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Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

nytimes.com

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Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#41

Post by sirdogealot »

graeme wrote: post #6

Serious 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 friend of a friend of mine's experience answers your number 1 question:

He wasn't very good at aiming, apparently. When he shot the bullet into his head, probably in a drunken stupor, he missed his brain and lived... probably still wanting to shoot himself and succeed, but being physically unable to do so at this point he just lay there until someone found him.

By the time he recovered in hospital from the wound, he wanted to live! Albeit with a very disfigured face, which I thought would be a hinderence to an already depressed individual, but he sees it differently and we're all glad for it!

Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#42

Post by sirdogealot »

pantalaimon wrote: post #38
rhuppert wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Men are more "successful" because they tend to use more violent methods - guns, jumping off high places, etc. Women are more likely to use pills. Sometimes attempts are more of a call for help than ending one's life. 2. Your question is unclear to me, but most people who have attempted and failed to commit suicide regret that decision.

Apparently not so in China? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_differences_in_suicide#C...

Perhaps china is tougher on their Women than their men?

>It has been found that suicide makes up for about 30% of deaths of women living in rural China.

Wow... that must be pretty bad for them living out there. Can you imagine living in a place where there was a 1 in 3 chance you'd off yourself before dying naturally? Wow... just wow.

Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#43

Post by slc »

jstevens85 wrote: post #5
slc wrote: post #2

This 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:…

The army officials who deny mental health care to soldiers who later completely unpredictably off themselves at a rate higher than combat casualties must have read some of the same literature.

Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#44

Post by slc »

thinkharder wrote: post #25
evanlivingston wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean that suicide is perceived as something to prevent, but I don't often see the conversation about _why_ we are preventing it. Clinical depression is a beast, and many people who pursue treatment seriously continue to struggle with it their whole lives. I think great minds like David Foster Wallace prove how persistent depression is. Suicide is a real escape from the incredible pain that depression can cause, yet…

With the exception of people who commit suicide in terminal end-of-life situations (terminal cancer, or similar), folks who are attempt or commit suicide because of depression, aren't thinking straight. The depressed brain senses, feels and interprets things differently than the same brain not depressed. So the idea is that the person isn't well, and their decision making process isn't working right. The decision to…

"folks" aren't thinking straight ? This sort of attitude is a huge part of the problem. This is why people don't seek mental help - dehumanization.

Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#45

Post by dang »

altero wrote: post #36
mbillie1 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree with absurd stereotypes such as "men in general are treated like shit" and "most women are emotionally blackmailing their families".

OK. Let's do the stats. Men are 95% of homeless, 90% of prisoners, 95% workplace deaths, 80% suicides... In second case: I went unnecessary offensive, call it "most women cry for help" whatever. The fact is that people who are at risk of suicidal behavior are equally distributed between genders [1]. Also mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are equally distributed [wikipedia]. So I see two options why women have mu…

Gender trolling is not welcome on Hacker News. Repeated, off-topic gender trolling is particularly unwelcome. Please do not do this again.

Re: Suicide Prevention Sheds a Longstanding Taboo: Talking About Attempts

#46

Post by wolfgke »

rhuppert wrote: post #13
graeme wrote: post #6

Serious 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…

1. Men are more "successful" because they tend to use more violent methods - guns, jumping off high places, etc. Women are more likely to use pills. Sometimes attempts are more of a call for help than ending one's life. 2. Your question is unclear to me, but most people who have attempted and failed to commit suicide regret that decision.

> 2. Your question is unclear to me, but most people who have attempted and failed to commit suicide regret that decision.

Couldn't this thesis explained by selection bias? I mean if you don't regret your suicid decision, you'll probably try again (and again) until you succeed. This IMHO biases the survivers strongly towards those who regret it.

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