Suicide (suicide) is the deprivation of life on a voluntary basis, without the participation of other people. Unfortunately, in modern society, the form of settling accounts with life is a fairly common occurrence. Causes of suicide can be completely different, a person makes such a decision on the basis of certain life difficulties of a psychological and social nature.
Suicide problem
Cases of settling accounts with life in various ways are noted in historical documents at all stages of the development of the human race. Ancient Greece, Ancient China and Rome in their annals mention the facts of suicide.
Today, suicide is one of the 10 most common causes of death in the West. According to statistics, every year up to 160 thousand people worldwide commit suicide. The vast majority among them are teenagers. Wherein causes of suicide both adults and adolescents can be completely different, they can be in the business or educational field of a person’s life, or in the personal one.
It is generally accepted that suicide is a sign of weakness, a departure from life's problems. In fact, in order to commit such an act, one must have strong will and confidence in one's actions.
Suicide: Signs
According to studies, 75% of people who plan to take their own lives have somehow revealed their intentions. These were both open threats and subtle hints of impending suicide. Almost all of these people visited psychologists, social workers, doctors or teachers, from which we can conclude that they tried to speak out. Unfortunately, in most cases they did not get what they wanted, because of which they did not change their original plans.
Signs of planned suicide are revealed during the conversation and are manifested in the duality of feelings. On the one hand, they experience hopelessness, and on the other, they hope for salvation. In most cases, the arguments for and against such an act are fairly balanced. Often you can help with simple words of support. If this is not done, the scales will tip in favor of committing suicide. That is why it is so important to know the signs by which you can understand about the planned suicide.
Signs are behavioral, verbal, and social, with the causes of suicide can be any.
In the first group of signs, constant expressions and unhealthy jokes on the topic of death are noted, and behavioral can manifest themselves in a sudden distribution of personal things. This also includes restoring order in personal papers, deeds, reconciliation with people, as well as a sharp change in habitual behavior. Situational signs are manifested in social isolation, an unexpected crisis in the family, and alcoholism.
The main causes of suicide
Analyzing the causes of suicide, statistics says that the main ones are:
- age crisis;
- gross mental personality disorders;
- divorce from wife / husband;
- spouse's death;
- lack of family;
- incurable disease;
- lack of work;
- loneliness.
According to statistics, 30% of attempts to commit suicide are repeated after a while, and 10% are made. In addition, attempts to reduce scores with life are recorded 6 times more often than completed suicides.
Scientists have identified a risk group where the chance of committing suicide is significantly higher than that of other people. These include:
- individuals leading an isolated lifestyle, the so-called loners;
- adolescents with impaired interpersonal relationships;
- people who abuse alcohol or drugs;
- individuals with criminal or deviant behavior;
- people with a high level of self-criticism, as well as suffering from various humiliations;
- persons surviving the loss of a loved one;
- teenagers with frustration and adults with neurosis.
All causes of suicide can be psychological or social.
The psychological aspect of suicide
A deep conflict of motives within a person can lead to an attempt to reduce scores with life. The psychological causes of suicide often lie in a person’s early childhood. As a rule, these are authoritarian parents who show excessive cruelty in education. Often the result of this is a manifestation of aggression in adulthood, when a person tries to change his life situation in this way. If the objects of aggression cannot be found, she can turn to the personality itself, which will lead to suicide.
Another psychological aspect of suicide is associated with hysterical and demonstrative manifestations. Typically, this is a desire to manipulate another person. For example, a girl can take a large dose of sleeping pills, hoping that they will save her, and the young man’s attitude towards her will change. Or a guy can consciously participate in dangerous races, thus striving to influence the emotions of his beloved. How far a man can go in his attempts to manipulate does not even know himself. But the more conscious the motives for action, the less tragic the consequences.
Another psychological reason for suicide is the desire to punish inattention. It seems to the person in this situation that people will bitterly regret their behavior after his death. Unfortunately, this reason has no real basis, those whom he wants to punish, as a rule, do not really experience such a departure from life. These are the main causes of adult suicide. and adolescents, and most often this applies to young people of a certain age.
The social dimension of suicide
Suicides can be explained not only psychologically. Social causes of suicide are no less significant. One of the main ones is religion. It often happens that spiritual laws calling for love of one's neighbor contribute to an increase in internal tension. Such tension causes a person to conflict with himself when his aggression turns against him. Here comes the concept of guilt and salvation from it. In this case, the idea arises that any wrongdoing should be punished, as a result of which the person begins to approach the hour of reckoning.
Another social aspect of suicide is the overstatement of one's own significance. This situation is typical for such cases when the death of a family member occurs. The survivor begins to cultivate his own guilt and gradually comes to the conclusion that his death will be the only way to make amends for it.
