Suicide

For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation).

Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending one's own life. Suicide is sometimes used as a noun for one who has committed or attempted the act.

The terminology and its implications

Suicide is frequently highly stigmatized, and those experiencing suicidal ideation, or thoughts about harming onesself, struggle to be heard and understood. The person feeling suicidal may often be made to feel rejected and guilty by those they have confided their thoughts and feelings to - (sometimes even by mental health professionals) accusing them of trying to hurt the feelings of the friends or family they just confided to, or of making suicide 'threats'. This is made all the more baffling when relatives and friends of a person who committed suicide without telling anyone then proceed to question why the person never told them. Suicidal ideation frequently results from the experience of emotional pain outweighing the individual's coping strategies and resources for dealing with that pain.

Suicide is viewed in highly varying ways among the cultures, religions, legal and social systems of the world. It is considered a sin or immoral act in many religions, and a crime in some jurisdictions. On the other hand, some cultures have viewed it as an honorable way to exit certain shameful or hopeless situations. Persons attempting or dying by suicide sometimes leave a suicide note.

According to stricter definitions of suicide, to be considered suicide, the death of the person who commits suicide must be the central component and only intention of the act, not just a certain consequence; hence, suicide bombing is considered a kind of bombing rather than a kind of suicide, and martyrdom usually escapes religious or legal proscription. Generally, there are only legal consequences when there is death and proof of intent. However, not all follow this narrower definition. Certainly, a suicide bomber knows that death will be part of the outcome of his or her actions.

By the stricter definition, acts of suicide are only committed by human beings. No other healthy organisms capable of reproducing, that are currently known of, terminate their own life with the central intention being their own death.

Medical views on suicide

Main article: Medical views on suicide

Medicine views suicide as a mental health issue. Severe suicidal thoughts are considered a medical emergency. Mental health practitioners consistently advise suicidal people to seek help. This is especially true if the means (weapons, drugs, or other methods) are available, or if a detailed plan is in place. People who have expressed plans to kill themselves should be encouraged to see medical attention immediately.Furthermore, training those medical personnel to look for suicidal signs in patients is an important job. Depressive people are a high-risk group for suicidal behaviour; therefore, some hospitals or medical centers offer help line service for patients.

Suicide as a form of defiance and protest

File:Thich Quang Duc - Self Immolation.jpg

The self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức.

Heroic suicide, for the greater good of others, is often celebrated. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi went on a hunger strike to prevent fighting between Hindus and Muslims, and, although they stopped him before he died, he might have killed himself if they hadn't. For this, he earned the respect of many.

In the 1960s, Buddhist monks, most notably Thích Quảng Đức, in South Vietnam gained Western praise in their protests against President Ngô Đình Diệm by burning themselves to death. Similar events were reported in eastern Europe, such as Jan Palach following the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. In wars, there have been numerous reports of combatants performing suicidal acts in order to save other soldiers. Not everybody would count all these actions as suicides, as the person's death was clearly not the primary purpose. Opponents argue that these people would probably achieve a comparable result by spending the rest of their lives in active struggle.

Debate over suicide

Main article: Philosophical views of suicide

A euthanasia machine.

There are arguments in favor of allowing an individual to choose between life and suicide. This view sees suicide as a valid option and a human right. This line rejects the widespread belief that suicide is always or usually irrational, saying instead that it is a genuine, albeit severe, solution to real problems – a line of last resort that can legitimately be taken when the alternative is considered worse. No being should be made to suffer unnecessarily, and suicide provides an escape from suffering in certain circumstances, such as incurable disease and old age.

Similarly, a young and healthy person, free from any major trauma in their past, in their opinion free from any mental disorders, and with a future even regarded as bright by observers, can come to the decision that they don't find life rewarding and that they wish to end their experience then and there. This is usually met with a negative reaction, and these persons are often persuaded from their feelings and beliefs, while others choose to disregard such pressures. Those who ultimately kill themselves under these circumstances might argue that the peace of nothingness they expect to find in death, if they are not religious, or the peace of heaven offered to the dead by a deity whose forgiveness they trust in, is much more appealing than the experiences they expect to have in this world. They may feel too eager for this better state of (non-)existence to wait, especially during modern times in which the human lifespan is progressively increasing.

In the past, the Japanese were often ordered by their superiors to commit seppuku, a form of ritual disembowelment suicide. This was expected as a matter of honor where staying alive committed a greater dishonor to their family. They may also have done it as a matter of free choice, also for the sake of honor, and it was considered better than being taken prisoner.

== Epidemiology ==

Edouard Manet: Suicide, 1877

Main article: Epidemiology and methodology of suicide

It is probable that the incidence of suicide is widely under-reported due to both religious and social pressures, and possibly completely unreported in some areas. Many theories have been developed to explain the causes of suicide with no strong consensus with one. Nevertheless, from the known suicides, certain trends are apparent: for example, in the Western world, males die much more often than females by suicide, while females attempt suicide more often. Suicide rates in various nations have followed significant patterns over time, and it's often possible to anticipate suicides based on a person's social, economic, and psychological condition. The radical view would be that in countries with extremely high suicide rates, a suicide may reflect the psychological problems of the whole society rather than the problems of that particular individual. However, there is insufficient data to adequately compare suicide rates among nations.

