humantool
Member
- Apr 20, 2025
- 53
Disclaimer: This content is intended solely for educational purposes and is not a guide for self-harm or harm to others. The aim is to provide an objective, research-based analysis of suicide by firearm, focusing on its prevalence, methods, and contributing factors.
To elucidate why individuals opt for firearms in suicide attempts, this section examines statistical trends and psychological motivations, comparing the United States, where firearms are broadly accessible, with Japan, where stringent regulations limit ownership primarily to law enforcement.
In Japan, hanging predominates, accounting for approximately 58% of suicides, reflecting its cultural and practical accessibility. Firearms, by contrast, constitute only about 4.8% of suicides, based on Tokyo data from 2011 to 2021, suggesting roughly 1,000 firearm-related deaths annually. In the United States, firearms are the leading method, comprising 55.8% of suicides, totaling 26,328 deaths in 2021. Global comparisons are unreliable due to inconsistent reporting. In many developing nations, social stigma, inadequate or absent autopsies, and the criminalization of suicide contribute to misclassified or obscured statistics, undermining data accuracy.
Individuals contemplating suicide often evaluate methods based on three key factors:
Firearms effectively meet the first two criteria, minimal perceived pain and rapid completion, making them a preferred choice in regions with high accessibility. This explains their prevalence in the United States, where legal access or illicit availability facilitates their use, particularly among men, who are less likely to prioritize "cleanliness" compared to women.
The effectiveness of firearms in suicide attempts is notably high, with a fatality rate of approximately 90%, making them one of the most lethal methods available. However, outcomes vary based on two primary factors. The most critical is the accuracy of execution, incorrect aim or placement significantly reduces lethality, as will be explored in subsequent sections. The second factor is chance, though its influence is minimal due to the method's inherent destructiveness. Specific variables affecting survival odds, such as anatomical targeting and firearm characteristics, will be addressed later, but the high fatality rate underscores the devastating impact of firearms when used effectively.
Despite the high lethality of firearm suicides, with a fatality rate of approximately 90%, survival stories appear more common than they are due to media amplification. News outlets often prioritize uplifting narratives of recovery over reports of fatal outcomes, as the former align better with audience preferences and advertiser interests. In reality, survivals are rare. When they occur, they typically result from errors in execution, such as aiming at the face rather than the brain, which reduces the likelihood of fatal damage. The technical factors contributing to these outcomes will be explored in the following sections.
Handguns dominate in firearm suicides, making up roughly 73% of cases, with long guns like rifles or shotguns covering the remaining 27%. Here's the breakdown: handguns are the go-to in urban areas because they're compact and easy to handle, while long guns are more common in rural spots where they're often more available. Check out the stats below.
If you're curious about how guns actually work, I've got you covered with some solid video resources. These folks explain it way better than I could, and the visuals make it easier to grasp the mechanics. Both videos are about 10 minutes long.
Even if you skip the videos, let's clear up one thing that drives me up the wall: a cartridge is not a bullet. I see people mixing these terms online constantly, and it's gotta stop. A cartridge includes the bullet (the part that flies out), plus the case, gunpowder, and primer.
"Mushrooming" describes a bullet's deformation upon impact, expanding into a shape some liken to a mushroom, though I'd argue that comparison's a stretch.
This deformation is an intentional design in certain bullets to maximize tissue damage. Not all bullets are engineered to mushroom. The process occurs when the bullet's front slows upon striking a target, while the rear continues at full speed, creating internal pressure that forces the lead to expand outward, sometimes up to 2.5 times its original size. This expansion makes mushrooming bullets far more destructive. Handgun bullets that mushroom typically lack the velocity to exit the skull, lodging within the brain. In contrast, higher-powered rifle rounds often create exit wounds due to their greater force. Non-mushrooming handgun bullets frequently exit the skull, increasing lethality. High-velocity bullets can also generate a shockwave upon brain impact, potentially liquefying tissue or causing explosive damage.
