Well, I was in a bit of a quandary, you see. I could have stayed in dentistry, (purported to have the highest suicide rate of all the professions), or retire.
I survived, against all odds, 40 years at the chair, so I thought I'd take on another challenge.
Damn the statistics! Full speed ahead!
If I survive 40 years of retirement I believe I'll take up freediving.
I didn't know having to look into people's mouth could drive one to such despondency. Could that be true?
So, I checked.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, compared to the general population,
1) Marine engineers are 1.89 times more likely to commit suicide
2) Physicians are 1.87 times more likely to commit suicide
3) Dentists are 1.67 times more likely to commit suicide
4) Veterinarians are 1.54 times more likely to commit suicide
5) Finance workers are 1.51 times more likely to commit suicide
6) Chiropractors are 1.5 times more likely to commit suicide than average
7) Supervisors of heavy construction equipment are 1.46 times more likely to commit suicide
8) Urban planners are 1.43 times more likely to commit suicide
9) Hand molders are 1.39 times more likely to commit suicide
10) Real estate sellers are 1.38 times more likely to commit suicide than average
What? Marine engineers? Urban planners? Hand molders? What's going on?