Writer Commits Suicide in July

Recent news reports Sci-Fi writer Thomas M. Disch committed suicide in his New York apartment July 4th. He had been suffering from depression but I wonder if it was the summer heat that tipped the scale. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2004 most suicides occurred during the month of July (the least occurred in December). Although more Americans die from exposure to excessive natural cold (676 deaths in 2004) than excessive natural heat (226 deaths in 2004), if you add in the nearly 8,400 deaths from suicide June through August, heat becomes a more formidable threat. Then, again, I could be thinking about heat because it is unnaturally hot in California right now.

http://www.locusmag.com/2008/Disch_Obit.html
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sto/