Combination of homicide and suicide

Main article: Murder-suicide

Since crime just prior to suicide is often perceived as being without consequences, it is not uncommon to combine homicide with suicide. Motivations range from wishing to be with one's family in an expected afterlife to avoiding punishment to killing others as part of a suicide pact.

Attempted suicide and parasuicide

Many suicidal people participate in suicidal activities which do not result in death. These activities fall under the designation attempted suicide or parasuicide. Generally, those with a history of such attempts are almost 23 times more likely to eventually end their own lives than those without.

Sometimes, a person will make actions resembling suicide attempts while not being fully committed, or in a deliberate attempt to have others notice. This is called a suicidal gesture (also known as a "cry for help"). Prototypical methods might be a non-lethal method of self-harm that leaves obvious signs of the attempt, or simply a lethal action at a time when the person considers it likely that they will be rescued or prevented from fully carrying it out.

On the other hand, a person who genuinely wishes to die may fail, due to lack of knowledge about what they are doing; unwillingness to try methods that may end in permanent damage if they fail or harm to others; or an unanticipated rescue, among other reasons. This is referred to as a suicidal attempt.

Distinguishing between a suicidal attempt and a suicidal gesture may be difficult. Intent and motivation are not always fully discernable since so many people in a suicidal state are genuinely conflicted over whether they wish to end their lives. One approach, assuming that a sufficiently strong intent will ensure success, considers all near-suicides to be suicidal gestures. This however does not explain why so many people who fail at suicide end up with severe injuries, often permanent, which are most likely undesirable to those who are making a suicidal gesture. Another possibility is those wishing merely to make a suicidal gesture may end up accidentally killing themselves, perhaps by underestimating the lethality of the method chosen or by overestimating the possibility of external intervention by others. Suicide-like acts should generally be treated as seriously as possible since if there is an insufficiently strong reaction from loved ones from a suicidal gesture, this may motivate future, more committed attempts.

In the technical literature the use of the terms parasuicide, or deliberate self-harm (DSH) are preferred – both of these terms avoid the question of the intent of the action.

An important difference to note is that self-harm is not a suicide attempt. There is a non-causal correlation between self-harm and suicide; individuals who suffer from depression or other mental health issues are also more likely to choose suicide. DSH is far more common than suicide, and the majority of DSH participants are females aged under 35. They are usually not physically ill and while psychological factors are highly significant, they are rarely clinically ill and severe depression is uncommon. Social issues are key – DSH is most common among those living in overcrowded conditions, in conflict with their families, with disrupted childhoods and history of drinking, criminal behavior, and violence. Individuals under these stresses become anxious and depressed and then, usually in reaction to a single particular crisis, they attempt to harm themselves. The motivation may be a desire for relief from emotional pain or to communicate feelings, although the motivation will often be complex and confused. DSH may also result from an inner conflict between the desire to end life and the desire to continue living. See the article on self-harm for an in depth discussion.

Distinction between suicide and attempted suicide

An important distinction has also been made (see Erwin Stengel, 'Suicide and Attempted Suicide') between those who kill themselves and did not mean to, and those who did not kill themselves but did mean to. Thus a 'Suicide' (noun) may either succeed or fail in his/her goal (i.e. succeed in killing himself/herself or not) and an 'Attempted Suicide' (noun) may either succeed or fail in his/her goal (e.g., succeed in 'making a cry for help' or fail and, in doing so, probably die).

This distinction, if correctly drawn, can have important ramifications for the treatment of people who are suicidal. Its definition is when one takes their own life, in other words when a person kills himself or herself. Many people are suicidal and there are many “symptoms” that we can be observant of that can assist us in picking out those who are contemplating suicide. Some of these include a person who has a number of problems in their life which they think has no solution, a person becoming abnormally violent, depressed, becoming drawn to themselves, etc. Some people turn to other means whilst trying to deal or overcome their irrational thoughts and behavior, this might include the consumption of drugs, alcohol, etc. and as a result, their problem only ends up getting worse than it originally was. Most people, who try and commit suicide but fail in doing so, very often try again. This is why it is so important to identify these suicidal people before it’s too late. Statistics have shown that 4 in every 10 people, who think about suicide, finally do commit. The suicide rate in teenagers is on the increase and governments all around the world are desperately trying to combat this. Most countries have introduced special facilities such as “the lifeline” which is aimed at helping those who are at the brink of suicide. There are also workshops, which are being carried out and have the same aim. In these workshops, you can speak to trained professionals and motivational speakers who will do all that are possible to help you.

