode 3: Can Suicide Spread? The Evidence on Media and Contagion

  October 6, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

  In the five months after Robin Williams' death in 2014, the US recorded about 1,800 more suicides than expected, most of them by the same method that was widely reported. Dr. Tyler Black goes through the history and evidence on suicide…

• Episode 2: Pollution and Suicide - A huge meta-analysis makes huge errors

  September 29, 2026 · 33 min

  Thanks to everyone listening so far. Please share and consider subscribing to the substack (suicidology.substack.com) to support this. Resource list: Our paper today: Jones SM, Garcia L, Cleland CL, et al. Environmental exposure and risk…

• Episode 1 - Crisis Lines at Hotspots May Harm more than they Help

  September 22, 2026 · 24 min

  As always, please consider subscribing to this podcast, and supporting ime suicidology.substack.com, so I can continue to create content for suicidology education. References for this show: Bagley, C. (1968). The evaluation of a suicide…

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