Bullet velocity is a critical determinant of lethality in firearm suicides. Low-velocity rounds, defined as those traveling below 1,000 ft/s (304.8 m/s), such as .38 or .40 caliber bullets, often lack sufficient force due to their smaller size and reduced gunpowder capacity. These rounds typically have rounded tips, which generate greater friction upon impact compared to sharper points. For anyone wondering if more friction is beneficial, absolutely not. Basic physics shows that increased friction dissipates energy, reducing the bullet's ability to penetrate its target. Consequently, low-velocity rounds may lose so much energy upon hitting the skull that they frequently stop within the brain, failing to reach the opposite side.
In some cases, if the bullet's angle and rounded shape align unfavorably, it may lack the force to penetrate the skull entirely. Instead, it can deflect along the skull's surface, veering off its intended path. This is more likely when the firearm is fired from a slight distance rather than in direct contact with the head, further reducing penetration potential.
In firearm-related suicides, the head is a common target, with specific placements influencing outcomes. The primary methods are submental, intraoral, and temporal placements. Forehead and occipital (back of the head) shots occur less frequently in suicides and are less effective, so they will not be explored in detail. Notably, the brain occupies only about 80% of the cranial cavity, with the remaining 20% filled by cerebrospinal fluid and other tissues, a factor that affects bullet trajectories.
Temporal Placement
The temporal region, located at the side of the head, is the most common and effective site for firearm suicides. The skull here is thinnest, measuring 3.4–3.9 mm, allowing easier bullet penetration. However, the nearby petrous bone, at approximately 19 mm thick, is one of the densest in the body. Survivors of temporal attempts often mistakenly hit the petrous bone or aim toward the eyes instead of the brain, reducing lethality.
The forehead's bone is thicker, ranging from 5.7–6.3 mm depending on sex, making it less effective for penetration. The occipital region, at the back of the head, is even denser, with a thickness of 6.5–6.9 mm, varying by location and sex, further lowering its use in suicides.
Intraoral placement involves firing through the mouth toward the brain. Its anatomical challenges mirror those of submental placement, discussed below. A notable example is the suicide of Budd Dwyer, which can be researched for further context.
Submental placement, where the firearm is positioned under the chin, is the least effective for reaching the brain due to the need to penetrate three bones: the mandible (lower jaw), maxilla, and sphenoid. The mandible, the strongest bone in the human body, poses a significant barrier, necessitating a high-powered firearm with larger, sharper cartridges for success.
A common error in submental attempts is aiming straight upward toward the face, often missing the brain entirely. A diagonal trajectory toward the back of the skull increases effectiveness. Even if the brain is missed, severe blood loss can still prove fatal. The case of Ronnie McNutt is a well-known example of this method.
This section builds on the discussion of bullet velocity, incorporating brain anatomy to explore factors that influence survival in firearm suicide attempts. Spoiler: it's grim but fascinating.
Survival is possible if damage to the brain is minimal and the brainstem, which regulates critical functions like breathing, is spared. However, short-term survival immediately after a shot does not guarantee long-term recovery, even with medical intervention. Approximately 42% of individuals who reach a hospital alive survive, with better odds if damage is confined to one brain hemisphere, avoiding major blood vessels located between the hemispheres. Striking a major artery almost invariably results in fatal outcomes.
Medical treatment for such injuries is complex. Brain trauma causes significant swelling, which the rigid skull can only partially accommodate. To manage this, surgeons perform a craniotomy, removing a section of the skull to relieve pressure. They also excise bone fragments and dead tissue to prevent infection. Contrary to common assumption, bullet removal is not always attempted. If the bullet is near the brain's surface or in non-critical areas, extraction may be feasible. However, if it's lodged near vital structures like the brainstem or motor cortex and remains stable, surgeons often leave it in place to avoid further damage.
In cases involving low-velocity handgun rounds, insufficient force to exit the skull can lead to ricochet, where the bullet travels along the skull's inner curvature rather than penetrating deeper into the brain. This is less common than the bullet stopping entirely but increases survival chances, though with severe complications.
