Suicide is a serious public health problem that claims the lives of thousands of people around the world. It is essential to act to prevent and offer assistance to those with the highest risk of committing it.
Suicide is an act by which a person intentionally causes death . Ending one’s own life is an act of response to deep suffering and great despair about the future. Those who rethink the possibility of suicide often have a kind of tunnel vision, whereby they do not contemplate any viable alternatives to resolve their situation other than death. In this way, when someone thinks of ending his life, what he wants is not to die, but to end up with unbearable suffering.
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The (sad) reality of suicide
Suicide is a major public health problem that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), claims the lives of 703,000 people every year in the world . In addition, this scourge is not only a matter for adults, as it also affects children and adolescents. Proof of this is that, according to 2019 data, in the age group of 15 to 29 years, suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
In this sense, prevention is of exceptional importance. There are interventions with scientific evidence and an adequate cost-benefit balance that can alleviate this problem, as long as they are applied following a comprehensive and multisectoral strategy. In this preventive work, it is crucial to detect those risk groups that are more likely to commit suicide.
In general terms, the risk skyrockets in those individuals who have suffered conflict, abuse, isolation or loss of loved ones . Similarly, groups in situations of discrimination, such as migrants and refugees, lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals and intersexuals, as well as inmates, are exposed to a greater risk of ending their lives. However, it should be noted that the main risk factor is, by far, having previously attempted suicide.
The causes behind the discomfort that triggers a suicide attempt can be very varied. Among the most common, we can talk about economic difficulties, problems in interpersonal relationships, situations of violence or loneliness. Many times, these difficult circumstances give rise to psychopathological disorders, such as depression or borderline personality disorder. However, suicides do not always occur in the context of a mental disorder. Sometimes, people simply consider this possibility because they do not see other ways of solution and feel desperate.
Everything related to suicide has always been covered with a halo of stigma and shame . Our society conceives death as a taboo, so we refuse to talk about it and, when we do, we use euphemisms to dilute its nature. After all, the natural instinct of the human being is oriented towards survival and suicide hits squarely against it. Silencing suicide is the usual response in the environment of the deceased person, since the weight of guilt for not having prevented it is too great.
However, not talking about what has happened prevents dignifying the pain that the person has experienced and giving it the corresponding value. Of course, the role of family and other loved ones is not easy at all, so they will need time (and often professional support) to work through what has happened and continue with their lives despite the intense pain that a death entails. loss of these features.
Due to the importance of suicide as a public health problem, in this article we are going to delve into its causes, the strategies to prevent it and the most appropriate treatment.
What is suicide?
Suicide is an act by which a person decides to take their own life . Sometimes suicide is consummated, while on other occasions it remains an attempt. The main motivation that leads a person to end her life is deep psychological suffering. This can be motivated by countless situations that generate unsustainable discomfort and great despair about the future.
Usually, those who have suicidal ideas show what has been called “tunnel vision” in psychology, which consists of a narrow and rigid vision of reality that prevents the person from evaluating options and alternatives to face the reality in front of him. Thus, the belief is strengthened that the only way to find relief and peace is to die.
Suicide involves damage not only to the person himself, but also to his environment . Grieving when a loved one dies in this way is extremely difficult, as feelings such as guilt come into play. The relatives enter a loop of remorse for those who think how they could not have avoided it. In many cases, the person’s environment will need professional support, since otherwise pathological grief may develop.
causes of suicide
People can consider suicide driven by many types of situations , although in all of them the common denominator is great emotional pain. There are some risk factors that make it more likely that a person will commit suicide:
- Being a man is a risk factor for committing suicide, while being a woman is a risk factor for committing an attempt.
- Being over 40 years old
- Existence of previous attempts (one of the most powerful risk factors).
- Existence of a history of completed suicide in the family.
- Toxic consumption
- Impulsiveness
- hopelessness
- Existence of psychopathologies such as bipolar disorder, alcoholism, depression, schizophrenia or personality disorders.
Suicide prevention and treatment
Given that completed suicide is an irreversible event, it is crucial to act preventively. Prevention implies breaking with numerous false myths that surround suicide, since these prevent us from detecting important warning signs and acting effectively against them. Let’s break down some of them:
- Only people with mental disorders commit suicide : This belief is widespread and is a big mistake. Not all people with mental disorders commit suicide and not all people who commit suicide have a mental disorder. Suicide can affect anyone who feels an overwhelming sense of pain and anguish. Those who commit suicide may be in very delicate situations, lack an adequate support network, suffer from stigma due to some type of condition or lack of understanding, all without having to have a psychopathological disorder.
- Those who express suicidal ideation or commit an attempt are just seeking attention : The idea that these verbalizations are mere calls for attention that should not be taken seriously is totally false. Verbalizations and suicidal attempts are cries for help to which we must respond immediately. Supporting and accompanying those who manifest these tendencies is essential to prevent. Don’t forget, listening to how that person is feeling and communicating with them openly can be a life jacket.
- People who show suicidal ideas and attempts want to die : Not at all. People who show these behaviors do not want to die, what they really want is to stop suffering. At this point it is essential to support the affected person to seek other alternatives beyond death. In other words, we have to help him break that “tunnel vision” that we already talked about.
- Talking about suicide can encourage suicidal behavior in people : No, no and no. Talking about suicide not only does not encourage people to end their lives, but it can be the way for someone with suicidal ideation to find a space to vent. Breaking with the stigma alleviates the anguish and is key for them to reconsider this decision and value other alternatives.
How is suicide classified?
We are going to know some types of suicide depending on two criteria: method used and planning
1. Depending on the method used
When a person decides to end his life, he can use different means to do so.
1.1. Soft Methods
These types of forms involve little suffering for the person, since they do not usually cause pain or other types of damage . The most common example is the massive intake of drugs. This method offers some scope to save the person and even for him to repent and ask for help.
1.2. Hard Methods
These types of methods are much more aggressive, since means are used that imply a greater probability of suffering and death . While in the previous case the person opts for a passive role, in this case he acquires a more active role, since he resorts to the use of weapons, hanging, throwing himself into the void, etc.
2. According to planning
In this case we can differentiate the type of suicide depending on whether or not there has been prior planning.
2.1. Premeditated
This type of suicide is one that occurs when the person has developed a plan , establishing a place and date to do it. In these cases, the person may show a sudden change in behavior when the fixed date approaches, since the previous anxiety gives way to serenity for having made a firm decision.
2.2. Impulsive
This type of suicide occurs when there is no prior premeditation. The person may have experienced suicidal ideation before, although they have never developed a plan or strategy for it. In this case, the person decides to end her life in a moment of heightened desperation . This can occur, for example, in people with bipolar disorder who decide to commit suicide in the manic phase.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.