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Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending one's own life. Suicide can also refer to the individual who has committed or attempted the act. The terminology and its implications Suicide can be stigmatised or honoured, depending on cultural context and its apparent reasons. Those experiencing suicidal ideation, or thoughts about fatally harming one's self, may struggle to be heard and understood. The person feeling suicidal may often be made to feel rejected and guilty by those to whom they have confided their thoughts and feelings. Sufferers are sometimes wary of mental health professionals, as they may feel that they lack empathy or might accuse them of trying to hurt the feelings of friends or family. A person feeling suicidal may also wish to avoid being seen as making suicide 'threats', fearing that they might be seen as attempting to manipulate others. This may lead to situations where a person commits suicide without telling friends or family of how they felt.• Suicidal ideation can be described as a result from the experience of emotional pain outweighing the individual's coping strategies and resources for dealing with that pain. Some would claim that it can arise due to an individual's unwillingness to impose self-discipline and care about others more than him or herself; however, this idea ignores the ever-present emotional agony and feelings of immense hopelessness that many people with suicide ideology feel, and is sometimes used by family or others to instill shame or guilt in a person with suicidal thoughts in order to avoid a suicide. It may work in some cases, but in others it may only cause a person to continue suffering for the sake of other people, without really addressing their own problems. The perception of suicide is highly varied between the cultures, religions and legal and social systems of the world. It is considered a sin or immoral act in many religions, and a crime to help someone commit suicide in some countries. On the other hand, some cultures have viewed it as an honourable way to exit certain shameful or hopeless situations. Persons attempting or dying by suicide sometimes leave a suicide note. The definition of suicide The definition of suicide used from this point on is that the death of the person who commits suicide must be the central component and only intention of the act, rather than a secondary consequence of an act which is centrally motivated by religion, politics, etc. A suicide attack (such as a suicide bombing) is an attack carried out on an enemy at the cost of the attacker's life. It is not suicide in the above mentioned sense. 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. Defined as above, acts of suicide are necessarily committed only by human beings. No other known healthy organism possesses both the will and the capability to intentionally terminate its own life for the sole sake of death. There is some dispute over this with cases being reported of dolphins in captivity bashing their heads against walls, or not coming up for air. Also, some unhealthy organisms may intentionally end their lives due to sickness.• Causes of suicide No single factor has gained acceptance as a universal cause of suicide. However, depression is a common phenomenon amongst those who commit suicide. Other factors that may be related are as follows (Note that this is not meant as a comprehensive list, but rather as a summary of notable causes) Terrorism can also be a motive for suicide, especially when related to the following: Medical views of suicide Modern medicine treats suicide as a mental health issue. Overwhelming suicidal thoughts are considered a medical emergency. Medical professionals advise that people who have expressed plans to kill themselves be encouraged to seek medical attention immediately. This is especially important if the means (weapons, drugs, or other methods) are available, or if the patient has crafted a detailed plan for executing the suicide. Special consideration is given to trained personnel to look for suicidal signs in patients. Depressive people are considered a high-risk group for suicidal behaviour. Suicide hotlines are widely available for people seeking help. However, the negative and often too clinical reception that many suicidal people receive after relating their feelings to health professionals (threats of institutionalization, simply increasing dosages of medication, the stigmatization of suicide as a topic of discussion, etc), often causes them to keep their suicidal thoughts to themselves. Methods In countries where firearms are readily available, many suicides involve the use of firearms. In fact, just over 55% of suicides committed in the United States in 2001 were by firearm. Asphyxiation methods (including hanging) and toxification (poisoning and overdose) are fairly common as well. Each comprised about 20% of suicides in the US during the same time period. Other methods of suicide include blunt force trauma (jumping from a building/bridge or stepping in front of a train for example), exsanguination or bloodletting (slitting one's wrist or throat), self-immolation, electrocution, car collision and intentional starvation. In the Warring States Period and the Edo period of Japan, samurai who disgraced their honor chose to end their own lives by harakiri (hara = stomach, kiri = cut) or seppuku, a method in which the samurai takes a sword and slices into his abdomen, causing a fatal injury. The cut is usually performed diagonally from the top corner of the samurai's writing hand, and has long been considered an honorable form of death (even when done to punish dishonor). Though obviously such a wound would be fatal, seppuku was not always technically suicide, as the samurai's assistant (the kaishaku) would stand by to cut short any suffering by quickly administering decapitation--sometimes as soon as the first tiny incision into the abdomen was made. Suicide as a form of defiance and protest Heroic suicide, for the greater good of others, is often celebrated. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi went on a hunger strike (frequently used as a form of protest by incarcerated persons) to prevent fighting between Hindus and Muslims, and, although he was stopped before dying, it appeared he would have willingly succumbed to starvation. This attracted attention to Gandhi's cause, and generated a great deal of respect for him as a spiritual leader. In the 1960s, Buddhist monks, most notably Thích Quảng Đức, in South Vietnam drew Western attention to their protests against President Ngô Đình Diệm by burning themselves to death. Similar events were reported in eastern Europe, such as the death of Jan Palach following the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, or Romas Kalanta's self-immolation in the main street of Kaunas, Lithuania in 1972. Critics see such suicides as counter-productive, arguing that these people would probably achieve a comparable or greater result by spending the rest of their lives in active struggle. Suicide or attempted suicide as a means of standing up for personal beliefs or attempting to effect social or political change is related to martyrdom. Military suicide In the