Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
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Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#2This is stupid. And I can't believe it doesn't sound stupid to those who are the most likely to attempt suicide seriously.
Why doesn't anyone talk about "misery prevention" ?
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#3The longstanding taboo I think is actually allowing people to commit suicide. This question rarely enters the debate.
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#4"...in the past few years, scores of them have come together on social media and in other forums to demand a bigger voice in prevention efforts."
Wha-?
I'm by no means a heartless person. However, I truly believe if you don't want to live any more, that it's your right and your responsibility.
I'm not in your head. I don't know what you're thinking. Most of the time, I won't even know that you're depressed. Many people mask it very well. Why is it my fault that you decided to kill yourself?
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#5This is stupid. And I can't believe it doesn't sound stupid to those who are the most likely to attempt suicide seriously. Why doesn't anyone talk about "misery prevention" ?
There's a lot of academic literature that supports the claim that reports of suicide in the media lead to an increase in the number of suicides. This is often referred to as "copycat suicide" or "the Werther effect". As a result, journalists and academics are often very careful about they way they publicly discuss suicide attempts. More information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2094294?uid=3737536&ui...
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#6Serious question: is someone who attempts suicide in the same group as someone who successfully commits suicide?
For instance, far more men commit suicide. But far more women attempt suicide:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_differences_in_suicide
I'm sure there are other differences. To me, the questions are:
1. Why do people fail at suicide attempts?
2. Will information that dissuades a failed suicide attempt dissuade someone from making a successful suicide attempt?
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#7"...in the past few years, scores of them have come together on social media and in other forums to demand a bigger voice in prevention efforts." Wha-? I'm by no means a heartless person. However, I truly believe if you don't want to live any more, that it's your right and your responsibility. I'm not in your head. I don't know what you're thinking. Most of the time, I won't even know that you're depressed. Many peop…
Prevention efforts could include ways to talk about your problems without being afraid that people would treat you differently or force you to do something you didn't want to do. There would have to be an absolute guarantee of privacy of course.
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#8Serious question: is someone who attempts suicide in the same group as someone who successfully commits suicide? For instance, far more men commit suicide. But far more women attempt suicide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_differences_in_suicide I'm sure there are other differences. To me, the questions are: 1. Why do people fail at suicide attempts? 2. Will information that dissuades a failed suicide attempt di…
A lot of people don't _actually_ want to commit suicide. Humans generally speaking do not want to die, but when you're there, it feels like the only option.
I distinctly remember feeling that my brain wanted me to die, but I personally was not of the same opinion at all. So what I did was call up a friend and basically said "You have an hour to convince me not to do this". It worked, I'm here.
But I feel that when trying to commit suicide, you will instinctively do everything in your power to botch the attempt. Because what you're looking for isn't death per se, it's clarity and resolution. Mostly you just want "it" to stop, any sort of traumatic experience can be surprisingly helpful with that.
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#9"...in the past few years, scores of them have come together on social media and in other forums to demand a bigger voice in prevention efforts." Wha-? I'm by no means a heartless person. However, I truly believe if you don't want to live any more, that it's your right and your responsibility. I'm not in your head. I don't know what you're thinking. Most of the time, I won't even know that you're depressed. Many peop…
It's not your fault, like it's not your fault when children die of cancer. That doesn't mean we should find ways to prevent it. Most poeple who attempt or commit suicide don't want to die, but rather prefer death over life because they want to put an end to their suffering.
That said, I don't think talking about attempts will help someone who is suicidal in the slightest. If anything it leads to emulation suicides, also known as the Werther effect, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide
Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts
#10"...in the past few years, scores of them have come together on social media and in other forums to demand a bigger voice in prevention efforts." Wha-? I'm by no means a heartless person. However, I truly believe if you don't want to live any more, that it's your right and your responsibility. I'm not in your head. I don't know what you're thinking. Most of the time, I won't even know that you're depressed. Many peop…
Here's the thing though, depression is a treatable-ish illness. Suicide is a symptom.
Isn't the usual approach to at least treat symptoms, if you can't immediately cure the underlying illness?