A sharp increase in applications to the National Academy of Sciences after October 7, a decrease in suicidal content

National traumatic events and prolonged wars increase mental distress in the population, but the relationship between such events and suicide is complex and not necessarily immediate or linear. There is evidence that the appearance of suicidality or a change in its intensity may develop with a delay and change over time depending on the duration of the event and the manner of its development.

Therefore, Dr. Shiri Daniels, from the academic track of the College of Administration and the Aran Association, Prof. Gil Salzman, from the Gaha Mental Health Center and Tel Aviv University, Dr. Liat Itzhaki, from Columbia University and the Psychiatric Institute of the State of New York, Dr. Ohad Shafsenval, from Emek Jezreel College,

Dr. Ella Sheral Mahalev, the academic track at the Gaha College of Administration and Mental Health Center, and Dr. Joy Bentov from the University of Haifa for research that aims to examine how patterns of suicide change as they are reflected in calls to the national helpline in Israel during the year after the terrorist attack of October 7, amidst the reality of an ongoing war.

The study, recently published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, was based on a longitudinal design and analysis including referrals to a mental health first aid service through a variety of channels, including telephone and online services. As part of the study, 615,046 inquiries collected between October 7, 2022 and November 2, 2024 were analyzed and include a year before the attack and more than a year after it.

The data indicates an immediate and significant increase in the total number of distress calls after the October 7 attack. At the same time, a continuous decrease was found in both the rate and the total number of references that include suicidal content throughout the year of the war. The researchers point out that these findings align with previous evidence that increased distress related to war does not necessarily lead to an increase in suicidal risk, possibly due in part to factors such as social cohesion.

The findings emphasize that an ongoing war can lead to a sharp and continuous increase in mental distress in the population, without a corresponding increase in appeals that include suicidal content, and even with a decrease in them. This means that there is a possible inconsistency between the intensity of the general distress in the population and patterns of suicide as they are reflected in calls to help lines, so it is important to monitor each of these elements separately when planning policies and torturers in times of national crisis.

The study emphasizes the complexity of suicide patterns during a prolonged war and the need for continuous monitoring over time, because the relationship between national trauma and suicide may appear with a delay and change between different phases of the war. Therefore, advance preparation of mental health services and helplines is required for ongoing monitoring and identification of trend changes, along with flexible planning and allocation of resources throughout an ongoing crisis, even when the initial picture does not indicate an increase in inquiries with suicidal content.

“There is a gap between the broad public discourse on suicide during the war and the accumulated research knowledge,” explains Dr. Shiri Daniels, “the research findings paint an important picture. After October 7, there was an immediate and significant increase in distress calls to the ARAN National Helpline and the ARAN online service, and at the same time a continuous decrease in both the rate and the number of calls in which suicidal content appeared throughout the first year of the war. This finding emphasizes that the relationship between national trauma and suicide is not constant, and it can change throughout an ongoing crisis. That is why continuous monitoring and continuous preparation in torture and resource allocation is required, from a dynamic and flexible view of mental needs that change over time.”

“It is reassuring to see that the research data do not indicate an increase in the rates of suicide calls even a year into the war,” adds Dr. Joy Bentov, “this indicates the resilience of Israeli society, but it will be important to continue to monitor even in the period after the war crisis, the consequences of which are ongoing, especially among risk groups”, while Prof. Gil Salzman, adds that “in times of war and epidemic we see a decrease in suicide. Our fear is that at the end of the war, Aliyah will begin, as happened in other parts of the world after a long war.”