# Average Number of Suicides I should know about?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 4, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043 "2010-10-04T20:11:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![curious11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@curious11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious11)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043/1 "2010-10-04T20:11:09Z")

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Hey All,

I was thinking of the number of people I personally knew who had taken their own lives. And then I thought that the number was probably about right for my age, 40-45.

And then I thought, does that even make any sense? Is there an average number of suicides a person would personally know? Is it different for someone with more education who may, or may not, incur more friends? Does the number depend on location, country or state?

Is this question even answerable? (if not, please move to MPSIMS)

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**Author:** ![Bad\_Astronaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bad\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Astronaut)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043/2 "2010-10-05T09:13:53Z")

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The question has an answer and is answerable - you could survey a statistically significant number of people and ask them how many suicide victims they have known personally. If you’re hoping to deduce the answer using pure logic I think it will be pretty tough.

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043/3 "2010-10-05T17:09:14Z")

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I’m pretty sure the answer is 14.

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**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043/4 "2010-10-05T21:14:38Z")

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> [@curious11](#):
>
> Hey All,
> 
> I was thinking of the number of people I personally knew who had taken their own lives. And then I thought that the number was probably about right for my age, 40-45.
> 
> And then I thought, does that even make any sense? Is there an average number of suicides a person would personally know? Is it different for someone with more education who may, or may not, incur more friends? Does the number depend on location, country or state?
> 
> Is this question even answerable? (if not, please move to MPSIMS)

Oh, sweet Jesus, I originally read the OP as _knowing_ between 40 and 45 people who had committed suicide and saying “that number was probably about right.” :eek:

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**Author:** ![curious11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@curious11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious11)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-number-of-suicides-i-should-know-about/556043/5 "2010-10-05T22:23:31Z")

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sorry about the scare there.

I opened a poll in IMHO, good idea! Thanks!

Go ahead and close this thread… or just let it die.

Thanks.