Suicide (suicide) is the deprivation of one's 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. The reasons for suicide can be completely different, a person makes such a decision on the basis of certain life difficulties of a psychological and social nature.
The problem of suicide
Instances of settling accounts with life in various ways are noted in historical documents at all stages of the development of the human race.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 committing suicide.
Today, suicide is one of the 10 most common causes of death in the West. According to statistics, every year up to 160,000 people worldwide commit suicide. The vast majority of them are teenagers. At the same time, the causes of suicide, both for adults and adolescents, can be completely different, they can be either in the business or educational sphere of a person’s life, orand personal.
It is generally accepted that suicide is a sign of weakness, an escape from life's problems. In fact, in order to commit such an act, one must have a strong will and confidence in one's actions.
Suicide: signs
According to research, 75% of people who plan to commit suicide somehow revealed their intentions. These were both open threats and subtle hints of impending suicide. Virtually all of these people have visited psychologists, social workers, doctors or educators, which suggests that they were trying to speak out. Unfortunately, most of the time they didn't get what they wanted, which is why they didn't change their original plans.
Signs of a planned suicide are revealed during the conversation and 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, simple words of encouragement can help. 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, while the reasons for suicide can be any.
In the first group of signs, constant statements and unhe althy jokes about death are noted, and behavioral ones can manifest themselves in a suddendistribution of personal belongings. This also includes putting things in order in personal papers, affairs, 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, alcoholism.
Main causes of suicides
Analyzing the causes of suicide, statistics show that the main ones are:
- age crisis;
- gross mental personality disorder;
- divorce from wife/husband;
- death of spouse;
- lack of family;
- an incurable disease;
- lack of work;
- loneliness.
According to statistics, 30% of suicide attempts are repeated after a while, and 10% are carried out. In addition, suicide attempts are recorded 6 times more often than completed suicides.
Scientists have identified a risk group where the possibility of committing suicide is much higher than that of other people. These include:
- persons leading an isolated lifestyle, the so-called loners;
- teenagers with interpersonal disorders;
- people who abuse alcohol or drugs;
- persons with criminal or deviant behavior;
- people with a high level of self-criticism, as well as suffering from various humiliations;
- bereaved people;
- frustrated teenagers and neurotic adults.
All reasons for suicide can be psychological or social.
Psychological aspect of suicide
Deep conflict of motives within the personality can lead to an attempt to commit suicide. 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 their upbringing. Often the result of this is the 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 may turn to the person herself, which will lead to suicide.
Another psychological aspect of suicide is associated with hysterical and demonstrative manifestations. As a rule, this is a desire to manipulate another person. For example, a girl may take a large dose of sleeping pills, hoping that she will be saved, and the young man's attitude towards her will change. Or a guy can consciously participate in dangerous races, thus trying to influence the emotions of his beloved. How far a person can go in his attempts to manipulate, even he himself does not know. But the more conscious the motives of actions, the less tragic 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, such a 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 suicide in adults and adolescents, with the most commonconcerns specifically young people of a certain age.
The social aspect of suicide
Suicides can be explained not only psychologically. The social causes of suicide are no less significant. One of the main ones here is religion. It often happens that spiritual laws that call to love your neighbor contribute to the growth of 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 offense should be punished, as a result of which the person begins to approach the hour of reckoning.
Another social aspect of suicide is self-importance. This situation is typical for such cases when the death of a family member occurs. The survivor begins to cultivate a sense of guilt and gradually comes to the conclusion that his death will be the only way to make amends.
Such thoughts are common to many people, but not everyone can carry out their own plans for suicide.
Reasons for suicide (Durkheim)
One of the main proponents 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 some 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 a job. All major reasonshe reduces suicides to one thing - loneliness. It is it that pushes a person to settle accounts with life.
Disagreeing with the psychological reasons for suicides, 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 opinion 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 more often commit suicide.
The causes of suicide in men, according to Durkheim, are precisely social in nature. They do not meet the norms of society, do not earn money to support a family or do not have one at all, therefore, they are useless for society.
Types of suicide according to Durkheim
The sociologist divided suicide into several types. Reasons causing suicide depend on its type.
So, three types of suicide according to Durkheim:
- selfish;
- altruistic;
- anonymous.
The selfish type occurs when a person is faced with the impossibility of satisfying personal selfish needs. For example, a person may want a lot of money or a high position in society, but do 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 such a theory, the sociologistcites high suicide rates 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, this situation is possible when suicide is committed in order to obtain life insurance for the family of the deceased.
Anonymous suicide is associated with a certain state of society, when there are disagreements in it, and there are no normative and moral frameworks 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 recession or, conversely, an upswing. In the first case, people commit suicide due to the loss of capital, in the second - because it seems to them that others are getting rich faster. This type of suicide is a kind of selfish, as it also depends on the personal needs of a person.
Teen suicides
The transitional age is the most difficult stage in the formation of an adult personality. That is why among this age group the percentage of suicides is extremely high.
Reasons for teenage suicide are as follows:
- conflicts with parents or friends;
- difficult family situation;
- humiliation from peers;
- unrequited love.
In addition, the unformed personality is strongly influenced by the media. As a result, oftenthere is a settlement of accounts with life as an imitation of your favorite characters from films or books.
Other causes of teenage suicide are the use of alcohol, toxic or narcotic substances, and depression. In addition, the death of a family member or close friend or poor performance in disciplines can lead to suicide. For girls, rape or early pregnancy can also be reasons for committing suicide.
However, suicide is not always the result of a tragic incident. Among teenagers there are gifted individuals who do not fit into the surrounding reality, which makes them feel like outcasts of society. This is what may push them to such a desperate step.
Prevent suicide among teenagers
The causes of suicide and their prevention are one of the most important problems in psychology. What is suicide and how to avoid it, it is necessary to tell children from an early age. Meanwhile, many parents avoid this topic, believing that this problem will not affect their child.
Prevention of suicides among teenagers consists in timely psychological help and kind participation. In addition, one should take into account the high degree of suggestibility of this age category. Teenagers imagine their beautiful young body in a coffin, the grief of loved ones, as well as their guilt. It is important to dispel this myth by explaining and illustrating what they will look like when they are found. In doing so, it is important to remember that adolescents are extremelysensitive and their reaction to any words can be unpredictable. That is why the issue of preventing teenage suicide is so important in modern society.
Suicide and help
It is important to be able to help a person who has confessed his intentions. Most often, simple participation and a confidential conversation are needed, in which he can express all his grievances and anxieties. Sincere interest and understanding on your part will help you realize that you care about him. It is this feeling that is most necessary for a person who decides to commit suicide.
It is necessary to conduct a dialogue in such a way that a person realizes the senselessness 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 spiritual conversation helps a person get out of a state of deepest depression and, if not abandon his suicidal plans, then at least postpone them. And this will already be a chance to help him completely forget about his intentions.
As a rule, the decision to commit suicide does not come suddenly. This is usually the last straw in a series of life problems. Therefore, by taking care of loved ones and being able to predict the impending danger, you may save someone's life.