Outcomes of Surviving a Firearm Suicide Attempt
Surviving a gunshot to the head is an extraordinarily challenging ordeal, both physically and psychologically. The range of potential complications is vast, and even if the bullet misses the brain, recovery remains grueling. Listing every possible outcome would be exhaustive, so we'll focus on a primary consequence: vision impairment. Damage to the optic nerves, which are distributed extensively throughout the head, makes reduced vision quality or complete loss almost inevitable. Facial injuries from misplaced shots can further compromise eyesight. In some cases, partial vision recovery is possible over time, but this is not guaranteed. Other complications, such as motor deficits or cognitive impairments, vary widely depending on the specific brain region affected.
Firearm Legality and Suicide Rates
Japan's suicide rate stands at 17.4 per 100,000, slightly higher than the United States' 15.6 per 100,000, based on recent data. Contrary to claims that firearm legality drives suicide rates, evidence suggests that cultural and personal factors play a more significant role. Japan's intense work culture, characterized by long hours and high social pressure, is a key contributor to its elevated rates, despite strict gun laws limiting firearm suicides to approximately 4.8% of cases in Tokyo (2011–2021). In contrast, firearms account for 55.8% of suicides in the United States, where access is broader, yet the overall suicide rate remains lower. This indicates that while legality influences method choice, it does not directly correlate with total suicide rates.
*Note: The 4.8% statistic for Japan is derived from Tokyo-specific data (2011–2021), as reliable national figures post-1999 are scarce.
Link for stats
Factors Driving Firearm Use in Suicide
To elucidate why individuals opt for firearms in suicide attempts, this section examines statistical trends and psychological motivations, comparing the United States, where firearms are broadly accessible, with Japan, where stringent regulations limit ownership primarily to law enforcement.
Comparative Analysis of Suicide Methods
In Japan, hanging predominates, accounting for approximately 58% of suicides, reflecting its cultural and practical accessibility. Firearms, by contrast, constitute only about 4.8% of suicides, based on Tokyo data from 2011 to 2021, suggesting roughly 1,000 firearm-related deaths annually. In the United States, firearms are the leading method, comprising 55.8% of suicides, totaling 26,328 deaths in 2021. Global comparisons are unreliable due to inconsistent reporting. In many developing nations, social stigma, inadequate or absent autopsies, and the criminalization of suicide contribute to misclassified or obscured statistics, undermining data accuracy.
Psychological and Practical Considerations
Individuals contemplating suicide often evaluate methods based on three key factors:
- Perceived Pain: The anticipated pain level is paramount. Firearms are frequently perceived as painless due to their instantaneous effect when executed accurately, though this perception may not align with researched outcomes.
- Speed of Completion: Methods that act swiftly minimize opportunities for hesitation or intervention. Firearms deliver immediate, often irreversible damage, fulfilling this criterion.
- Impact on Others: The method's "cleanliness", its physical and emotional toll on those who discover or manage the aftermath, varies in significance. Women tend to prioritize less violent methods, such as overdose, which are perceived as less distressing for others. However, these methods are less lethal, resulting in higher failure rates and more hospital admissions compared to firearms or high-impact methods like jumping from heights.
Firearms effectively meet the first two criteria, minimal perceived pain and rapid completion, making them a preferred choice in regions with high accessibility. This explains their prevalence in the United States, where legal access or illicit availability facilitates their use, particularly among men, who are less likely to prioritize "cleanliness" compared to women.
Lethality of Firearm Suicide
The effectiveness of firearms in suicide attempts is notably high, with a fatality rate of approximately 90%, making them one of the most lethal methods available. However, outcomes vary based on two primary factors. The most critical is the accuracy of execution, incorrect aim or placement significantly reduces lethality, as will be explored in subsequent sections. The second factor is chance, though its influence is minimal due to the method's inherent destructiveness. Specific variables affecting survival odds, such as anatomical targeting and firearm characteristics, will be addressed later, but the high fatality rate underscores the devastating impact of firearms when used effectively.