Suicide in literature

Suicide has been used as a dramatic plot element in a number of literary works, such as The Sorrows of Young Werther, Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina, A Perfect Day for Bananafish, Umberto D, The Awakening, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Death of a Salesman, Groundhog Day, Million Dollar Baby, The Shawshank Redemption, The Juggler, Chushingura, and Survivor. Robert E. Howard wrote several poems, including The Tempter, about suicide.

See also

• Cult suicide
• Suicide attack
• Harakiri (Seppuku)
• Dutiful suicide
• List of suicides
• List of songs about suicide
• Meaning of life
• The choking game
• Quantum suicide
• Self-harm
• Suicide Act 1961
• Terminal illness
• Suicide booth
• Suicider
• Mass suicide
• alt.suicide.holiday
• Suicide

Further reading

Documents and periodicals

• Frederick, C. J. Trends in Mental Health: Self-destructive Behavior Among Younger Age Groups. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse. 1976. ED 132 782.
• Lipsitz, J. S., Making It the Hard Way: Adolescents in the 1980s. Testimony presented to the Crisis Intervention Task Force of the House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families. 1983. ED 248 002.
• McBrien, R. J. "Are You Thinking of Killing Yourself? Confronting Suicidal Thoughts." SCHOOL COUNSELOR 31 (1983): 75–82.
• Ray, L. Y. "Adolescent Suicide." Personnel and Guidance Journal 62 (1983): 131–35.
• Rosenkrantz, A. L. "A Note on Adolescent Suicide: Incidence, Dynamics and Some Suggestions for Treatment." ADOLESCENCE 13 (l978): 209–14.
• Suicide Among School Age Youth. Albany, NY: The State Education Department of the University of the State of New York, 1984. ED 253 819.
• Suicide and Attempted Suicide in Young People. Report on a Conference. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 1974. ED 162 204.
• Teenagers in Crisis: Issues and Programs. Hearing Before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families. House of Representatives Ninety-eighth Congress, First Session. Washington, DC: Congress of the U. S., October, 1983. ED 248 445.
• Smith, R. M. Adolescent Suicide and Intervention in Perspective. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, Boston, MA, August, 1979. ED 184 017.

Nonfiction books

• Bongar, B. The Suicidal Patient: Clinical and Legal Standards of Care. Washington, D.C.: APA. 2002. ISBN 1557987610
• Jamison, Kay Redfield (2000). Night Falls Fast : Understanding Suicide. Vintage. ISBN 0375701478.
• Stone, Geo. "Suicide and Attempted Suicide: Methods and Consequences". New York: Carroll & Graf, 2001. ISBN 0-7867-0940-5

External links

Crisis Lines

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) - a 24-hour toll-free suicide prevention helpline, United States
• Suicide Prevention Center, Los Angeles - a 24-hour suicide prevention helpline, toll-free in LA Country, United States
• Suicide Hotlines - listing of suicide prevention lines in the United States and around the world. Look here to find a crisis line near you.
• The Trevor Helpline: 1 866 - 4U TREVOR - nationwide, 24-hour, free, confidential suicide helpline for gay and questioning teenagers, United States. See The Trevor Project article.

Support groups

• Samaritans (UK) - 24-hour support help, United Kingdom
• #alt.suicide.bus.stop (ASBS) - a support group for the suicidal, by the suicidal
• Befrienders Worldwide - information about suicide for most countries
• The Suicide Forum - a support forum for people in crisis
• SuicideTalk.com Suicide forums (Inactive as of 3 May 2006)
• Open Directory Project: Mental Health: Disorders: Suicide: "'Support Groups'" - support groups for suicidal people

Suicide prevention

• metanoia.org/suicide - suicide prevention page
• "Understanding and Helping the Suicidal Person" - information on suicide prevention
• TeenSuicide.us - teenage suicide prevention information
• Choose Life - suicide prevention in Scotland
• The Debate: a pro-choice FAQ
• Teenage Suicide: Identification, Intervention and Prevention - discussion of teenage suicide prevention
• Suicide and the Exceptional Child - discussion of suicide prevention in children
• Suicide and Sudden Loss: Crisis Management in the Schools - discussion of suicide prevention in schools

Other links

• "Suicide as a Moral Alternative" - discussion on the morality of suicide, including arguments for and against
• "Suicide" in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• cbel.com/suicide/ - directory of information on suicide
• American Association of Suicidology - statistics and general information
• Suicide & Euthanasia - a Biblical Perspective - discussion of suicide from a biblical perspective
• "The Murder of Oneself" - ethical and legal considerations in suicide and its prevention
• "Lithuania's Suicide Epidemic" - article on the high suicide rates of Lithuania
• Suicide Promotion (Internet) - United Kingdom Parliamentary debate - debate by politicians on suicide, 25 January 2005
• Suicide - Frequently Asked Questions
• "Our Right to Suicide" (PDF) - report on the individual's right to die
• Suicide & the Self(PDF) - thesis for a philosophy Masters
• Online Education on Suicide Prevention for Professionals - list of courses for medical professionals