Contrary to widely held belief, the suicide rate does not increase before, during, or after the Christmas, New Year’;s, or Fourth of July holidays. If anything, it decreases, probably because more intervention is available.

This misconception may have grown out of the movie It’;s a Wonderful Life, in which George Bailey (James Stewart) contemplates jumping off a bridge on Christmas Eve. Or, it may be reinforced by the media, which often dwells on holiday irony. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, however, the peak suicide month is actually April, a season that has to do with spring, rebirth, and, coincidentally or not, love.