Such thoughts are common to many people, but not everyone can put their own plans for suicide into effect.
Causes of Suicide (Durkheim)
One of the main supporters of the social causes of suicide is the French sociologist Emile Durkheim. According to his theory, it is society that causes the bulk of suicides.
Durkheim believed that there is a kind of social consciousness that dictates to people how to live. For example, a person may come to the conclusion that he is not worthy of life, because he does not have a family or work. All the main causes of suicide he reduces to one - loneliness. It is it that pushes a person to settle accounts with life.
Disagreeing with the psychological causes of suicide, Durkheim cites the following fact: there are more women than men in homes for mentally ill people. However, it is the latter who commit 80% of all suicides. He also argues with supporters of the belief that suicidal tendencies are inherited. The sociologist claims that both men and women receive the same set of genes, but it is the strong representatives of humanity who are more likely to take their own lives.
Causes of Suicide in Men according to Durkheim, it is precisely social in nature. They do not correspond to the norms of society, do not earn money to support the family or do not have it at all, therefore, they are useless for society.
Types of Durkheim Suicides
The sociologist has divided into several types of suicide. Reasons suicide callers, depend on its type.
So, there are three types of suicide according to Durkheim:
- egoistic;
- altruistic;
- anonymous.
The egoistic type comes when the person is faced with the inability to satisfy personal egoistic needs. For example, a person may want a lot of money or a high position in society, but not have internal resources to achieve the goal. In this case, especially if there is no support from loved ones, the likelihood of committing suicide is extremely high. In favor of this theory, the sociologist cites high suicide figures among Protestants who profess the selfish morality of personal enrichment.
Altruistic suicide is called when a person says goodbye to life disinterestedly for the sake of other people. For example, such a situation is possible when suicide is committed with the aim of obtaining family insurance for the life of the deceased.
Anonymous suicide is associated with a certain state of society, when there are disagreements in it, and there is no normative and moral framework for behavior. Durkheim believed that too rapid development of society could lead to mass suicides. At this rate, there is no equilibrium, which is accompanied by an economic downturn or, conversely, a recovery. In the first case, people settle accounts with life due to the loss of capital, in the second - because it seems to them that others are getting richer faster. This type of suicide is a kind of selfish, as it also depends on the personal needs of the person.
Teen Suicides
Transitional age is the most difficult stage in the formation of an adult personality. That is why among this age category, the percentage of suicides is extremely high.
Causes of Teen Suicide come down to the following:
- Conflicts with parents or friends
- difficult family situation;
- humiliation from peers;
- unrequited love.
In addition, the media has a strong influence on an unformed personality. As a result of this, life is often reduced as an imitation of favorite characters from films or books.
Other causes of teenage suicide are alcohol, toxic or narcotic drugs, and depression. In addition, the death of a family member or close friend or poor academic performance can lead to suicide. For girls, rape or early pregnancy may also be the cause of suicide.
However, suicide is not always the result of a tragic accident. Among adolescents there are gifted individuals who do not fit into the surrounding reality, which makes them feel like social outcasts. That is what can push them to such a desperate step.
Teen Suicide Prevention
Causes of suicide and their prevention are one of the most important problems of psychology. What is suicide and how to avoid it, you need to tell children from a very young age. Meanwhile, many parents avoid this topic, believing that this problem will not affect their child.
Suicide prevention among adolescents consists in timely psychological assistance and good participation. In addition, one should take into account the high degree of suggestibility of this age category. Teenagers present their beautiful young body in a coffin, grief of loved ones, as well as their guilt. It is important to dispel this myth by explaining and clearly showing how they will look after they are found. Using these methods, it is important to remember that adolescents are extremely sensitive and their reaction to any words can be unpredictable. That is why the issue of prevention of teenage suicide is so important in modern society.
Suicide and help
It is important to be able to help a person who has admitted his intentions. Most often, simple participation and a confidential conversation are necessary in which he will be able to express all his grievances and anxieties. Sincere interest on your part and understanding will help to realize that it is not indifferent to you. This feeling is the most necessary for a person who has decided to commit suicide.
It is necessary to conduct a dialogue in such a way that a person realizes the meaninglessness of his act, as well as its sad consequences for people close to him. It is important not to express condemnation, but to thank for such frankness, emphasizing that you will try to help find a way out of the situation. Often, one such emotional conversation helps a person to get out of a state of deep depression and if not to abandon their suicidal plans, then at least put them off. And this will already be a chance to help him completely forget about his intentions.
As a rule, the decision to take scores with life does not come suddenly. Usually this is the last straw in a series of life problems. Therefore, taking care of loved ones and managing to predict the impending danger, you may save someone else's life.