It's the Method, Not the Madness: Suicide Prevention Through "Means Safety" Implementation for Firearms in the United States

Abstract

In 1963, Sylvia Plath died by placing her head inside an oven fueled by highly toxic gas. At the time, domestic gas poisoning was the leading cause of suicidal death in the United Kingdom. Had she moved to London ten years later, when toxic gas was completely phased out, she might still be alive. Research on suicide shows that those who die by suicide often decide on one method and wait for an opportunity in which that method can be used. If the method remains unavailable, few will search for another. This is the essence of coupled behavior: the idea that certain behaviors are inextricably intertwined with time, place, and context. Blocking opportunities, even for deeply motivated acts, does not result in a displacement of behavior. Hence, restricting access to highly available, highly lethal methods of suicide can reduce the overall suicide rate. What would happen if the United States restricted access to its leading cause of suicide: firearms? Certain state laws, such as those that require waiting periods and background checks for firearm purchases, have been successful in reducing a state’s overall suicide rate. Laws targeting access to firearms can prevent successful suicide attempts and decrease the overall suicide rate. Understanding suicide with a coupled lens will allow the United States to create successful preventative measures. This Note applies the psychological lens of coupled behavior to firearms and suicides in the United States. It discusses why the federal government must act to restrict access to firearms using the four types of state laws that have shown success in reducing the overall suicide rate.