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Lithium In Water "Curbs Suicide"

Posted by Soulskill on from the correlation-is-reeeally-chill-man dept.

SpuriousLogic writes "Drinking water which contains lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests. Researchers compared levels of lithium in drinking water to suicide rates in the prefecture of Oita, which has a population of more than one million. The suicide rate was significantly lower in those areas with the highest levels of lithium, they wrote in the British Journal of Psychiatry. And I was only worried about fluoridation affecting my precious bodily fluids before ..."

15 of 458 comments (clear)

  1. Anyone ever watch that Joss Whedon movie? by joetomato · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where they spike the air to cure aggression in people? It doesn't end well.

    1. Re:Anyone ever watch that Joss Whedon movie? by ushering05401 · · Score: 5, Funny

      It was as if a million voices cried out 'WOOOSH' and were suddenly silenced.

  2. So this means... by actionbastard · · Score: 5, Funny

    That there are no suicides in Bolivia?

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    Sig this!
    1. Re:So this means... by jdong · · Score: 5, Funny

      In Iran, we don't have suicides either, like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I do not know who has told you that we have it.

  3. He might be right by Norsefire · · Score: 5, Funny

    0% of people who commited suicide in the last year drunk water with Lithium in it.

  4. Re:HS chem may be a fading memory but... by Norsefire · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's the idea; if you drink exploding water you can't commit suicide.

  5. Re: Lithium is used to fight bipolar disorder by Mr+Stubby · · Score: 5, Funny

    from that wiki link - "The most common side effects of lithium are thirst and polyuria."
    So lithium in the water would make people drink more water and get more lithum which makes them drink more water and get more... oh the humanity!

  6. Fuck man... by LordKaT · · Score: 4, Funny

    Putting mood stabilizers in water. Fuck, that's a creepy thought. I mean ... damn, isn't that supposed to be the realm of Coast to Coast AM?

    1. Re:Fuck man... by shawb · · Score: 4, Funny

      Where's my tin-foil hat?

      Your tin-foil hat has reported back to the Department of Thought as malfunctioning. Fear not, it will soon be returned in proper working order.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  7. Re:Not surprising by feepness · · Score: 5, Funny

    And a universally delivered mood stabilizer makes for a conveniently complacent population. Get your propaganda goggles on for this one.

    At first the idea of this totally pissed me off. But then I had a nice, cool, glass of water and thought better of it.

  8. Re:me two. by MrNaz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Patent? Lithium? It's an element on the periodic table. How could it possibly have ever had a patent filed against it?

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    I hate printers.
  9. Re:Anyone else massively creeped out by this? by x2A · · Score: 4, Funny

    "unless it would be a chemical to stop rational thinking"

    Holy water?!!

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    The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
  10. Re:Not surprising by icebike · · Score: 5, Funny

    > Just imagine the anti-floridation crowd going ballistic if anyone suggested adding Lithium to municipal water supplies.

    Not if we add it first, and tell them later...

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    Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
  11. Re:Anyone ever read that Stephen King story? by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why not spike it with booze instead. "Every hour is happy hour!"

    And when people then still continue to "off" themselves, we can say "no big deal, it was just another drunk."

    So, can I have my research grant now?

  12. Re:me two. by tverbeek · · Score: 5, Funny

    Besides, we need all the available lithium for making batteries now; we can't afford to waste it on people who are probably just going to kill themselves anyway.

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    http://alternatives.rzero.com/