re: US suicides hit an all-time high last year

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You are getting downvoted (not surprising given the audience), but you are 100% on point.

It has been shown that people that want to commit suicide by a particular method will largely not seek a different one if they lose access to that method.

So, yes, decreased access to guns would decrease the number of suicides.

Dedicating efforts to the root cause, mental health issues, is a better path forward than restricting access to guns.

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Right and in mental health settings where we’re dealing with suicidal ideation, plan, attempt, we’re not talking about forever taking away someone’s gun. But if they have a plan, part of their safety plan is to remove potential means while at the height of their suicidality. For some folks that’s sharp objects like knives. For others it’s firearms.

Common sense is if someone is seeking a gun to commit suicide that you restrict that access until the urge passes or is managed. Of course a gun is going to be more lethal than a bottle of pills.