Suicide
Content
Defining Suicide
Theories of Suicide
Suicide Myths & Facts
Risk Factors
Protective Factors
Warning Signs
Suicide
Conventionally, suicide is an intentionally caused self-destruction.
Agree or Disagree
❑ If a soldier chooses to lay down his/her life to save others. Suicide
or heroism?
❑ If a civil rights campaigner decides to go where they know there
will be an assassination attempt. Suicide or martyrdom?
❑ If a person who suffers from a cancer which kills 50% chooses to
refuse treatment that may save their life but it leaves everyone
who survives the treatment disabled and mutilated for life. Suicide
or Rational Decision making?
Choice and courage seem play a central role
Suicide
Suicide is an attempt to solve a problem of intense emotional pain
with impaired problem-solving skills (Kalafat & Underwood, 1989)
A permanent solution to a temporary problem
Death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with an intent
to die as a result of the behavior. (CDC, 2016)
Theories of Suicide
Durkheim’s sociological theory (1897)
by Emile Durkheim
Suicide is a result of social and structural factors rather than individual
ones.
He conceptualizes these forces in two domains:
o social integration (i.e., the social ties one has with others and with
society)
o moral regulation (i.e., the effects of societal rules and norms on
individuals).
Theories of Suicide
Manifestations at the extremes of either social or moral integration result in four specific
types of suicide:
❑ Altruistic suicide occurs when individuals are so highly integrated with a
society that they believe their death by suicide would be a societal
contribution.
❑ Egoistic suicide (in contrast)is described as the result of a lack of social
integration, such as an individual lacking social bonds to family or friends.
❑ Anomic suicide takes place when society does not provide adequate
regulation, for instance, during a time of economic crisis when there is great
uncertainty regarding individuals’ current and future roles in their society.
❑ At the opposite end of the moral regulation spectrum, fatalistic suicide is
thought of as the result of excessive regulation and oppressive discipline,
which, for example, might occur among prisoners or slaves.
Theories of Suicide
Escape theory (1990) by Baumeister
It consisting of a causal chain of six main steps:
(1) falling short of standards due to either unrealistic expectations or
recent problems or setbacks;
(2) negative internal attributions of self-blame and low self-esteem;
(3) an aversive state of high self-awareness stemming from
comparison of the self with relevant standards;
Theories of Suicide
Escape theory (1990) by Baumeister
(4) negative affect following the self-awareness of falling short on
important standards;
(5) cognitive deconstruction, such that the individual tries to escape
negative affect by rejecting and avoiding meaningful thought; and
(6) consequences of deconstruction, including disinhibition, passivity,
absence of emotion, and irrational cognitions.
Theories of Suicide
Escape theory (1990) by Baumeister
According to this theory, suicide is an attempt to escape aversive self-
awareness and intense negative emotions. By this model, suicide
should be a rare occurrence, as it requires a particular set of
decisions stemming from each step of the causal chain.
Theories of Suicide
Psychache theory (1993) by Edwin Shneidman
❑ A psychological pain, hurt, or anguish that overtakes the mind.
❑ This type of pain is deeply emotional and may be characterized by
intense feelings of shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, or loneliness.
❑This pain is intimately connected with a person’s psychological
needs, and that when these needs are blocked, thwarted, or
frustrated, psychache arises.
❑Shneidman proposes that suicide is more likely to occur when
individuals find their psychache to be intolerable and unbearable.
❑He argues that suicide is a way by which individuals escape deep
psychological pain.
Theories of Suicide
Psychache theory (1993) by Edwin Shneidman
❑ Cubic Model of Suicide
Uses three primary dimensions to provide an integrated
model for suicide risk:
- degree of psychache,
- degree of stress,
- degree of perturbation.
Each dimension is rated from low (1) to high (5) for an
individual.
❑ When an individual is a 5-5-5 on the cube = elevated risk
for suicide.
Thus, many of the treatments and interventions that he outlines focus on
addressing these three dimensions.
Suicide Myths & Facts
1. Suicide happens without warning.
Suicide Myths & Facts
1. Suicide happens without warning.
False
Studies reveal that the suicidal person will often
give many clues and warnings regarding his/her
suicidal intentions.
Suicide Myths & Facts
2. Once a person decides to complete suicide,
there is nothing anyone can do to stop them.
True False
Suicide Myths & Facts
2. Once a person decides to complete suicide,
there is nothing anyone can do to stop them.
False
Suicide is the most preventable kind of death,
and almost any positive action may save a life.
Suicide Myths & Facts
3. Confronting a person about suicide will only
make them angry and increase the risk of
suicide.
True False
Suicide Myths & Facts
3. Confronting a person about suicide will only
make them angry and increase the risk of
suicide.
False
Asking someone directly about suicidal intent
can lower anxiety, open up communication
and lower the risk of an impulsive act.
Suicide Myths & Facts
4. Anyone can help a suicidal student.
Suicide Myths & Facts
4. Anyone can help a suicidal student.
True
Anyone, not just a mental health professional can
help by engaging the student in accessing the
appropriate resources. Teachers can often be the
first line of defense in helping an at-risk student.
Risk Factors
Behavioral/Individual
• Ex. positive mood, internal locus of control, desire
to finish school, frustration tolerance, aerobic
activity
• Social Support
• Ex. Support from and connectedness to parents
or parental figures, social involvement,
mentorship
• School/Community Factors
• Ex. availability/accessibility of student support
services and personnel (that’s you!)
Now, what?
• What to say:
• “We’ll get through this.”
• “Tell me what’s going on.”
• “Will you let me help you get help?”
• “Will you promise me not to kill yourself until
we’ve found some help?”
• “I’m glad you told me, I want to help.”
• “Will you go with me to see a counselor?”