Why Do Survival Stories Seem Prevalent?
Despite the high lethality of firearm suicides, with a fatality rate of approximately 90%, survival stories appear more common than they are due to media amplification. News outlets often prioritize uplifting narratives of recovery over reports of fatal outcomes, as the former align better with audience preferences and advertiser interests. In reality, survivals are rare. When they occur, they typically result from errors in execution, such as aiming at the face rather than the brain, which reduces the likelihood of fatal damage. The technical factors contributing to these outcomes will be explored in the following sections.
Anatomy of a Gun & Statistics
Handguns dominate in firearm suicides, making up roughly 73% of cases, with long guns like rifles or shotguns covering the remaining 27%. Here's the breakdown: handguns are the go-to in urban areas because they're compact and easy to handle, while long guns are more common in rural spots where they're often more available. Check out the stats below.
If you're curious about how guns actually work, I've got you covered with some solid video resources. These folks explain it way better than I could, and the visuals make it easier to grasp the mechanics. Both videos are about 10 minutes long.
Long gun example (AR-15):
Handgun (Glock):
Handgun (Glock):
Even if you skip the videos, let's clear up one thing that drives me up the wall: a cartridge is not a bullet. I see people mixing these terms online constantly, and it's gotta stop. A cartridge includes the bullet (the part that flies out), plus the case, gunpowder, and primer.
Bullet Mechanics and Mushrooming
"Mushrooming" describes a bullet's deformation upon impact, expanding into a shape some liken to a mushroom, though I'd argue that comparison's a stretch.
This deformation is an intentional design in certain bullets to maximize tissue damage. Not all bullets are engineered to mushroom. The process occurs when the bullet's front slows upon striking a target, while the rear continues at full speed, creating internal pressure that forces the lead to expand outward, sometimes up to 2.5 times its original size. This expansion makes mushrooming bullets far more destructive. Handgun bullets that mushroom typically lack the velocity to exit the skull, lodging within the brain. In contrast, higher-powered rifle rounds often create exit wounds due to their greater force. Non-mushrooming handgun bullets frequently exit the skull, increasing lethality. High-velocity bullets can also generate a shockwave upon brain impact, potentially liquefying tissue or causing explosive damage.
Firearm Velocity and Its Impact
Bullet velocity is a critical determinant of lethality in firearm suicides. Low-velocity rounds, defined as those traveling below 1,000 ft/s (304.8 m/s), such as .38 or .40 caliber bullets, often lack sufficient force due to their smaller size and reduced gunpowder capacity. These rounds typically have rounded tips, which generate greater friction upon impact compared to sharper points. For anyone wondering if more friction is beneficial, absolutely not. Basic physics shows that increased friction dissipates energy, reducing the bullet's ability to penetrate its target. Consequently, low-velocity rounds may lose so much energy upon hitting the skull that they frequently stop within the brain, failing to reach the opposite side.
In some cases, if the bullet's angle and rounded shape align unfavorably, it may lack the force to penetrate the skull entirely. Instead, it can deflect along the skull's surface, veering off its intended path. This is more likely when the firearm is fired from a slight distance rather than in direct contact with the head, further reducing penetration potential.
Skull Anatomy and Firearm Placement
In firearm-related suicides, the head is a common target, with specific placements influencing outcomes. The primary methods are submental, intraoral, and temporal placements. Forehead and occipital (back of the head) shots occur less frequently in suicides and are less effective, so they will not be explored in detail. Notably, the brain occupies only about 80% of the cranial cavity, with the remaining 20% filled by cerebrospinal fluid and other tissues, a factor that affects bullet trajectories.
Temporal Placement
The temporal region, located at the side of the head, is the most common and effective site for firearm suicides. The skull here is thinnest, measuring 3.4–3.9 mm, allowing easier bullet penetration. However, the nearby petrous bone, at approximately 19 mm thick, is one of the densest in the body. Survivors of temporal attempts often mistakenly hit the petrous bone or aim toward the eyes instead of the brain, reducing lethality.
