Guns, Suicide, Violence and Gun Safety in Uncertain Times

Half of all suicide deaths are caused by firearms, and suicides account for nearly two thirds of all deaths by firearms. We are horrified by the epidemic of gun violence in this country. Suicide comprises a substantial portion of the gun violence. There are times when gun violence to others is followed by suicide. In this show Dr. Michael Anestis, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor of Urban-Global Public Health at Rutgers University returns to Psych Up Live to discuss the unprecedented surge in firearm purchasing during Covid-19. He shares his research on the degree of suicidal thinking in those making purchases and considers whether there is an overlap with additional reasons for gun purchases like threat perceptions, need for protection, anxiety and uncertainties related to the pandemic, economic hardship, racial tensions, and political divides. He considers with concern the increase in gun purchases and the presence of a gun in relation to theories of suicide. Central to this, is his research and belief in Lethal Means Counseling and the Use of Gun Safety Storage Practices as necessary to curb firearm deaths. Whether you are against guns or own guns –you will value this life saving show.