The Santa Monica Police Department prevented a suicide in the Downtown area on Saturday when they pulled a man off a ledge after a brief standoff near the intersection of Broadway and 6th St. While Santa Monica officers routinely respond to suicide threats, the incident’s proximity to the holidays is a reminder of the seasonal impact on mental health.
According to Mental Health America, as many as 20% of Americans experience some degree of seasonal depression each year, with about 4-6% developing clinical seasonal affective disorder, according to data from recent years. The condition typically emerges as daylight decreases during fall and winter months, with symptoms peaking by mid to late November. While it’s often associated more heavily with cold climates, Southern California residents are equally at risk.
Mental health providers say internet search trends show interest in "seasonal depression" reliably spikes each fall and the COVID-19 pandemic intensified these challenges. During the winter of 2020-21, the share of U.S. adults reporting anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms climbed from 36.4% in August 2020 to 41.5% by February 2021.
The condition has a greater impact among different demographics with women reporting about 80 percent of cases.
Counterintuitively, US suicide rates actually decrease during winter months. According to long-term analysis by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, U.S. suicide rates reach their lowest levels between roughly November and January.
The County's suicide rate has hovered around 8 per 100,000 people over the past five years – below the national average of approximately 14 per 100,000, but still representing hundreds of lost lives annually. For youth ages 10-24 in the county, suicide ranks as the third-leading cause of death.
According to Santa Monica’s official call-for-service data, the Police Department handles several hundred suicide or suicide-threat calls each year. The volume has remained in the low-to-mid hundreds annually, with a slight upward trend recently. In 2020, SMPD logged approximately 250 calls involving attempted or threatened suicide. This number rose to roughly 300 calls in 2021, and about 320 in 2022. In 2023, suicide-related calls stayed around 300 for the year. Most recently, 2024 saw the highest level, with an estimated 350 such calls for service recorded
Los Angeles County has expanded programs to combat suicide and support those experiencing depression. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, launched nationwide in 2022, provides 24/7 crisis counseling by phone or text. Those in need can call or text 988 or chat via 988lifeline.org.
The L.A. County Department of Mental Health operates a 24/7 Access Line for mental health crises and deploys mobile crisis teams. Teen Line enables young people to talk with trained teen counselors, while The Trevor Project serves as a critical lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth at elevated risk for suicide. For immediate behavioral health support, call The 24/7 Los Angeles County Help Line for Mental Health & Substance Use Services at: (800) 854-7771.