Forehead and Occipital
The forehead's bone is thicker, ranging from 5.7–6.3 mm depending on sex, making it less effective for penetration. The occipital region, at the back of the head, is even denser, with a thickness of 6.5–6.9 mm, varying by location and sex, further lowering its use in suicides.
Intraoral Placement
Intraoral placement involves firing through the mouth toward the brain. Its anatomical challenges mirror those of submental placement, discussed below. A notable example is the suicide of Budd Dwyer, which can be researched for further context.
Submental Placement
Submental placement, where the firearm is positioned under the chin, is the least effective for reaching the brain due to the need to penetrate three bones: the mandible (lower jaw), maxilla, and sphenoid. The mandible, the strongest bone in the human body, poses a significant barrier, necessitating a high-powered firearm with larger, sharper cartridges for success.
A common error in submental attempts is aiming straight upward toward the face, often missing the brain entirely. A diagonal trajectory toward the back of the skull increases effectiveness. Even if the brain is missed, severe blood loss can still prove fatal. The case of Ronnie McNutt is a well-known example of this method.
Reducing Head and Brain Damage in Firearm Injuries
This section builds on the discussion of bullet velocity, incorporating brain anatomy to explore factors that influence survival in firearm suicide attempts. Spoiler: it's grim but fascinating.
Survival is possible if damage to the brain is minimal and the brainstem, which regulates critical functions like breathing, is spared. However, short-term survival immediately after a shot does not guarantee long-term recovery, even with medical intervention. Approximately 42% of individuals who reach a hospital alive survive, with better odds if damage is confined to one brain hemisphere, avoiding major blood vessels located between the hemispheres. Striking a major artery almost invariably results in fatal outcomes.
Medical treatment for such injuries is complex. Brain trauma causes significant swelling, which the rigid skull can only partially accommodate. To manage this, surgeons perform a craniotomy, removing a section of the skull to relieve pressure. They also excise bone fragments and dead tissue to prevent infection. Contrary to common assumption, bullet removal is not always attempted. If the bullet is near the brain's surface or in non-critical areas, extraction may be feasible. However, if it's lodged near vital structures like the brainstem or motor cortex and remains stable, surgeons often leave it in place to avoid further damage.
In cases involving low-velocity handgun rounds, insufficient force to exit the skull can lead to ricochet, where the bullet travels along the skull's inner curvature rather than penetrating deeper into the brain. This is less common than the bullet stopping entirely but increases survival chances, though with severe complications.
Outcomes of Surviving a Firearm Suicide Attempt
Surviving a gunshot to the head is an extraordinarily challenging ordeal, both physically and psychologically. The range of potential complications is vast, and even if the bullet misses the brain, recovery remains grueling. Listing every possible outcome would be exhaustive, so we'll focus on a primary consequence: vision impairment. Damage to the optic nerves, which are distributed extensively throughout the head, makes reduced vision quality or complete loss almost inevitable. Facial injuries from misplaced shots can further compromise eyesight. In some cases, partial vision recovery is possible over time, but this is not guaranteed. Other complications, such as motor deficits or cognitive impairments, vary widely depending on the specific brain region affected.
Firearm Legality and Suicide Rates
Japan's suicide rate stands at 17.4 per 100,000, slightly higher than the United States' 15.6 per 100,000, based on recent data. Contrary to claims that firearm legality drives suicide rates, evidence suggests that cultural and personal factors play a more significant role. Japan's intense work culture, characterized by long hours and high social pressure, is a key contributor to its elevated rates, despite strict gun laws limiting firearm suicides to approximately 4.8% of cases in Tokyo (2011–2021). In contrast, firearms account for 55.8% of suicides in the United States, where access is broader, yet the overall suicide rate remains lower. This indicates that while legality influences method choice, it does not directly correlate with total suicide rates.
*Note: The 4.8% statistic for Japan is derived from Tokyo-specific data (2011–2021), as reliable national figures post-1999 are scarce.
Link for stats
