Chapter 7: Suicide Flashcards
Parasuicide
A suicide attempt that does not result in death
Suicide
A self-inflicted death in which the person acts intentionally, directly, and consciously
4 Kinds of Suicidal People
Death Seekers,
Death Initiators,
Death Ignorers,
Death Darers
Death Seekers
Clearly intend to end their lives at the same time they attempt suicide,
May switch from wanting to and not wanting to
Death Initiators
Clearly intend to end their lives, but they act out of belief that the process of death is already underway and that they are simply hastening the process
Death Ignorers
Do not believe their self-inflicted death will mean the end of their existence,
Believe they’re trading their present lives for a better/happier existence
Death Darers
Experience mixed feelings in their intent to die even at the moment of their attempt,
Show the ambivalence in the act itself,
Risky behavior doesn’t always lead to death
Sub-Intentional Death
Death in which the victim plays an indirect, hidden, partial, or unconscious role,
Behaviors that may contribute drug/alcohol use, physical fighting, misuse of meds, self injury
Retrospective Analysis For Studying Suicicde
Psychological autopsy in which clinicians and researchers piece together information about a person’s past with the help of relatives, friends, therapists, and physicians
What Countries Have High Rates of Suicide?
South Korea, Russia, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Finland, Denmark, China, Japan
What Countries Have Low Rates of Suicide?
Egypt, Mexico, Greece, Spain
How Are A Country’s Rate of Suicide Affected?
Religious beliefs and affiliations
What Gender Attempts Suicide More?
Women attempt 3 times more than men
What Gender Succeeds More In Suicide Attempts?
Men succeed 4 times the rate of women due to their harsh methods they choose to use
What Triggers A Suicide?
Stressful events and situations, Mood and thought changes, Alcohol and other drug use, Mental Disorders, Modeling,
Stressful Events and Situations That Trigger Suicide
Social Isolation,
Serious Illnesses,
Abusive Environments,
Occupational Stress
Mood and Thought Changes That Trigger Suicide
Increase in sadness, anxiety, tension, frustration, anger, shame,
Preoccupied with problem,
Lose perspective
Hopelessness
Pessimistic belief that one’s present circumstances, problems, mood will not change
Dichotomous Thinking
Viewing problems and solutions in rigid either/or items
Alcohol & Other Drug Use That Trigger Suicide
70% of suicide attempters drink alcohol before the act,
Drugs also are used right before as well
Mental Disorders That Trigger Suicide
70% of suicide victims had been experiencing severe depression,
20% chronic alcoholism,
10% schizophrenia
Modeling That Triggers Suicide
Not uncommon for someone to attempt after seeing/hearing of someone else doing it
Psychodynamic View on Suicide
Suicide results from depression and anger at others that is redirected toward oneself,
Extreme expression of self-hatred,
Common for them to have early parental loss
Durkheim’s Sociocultural View on Suicide
Probability of suicide is determined by how attached a person is to such social groups as the family, religious institutions, and community
Egoistic Suicides
Sociocultural View,
Society has little or no control,
Isolated people, not concerned with societal norms
Altruistic Suicides
Sociocultural View,
So well integrated into social structure that they intentionally sacrifice their lives for its well-being,
Sacrifice themselves for others
Anomic Suicides
Sociocultural View,
Committed by people whose social environment fails to provide stable structures to support and give meaning to life
Biological View on Suicide
Low serotonin levels
Suicide Prevention Program
Program that tries to identify people who are at risk of killing themselves and to offer them crisis intervention
Crisis
Great stress,
Unable to cope,
Feeling threatened/hurt
Crisis Intervention
Treatment approach that tries to help people in a psychological crisis to view their situation more accurately, make better decisions, act more constructively, and overcome the crisis
4 Tasks of a Suicide Hotline Counselor/Therapist
- Establish a positive relationship to create trust
- Understand/clarify the problem to help caller see central issues
- Assess and mobilize resources to point out people that can help
- Formulate a plan that include follow-up counseling sessions
