“That is not accurate. According to NIMH, the highest rate (14.3 per 100,000) is for people 65 and older. The next highest is ages 20-24, followed by 15-19.
The author’s logic is correct, as far as it goes. If men from age groups that are less likely to commit suicide are doing so in unexpected numbers, then perhaps they have a significant factor in common: a factor such as head trauma. This reasoning doesn’t prove the causation, but the article says physical studies and other research are being done on the subject.”
I have to say, this display of knowledge, logic, and scientific discipline may have turned me on a little. I see it so rarely, and when I do, the reaction is nearly physical.
Congratulations.
Why, thank you! I sometimes have a similar reaction to a particularly brilliant Thomas Sowell column ;-).
It’s amazing that a simple application of the scientific method - make an observation, form a hypothesis of the cause, TEST the hypothesis, repeat as necessary - could be so unusual, but it seems that many of the comments go from “form a hypothesis” to “declare the hypothesis correct” with no concept of intermediate steps.
Another thing to look at is suicides among men who retired from the NBA of MLB.
I suspect that you will see a higher incidence than the age group at large, but I don’t know about other people who play sports.