desperate final days of World War II, many Japanese pilots volunteered for kamikaze missions in an attempt to forestall defeat for the Empire. In Nazi Germany; Luftwaffe squadrons were formed to smash into American B-17s during daylight bombing missions, in order to delay the highly probable Allied victory, although in this case, inspiration was primarily the Soviet and Polish taran ramming attacks and death of the pilot was not a desired outcome. The degree to which such a pilot was engaging in a heroic, selfless action or whether they faced immense social pressure is a matter of historical debate. The Japanese also built one-man "human torpedo" suicide submarines. However, suicide has been fairly common in warfare throughout history. Soldiers and civilians committed suicide to avoid capture and slavery (including the wave of German and Japanese suicides in the last days of World War II). Commanders committed suicide rather than accept defeat. Behaviour that could be seen as suicidal occurred often in battle. For instance, soldiers under cannon fire at the Battle of Waterloo took fatal hits rather than duck and place their comrades in harm's way. The Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War, Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg in the US Civil War , and the charge of the French cavalry at Sedan in the Franco-Prussian War were assaults that continued even after it was obvious to participants that the attacks were unlikely to succeed and would probably be fatal to most of the attackers. Japanese infantrymen usually fought to the last man, launched "banzai" suicide charges, and committed suicide during the Pacific island battles in World War II. In Saipan, Okinawa, civilians joined in the suicides. Suicidal attacks by pilots were common in the 20th century: the attack by U.S. torpedo planes at the Battle of Midway was very similar to a kamikaze attack. Also, it could be argued that it is an action of military suicide to 'sit on a grenade', the action of throwing oneself onto a grenade, hoping to shield one's platoon from the shrapnel and/or explosion but most certainly losing one's own life in the process. This particular reference to suicide is also what leads to the everyday usage of the term when indicating a hopeless situation, often in business, such as "it would be suicide for us to go to market without a viable product." Debate over suicide Some see suicide as a legitimate matter of personal choice and a human right (colloquially known as the right to die movement), and maintain that no one should be forced to suffer against their will, particularly from conditions such as incurable disease, mental illness, and old age that have no possibility of improvement. Proponents of this view reject the belief that suicide is always irrational, arguing instead that it can be a valid, albeit drastic, solution to serious problems – a line of last resort that should be considered a legitimate option when the alternative is held to be worse. This perspective is widely held in Continental Europe*, where euthanasia and other such topics are commonly discussed in parliament, although it has some support in the United States as well. On the other hand, 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 do not 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 dissuaded from their feelings and beliefs, while others choose to disregard such pressures. Those who ultimately kill themselves under these circumstances might argue that going to heaven, or the "peace of nothingness" that comes with death, 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 sometimes ordered by their superiors to commit seppuku, a form of ritual disembowelment suicide. This was expected as a matter of honour where staying alive committed a greater dishonour to their family, but in such cases functioned as execution or political assassination rather than genuinely deliberate suicide. They may also have done it as a matter of free choice, also for the sake of honour, and it was considered better than being taken prisoner. Achieving a placid indifference to life or death was considered a state of enlightenment in certain Buddhist traditions. Epidemiology
Combination of homicide and suicide Since crime just prior to suicide is often perceived as being without consequences, it is not uncommon for suicide to be linked with homicide. Motivations may range from guilt, to evading punishment, to insanity, 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 he/she 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 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 discernible 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. Some 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 have 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. Thinking about suicide is, actually, fairly common. At least 17% of high school students admitted seriously considering suicide in 2005, while less than 8% made an attempt . 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. Impact of suicide on family and friends It is estimated that, in the United States, an average of six people are "survivors" of each suicide. However, this may grossly underestimate the number of people who are affected. For example, the suicide of a child may leave the school and their entire community left to make sense of the loss. As with any death, family and friends of a suicide victim feel grief associated with loss. Suicide survivors are often overwhelmed with psychological trauma as well, given that most suicides occur suddenly and without warning. This trauma can leave survivors feeling guilty, angry, remorseful, helpless, and confused. It can be especially difficult for survivors because many of their questions as to why the victim felt the need to take his or her own life are left unanswered. Moreover, survivors often feel that they have failed or that they should have intervened in some way. Given these complex sets of emotions associated with a loved one's suicide, survivors usually find it difficult to discuss the death with others, causing them to feel isolated from their own network of family and friends and often making them reluctant to form new relationships as well. . "Survivor groups" can offer counseling and help bring many of the issues associated with suicide out into the open. They can also help survivors reach out to their own friends and family who may be feeling similarly and thus begin the healing process. In addition, counseling services and therapy can provide invaluable support to the bereaved. There are also online support groups that provide a forum for discussion amongst survivors of suicide (see Support Groups for Survivors section below). As well as providing counseling for the grief-stricken, survivor groups have also attempted to change the language used to describe suicide. Believing that the term "commit" attaches criminal implications to suicide, they have pushed for alternative terms that remove this meaning including "attempting" suicide, or "died by" suicide. See also Documents and periodicals Nonfiction books Crisis lines Support groups Support groups for survivors Suicide prevention Other links | |||||||||
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