Why?

Wow Ron, I don't know but Artist, teacher and gallery owner don't even make the list of the top 10 professions with the highest suicide rate. It's jobs that carry a large stress load that have the high suicide rate, so that's why I say I don't know.

As the song says "the world was never meant for one as beautiful as you" ! You In this
case those artists that feel many things deeply, while at the same time being introvert have difficulty expressing when the look down the abyss too long. As we often experience the world and many people can be very cruel.

This is similar to my experiences with professional artist too Ron. I think the answer is multi reason.
Economic, glamourization of the misunderstood stereo typing(the tortured starving artist) and substance abuse do to poor self esteem.

Art related professions aren't even in the top ten, sorry.

Marlene, what do you mean?

My brother was a top artist.

Since artists aren't in the top ten professions with the highest rate of suicide, the question should be why not.

I consider musicians artist and their suicide rate is quite high

http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/why-are-musicians-more-prone-to-suicide-140404.htm

Yes Drew you're right, also included must be actors

So many musicians commit suicide...including my fiance Kevin, a wonderful guitar player, who took his life at age 21. I think artists FEEL everything more than the average person. And therefore become overwhelmed sometimes with feelings...emotions. Many musicians live in their heads and also many of the greats actually suffer from mental illness. They are also super empathetic, taking on the emotions of others. Some times it's just too much.

Here's an interesting article.
http://www.quora.com/Is-the-suicide-rate-higher-for-artists-than-the-general-population

I wonder if it was different for artist during the golden age of art

Just how many of you who new artist who killed themselves?

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-10-professions-with-the-highest-suicide-rates/?view=all

{{{HUGS}}} everyone....I don't know the answer to "why" tho...just sad for everyone who has lost somebody to suicide....

Marlene, I'm familiar with the dentist and doctors, just wonder how many of them considered themselves artist. ..

I'm actually not liking this conversation so am bowing out

I'm guessing not many. Artists have the right side of their brains better developed. Doctors, the left side. Generally of course.

There is a definite possibility that the heavily publicized cases skews our perception.

The majority of suicide is caused by biological disorders resulting in Major Depressive Disorder. While external factors play a part they aren't the cause.

My profession was listed as the first one on Marlene's site. I know about ten people that have committed suicide in the last 26 years. One of them was my best friend and I'll never understand it. It's one thing to destroy your life with food, drugs, booze, overspending and addiction, but to take a gun and up and murder yourself is one thing I cannot grasp. I'm glad I really don't care that much about my job...I go for the money and that's it, I'm not trying to make a difference.

I suspect drugs and alcohol, and big pharma drugs play a major role.

Possible art was not on the list as a profession. In this article by Steven Stack, PHD, Gender and Suicide risk among artist; A Multivariate analysis it said the suicide rate is 125% higher among artist than non-artist. Even if that is incorrect it was adjusted for various reasons like economics from 250% higher, a very scary statistic.

Not always Mario. Back to your demons...I suspect that as being the bigger problem. Maybe the demons are metaphorical in science, but my friend wasn't on any drugs or booze. He never drank. He killed himself on a Wednesday...the week was almost over! He didn't leave a note. I'm glad he left me only memories because there was an investigation and all of us that were close to him were suspects, so that was even more painful than normal.

But back to the demons...the day he killed himself, I was cleaning my house getting ready for another friend that was to spend the rest of Christmas with me. I was so happy and suddenly while cleaning, I heard three separate growls. These noises, I thought, came from one of my elderly cats but all three of my cats were sleeping peacefully.

Since I was listening to Christmas carols on the radio, I assumed it was a crazy joke on that station...only later would I question those sounds in my home. Had my friend's demons left him knowing what he was to do and search for another host?

I am not religious on any level but I'm smart enough not to believe everything I rationalize...even as a woman of science.

Here is the thing, the reason I started this thread was that sales on this site are the number one reason that artist come here. I think however that this site can and may be much more than that. The isolation of the visual artist can be intense and perhaps the companionship that can be found here from like souls might be beneficial in such ways as lessoning the suicide rate amongst artist. I don't know, but perhaps? I do think that the artist on the threads can disagree and fight amongst ourselves as much as we wish. I just hope everyone treats each other with respect as we are all taking the same voyage. Sorry to be on the old soap box, I will jump off it now!

Lisa, your right, I didn't mention it because I wouldn't be able to elaborate on it. But I agree, I would add that as another leading cause.

I ask all of you, why?

Seriously. Why did any of you even attempt to provide Ronald with cogent answers to his questions?

He asked: "Why did my art teacher, a gallery owner and four artists whom I have known, why did they all commit suicide?"

...and: "Is (six) a higher than normal number for a profession?"

We'll never know the answer to the first question, and it's really nobody's business anyway.

The second question is intrinsically flawed (what does 'a profession' mean...any profession? All of them?) due to the lack of data required to establish parameters needed for comparative analysis, therefore we couldn't answer it even if we wanted to.

Which brings to mind another question: Why should we bother to take the time to answer either question?


The only respondent who got it right is Abbie when she wrote: "I'm actually not liking this conversation, so I am bowing out."

"That's a bingo!" - Col. Hans Landa

Suicidal? Find answers in the FAA Discussion Forums.

Is that what's being proposed here?


