First reliable data suggest a possible increase in suicides in Greece

Arie recently reported that suicide and murder rates rose by 22.7% between 2007 and 2009 in Greece as a consequence of austerity. 1 Previously, the Greek Ministry of Health announced that the annual suicide rate might have increased by 40% and other authors reported a 17% increase in suicide rates during 2008-09. In recent years the media have overemphasised the possible association between periods of economic crisis and suicidality, and such publicity is harmful. 4 Thus, it is unclear how much this increase constitutes a self fulfilling prophecy.