Suicide rates fell after bombings

A second significant reduction occurred with the second wave of terrorist attacks on July 21 the same year, researchers writing in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggest.

Similar patterns have been seen before, notably after the plane attacks which destroyed the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11 2001. Even though the outrage happened in another country, this also led to a drop in the number of suicides in England and Wales.

Psychologists believe traumatic national events such as terrorist attacks help potentially suicidal people to feel less alone and more a part of society.

Two British experts analysed daily suicide counts between January 1 2001 and December 31 2005, using figures from the Office for National Statistics.

A small but significant reduction in suicide rates was seen five days after the July 7 attacks on the London transport system in which 52 people died. Suicide rates dropped again on July 21, when bombers again targeted London underground trains and buses but failed to detonate any of their four devices.

The fall in suicides on both days was about 40% - similar to the reduction reported in England and Wales after September 11 2001. No similar drop in suicide rate had occurred during the same period in the previous four years.

Researchers Dr Mario Cortina-Borja, from University College London, and Emad Salib, from the University of Liverpool, said they were surprised the July bombings did not have more of an impact on suicide than the 2001 attacks in America.

They suggest that previous experience of IRA terrorism in the UK may have limited the effect of the July 7 attacks. Writing in the British Journal of Psychiatry, they said: "The shock value of suicide terrorism and its psychological potency appear to diminish over time as the tactic becomes overused.

"The terrorist attacks in London had been expected and, prior to 7 July 2005, attempts had been made by the British Government to prepare the UK population for a possible major incident. This may have led to a relatively weaker emotional impact compared with the totally unexpected 11 September 2001 attacks in New York."