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

As the post Marlene pointed out about the 5 leading causes; diet was involved in at least 3 of them If you go to a grocery store over 70% of the items there did not even exist 50 years ago. We are what we eat. If you have a limited income as most artist do you are not likely to be eating correctly, though this is more do to ignorance than actual necessity.

Other causes are early childhood abuse, physical and mental , trauma, and our education system which does not teach philosophy, comparative religion or how to balance one's life.

Dan, let's review.....Question about the suicide rate among artist. How high compared to others, in debate. Artist in large historical numbers come to sites such as these. Question, is there anything a site like this can do to help people who are having problems. Conversation veered into religious discussion as to use to help prevent suicide. Back to question as to whether sites like this can serve a useful purpose in the prevention of suicide. If yes how? If no why not?

"Back to question as to whether sites like this can serve a useful purpose in the prevention of suicide."

Ron -- direct your question to the people who can give you meaningful answers. IE, Is there anyone out there who was about to pull the trigger, take the pills or jump off the bridge when an FAA forum discussion changed their mind?


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

Dan, my question is less about has it saved you today as is there a way a site like this can have something in it's structure that could be a benefit to people with issues in the future?

Ronald,

Such matters are extremely personal. This is a public forum. In a word NO. It would be inappropriate no matter how well meaning.

I get you now Dan, but those people who went bonkers, I have witnessed a couple so far, we have no way of knowing if they
were suicidal at all. Nuts yes.

Dave

FAA could put a small suggestion to people having drug, alcohol, gambling, smoking, suicidal thoughts, etc......and with each topic post a phone number.

This could be done quite well in some space. Such as a community need help page. It would be a well meaning helping hand to our fellow artist.
Ronald if you are up to it address it with Abbie, JC and hopefully Sean.

I think a page under the community tab would be really decent and thoughtful.

Dave

PS there could be numbers for homeless families or women who have suffered domestic abuse.

Addition, the tab could offer subtabs for different nations. This would be a huge benefit for the world to see. Third world counties now
coming of age into modernity need to see such resources being offered. This sort of simple outreach going internationally across the globe
into places that have no such resources could become highly influential....IF DONE RIGHT...PRIVATELY by giving numbers to the proper resources for CONFIDENTIALITY.

This is a very helpful and well written/researched article on the subject.
http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/22/why-suicide-has-become-epidemic-and-what-we-can-do-help-237434.html

Dave good idea.

Ron,

I just added or fleshed out the idea, please read additions and PS.

Ron, You shook the tree and something fell out.

Thanks,

Dave

Nice, Dave!

22 veterans commit suicide EACH DAY. Why?

@ Bill T was that rhetorical? Have you been in combat?
Have you killed someone or seen someone blown to pieces? Have you come home to be ignored, unemployed and sick?

Just asking

David Lane US Army retired Vietnam combat vet.

Ron,

I am nominating you to go after implementing the idea for a community set of pages by country.

I absolutely can not do it currently.

David L. and Bill T numbers for vets can be added. David L please be a proponent of the page idea.

Dave

FAA would need a simple well stated disclaimer that FAA was not the help people actually needed.

Dave B I like the page idea very much!

"Ron,

I am nominating you to go after implementing the idea for a community set of pages by country.

I absolutely can not do it currently.

David L. and Bill T numbers for vets can be added. David L please be a proponent of the page idea.

Dave

FAA would need a simple well stated disclaimer that FAA was not the help people actually needed."


Here's a thought: Don't you think you should be asking Sean, the owner of this site if he wants that on his site before you go hog wild with posting help line phone numbers and other assorted stuff?

Greg -- boy, no kidding. I had the same thought.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

Greg and Dan, If you were paying attention you would notice that this is just a proposal. It would have to go past the powers that be before anything would occur. They may well nix the idea, I don't know as we have not reached that point as of yet.

Thi is such a lovely idea but one you should be doing on your own sites. A database of addresses and phone numbers is great if you are doing this yourself and able to keep up to date with it constantly.

Do realise that whatever you put up will have to be absolutely certainly a good place and a good link. If you screw it up and put a bad one then you may inadvertently cause the very thing you are trying to stop

A huge responsibility and not one for an art site really

I'm with Abby on this, it's a great idea, but pretty much not workable for a site like FAA. The idea that anyone could keep the info accurate and uptoDATE is numbing. There are tons of sites already, yes it is a great idea to want to help.

The avantage of this site is the built in numbers of artist on it. That is the point really since much of it would already be in place.

"Greg and Dan, If you were paying attention you would notice that this is just a proposal."

It's a proposal to play with dynamite. Ron, in your mind, which forum members are qualified to counsel people with severe mental/medical problems or are on the verge of suicide?


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

Dan never even suggested.

David Lane

@ Bill T was that rhetorical? Have you been in combat?

David - first of all thank you for your service. Now let's take this private, MOFO. Check your email box shortly.

Bill Tomsa

http://billtomsa.blogspot.com/

"Greg -- boy, no kidding. I had the same thought. "

Why do I feel the oceans might gave parted and the sun came out, as Dan and I agree on something. :)

Thinking to do on this one.... as I stated early on I am not a mental heath professional. Just seemed like the large gathering of artist on a site like this might be a hub to get something going. Once one considers the legal issues etc. not so simple. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. Anyone out there who is having issues please know there are many people out there in the world who care. Ron