Air pollution, asthma linked to suicide
-- When most people think of suicide, they think of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. But new research suggests that lung trouble may also play a role.
Two new studies conducted in Asia and published in the American Journal of Psychiatry report that asthma -- and even days of unusually bad air pollution -- appear to increase the risk of suicide.
As improbable as the link may sound, researchers suggest that respiratory problems may worsen a person's mental state.
In the air pollution study -- the first to examine a possible connection with suicide -- researchers in South Korea tracked air quality and suicides in seven cities during 2004.
More than 4,300 suicides were reported that year. Just under half of those who committed suicide had at least one chronic health condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or mental illness.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/15/pollution.asthma.suicide/index.html?hpt=T2Think about how much you are polluting when you drive your car to the bar - where you wish to sit smoke free so you don't have to breathe other peoples' pollution (here's a tip, stay home and drink) :evilgrin: