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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
Published on: February 16, 2015
Staring Down Death
Thomas E Joiner1, Melanie A Hom1, Megan L Rogers1
11 Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
Background:
Lowered eye blink rate may be a clinically useful indicator of acute, imminent, and severe suicide risk. Diminished eye blink rates are often seen among individuals engaged in heightened concentration on a specific task that requires careful planning and attention. Indeed, overcoming one's biological instinct for survival through suicide necessitates premeditation and concentration; thus, a diminished eye blink rate may signal imminent suicidality.
Aims:
This article aims to spur research and clinical inquiry into the role of eye blinks as an indicator of acute suicide risk.
Method:
Literature relevant to the potential connection between eye blink rate and suicidality was reviewed and synthesized.
Results:
Anecdotal, cognitive, neurological, and conceptual support for the relationship between decreased blink rate and suicide risk is outlined.
Conclusion:
Given that eye blinks are a highly observable behavior, the potential clinical utility of using eye blink rate as a marker of suicide risk is immense. Research is warranted to explore the association between eye blink rate and acute suicide risk.
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