It took a while to write my first blog – right in the heart of winter. Moreover, the advent of proper winter this year took a long time. When winter hit us, it hit with vengeance. This caused the suicide season to start early.
Shortly after the bitter cold hit, I was notified of 2 different suicide cases. Both are seemingly impulsive. Why is there such a horrible season? This is my own opinion. This has not been supported or confirmed by research that I know of.
In Europe and Canada, there is what is called seasonal depression, which is directly related to the very short days and darkness due to the clouds and snow. Even though it is daytime, it remains dusky and long before the sun goes down it already starts to become dark.
In South Africa, where the summer is warm and clear, winter is particularly hard on the mind. In the north, the days are short, even if the sun shines brightly. In the Western Cape, we also have the experience of darkness due to the weather conditions. Winter down there is dark and rainy.
When a severe cold front hits the country, the pleasant days disappear like fog before the sun. It is then that people with a dark mind consider the unthinkable. They choose not to want to live anymore.
One day, at the scene of a suicide, a little girl of about 7 years old asked me why anyone would choose not to want to live anymore! What does one answer a child to such a wise question?
When a severe cold front hits the country, the pleasant days disappear like fog before the sun. It is then that people with a dark mind consider the unthinkable. They choose not to want to live anymore.
One day, at the scene of a suicide, a little girl of about 7 years old asked me why anyone would choose not to want to live anymore! What does one answer a child to such a wise question?