Psychology of Suicide

(Project Report)

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Mrs Alka Mehta mam Shantanu Vaishnav

Faculty of English Semester: I

English project
Date: 31st August 2017

Hidayatullah National law university, Uparwara

Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh ( 492002 )
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Declaration

I hereby declare that the project entitled Psychology of suicide submitted to Hidayatullah

National Law University, Naya Raipur is an original work done by me in the able guidance of

Mrs. Alka Mehta mam, HNLU and this work is not performed for any award or diploma of

Excellence.

Name: Shantanu Vaishnav

Roll no: 142

Semester: 1

Section: B
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Acknowledgement

First & foremost, I take this opportunity to thank Alka Mehta mam, Faculty, English language,

HNLU, for allotting me this topic to work on. She has been very kind in providing inputs for this

work, by way of suggestions.

I would also like to thank my parents, dear colleagues and friends in the University, who have

Helped me with ideas about this work. I would also like to thank all the authors, writers,

Columnists and social and political thinkers whose ideas and works have been made use of in the

Completion of this project. Last, but not the least I thank the University Administration for

Equipping the University with such good library and I.T. facilities, without which, no doubt this

Work would not have taken this shape in correct time.

Name: Shantanu Vaishnav

Roll no: 142

Semester: 1

Section: B
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Abstract

Suicide is a serious public health problem worldwide. The suicide rate, i.e. the number of

suicides per 100,000 of population, is considered to be an important indicator of national mental

health and general well-being of society. The prevalence of suicide is often underestimated due

to cultural, political and economic circumstances. The number of suicides in the world was

estimated to be 804,000 in 2012, according to the WHO global suicide report. The age-

standardized global suicide mortality rate was 11.4 per 100,000, accounting for 1.4% of all

deaths. The highest crude suicide rate was in South Korea (36.6). In developed countries, male

suicides have traditionally outnumbered female suicides. In 2012, the highest male-to-female

suicide rate ratios (over 5.0) were found in Eastern Europe and the lowest in China (under 1.0).

The risk to die by suicide increases with age. Notably, however, females in the age group 15-29

years had the highest suicide rate of all age groups in India and Latin America. The WHO

estimates that for each adult suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide.

Suicide risk is much higher in individuals who previously made a suicide attempt and research

shows that suicide attempt is the single most important predictor of death by suicide. In suicide

prevention work, strategies can be directed to the health care services or at the general

population. A great need for preventive strategies for young people has been identified by the

WHO. Therefore, an evidence school-based preventive method called Youth Aware of Mental

Health (YAM) directed towards the entire classroom was developed in the EU-funded project

Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe'.

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Table of contents

1. Declaration

2. Acknowledgement

3. Abstract

4. Introduction

5. Chapters

Symptoms of Suicide
Causes of Suicide
Who is most likely to commit suicide?
How to prevent suicide
6. Conclusion

7. References
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Introduction

Suicide is the act of an individual intentionally ending their own life. We use the general term

suicidal behavior to refer to thoughts and behaviors related to an individual intentionally taking

their own life. Suicide is the 14th leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for 1.55 of all

mortality. Although psychological factors such as risk taking and decision taking can affect the

rick of other causes of death (e.g., heart disease and cancer) suicide is perhaps the cause of death

most directly affected by psychological factors, because a person makes a conscious decision to

end his or her own life. Therefore, understanding of suicide and development of methods to

predict and prevent its occurrence are the responsibility of psychologists, psychiatrists, and

related mental health professionals. Earlier reports have provided general reviews of the problem

of suicide. In this review, we assess and synthesize existing knowledge about the psychology of

suicidal behavior, risk and protective factors, psychological interventions, and key directions for

psychological research into this important topic.

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Chapter I

Symptoms of Suicide
1. Any of the Following could be potential warning signs for suicide :

Excessive sadness or moodiness: Long lasting sadness, Mood swings, and

unexpected rage.

Hopelessness: Feeling a deep sense of hopelessness about the future, with little

expectation that circumstance can improve.

Sudden calmness: Suddenly becoming calm after a period of depression or

moodiness can be a sign that the person has made a decision to end his or her life.

Withdrawal: Choosing to be alone and avoiding friends and social activities also are

possible symptoms of depression, a leading cause of suicide. This includes the loss of

interest or pleasure in activities the person previously enjoyed.

Recent trauma or life crisis: A major life crises might trigger a suicide attempt.

Crises include death of a loved one or pet, divorce or break-up of a relationship,

diagnosis of a major illness, loss of a job, or serious financial problems.

Threatening suicide: From 50 % to 75 % of those considering suicide will give

someone a friend or relative a warning sign. However, not everyone who is

considering suicide will say so, and not everyone who threatens suicide will follow

through with it. Every threat of suicide should be taken seriously.

Making preparations: Often, a person considering suicide will begin to put his or

her personal business in order. This might include visiting friends and family members,
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giving away personal possessions, making a will, and cleaning up his or her room or

home. Some will buy a firearm or other means like poison.

Dangerous or self-harmful behavior: potentially dangerous behavior, such as

reckless driving, engaging in unsafe sex, and increased use of drugs and/or alcohol might

indicate that the person no longer values his or her life.

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Chapter II

Causes of Suicide

1. They're depressed - This is without question the most common reason people commit

suicide. Severe depression is always accompanied by a pervasive sense of suffering as well

as the belief that escape from it is hopeless. The pain of existence often becomes too much

for severely depressed people to bear. The state of depression warps their thinking,

allowing ideas like "Everyone would all be better off without me" to make rational sense.

They shouldn't be blamed for falling prey to such distorted thoughts any more than a heart

patient should be blamed for experiencing chest pain: it's simply the nature of their disease.

Because depression, as we all know, is almost always treatable, we should all seek to

recognize its presence in our close friends and loved ones. Often people suffer with it

silently, planning suicide without anyone ever knowing. Despite making both parties

uncomfortable, inquiring directly about suicidal thoughts in my experience almost always

yields an honest response. If you suspect someone might be depressed, don't allow your

tendency to deny the possibility of suicidal ideation prevent you from asking about it.

2. They're psychotic - Malevolent inner voices often command self-destruction for

unintelligible reasons. Psychosis is much harder to mask than depression, and is arguably

even more tragic. The worldwide incidence of schizophrenia is 1% and often strikes

otherwise healthy, high-performing individuals, whose lives, though manageable

with medication, never fulfill their original promise. Schizophrenics are just as likely to

talk freely about the voices commanding them to kill themselves as not, and also, in my
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experience, give honest answers about thoughts of suicide when asked directly. Psychosis,

too, is treatable, and usually must be treated for a schizophrenic to be able to function at

all. Untreated or poorly treated psychosis almost always requires hospital admission to a

locked ward until the voices lose their commanding power.

3. They're impulsive - Often related to drugs and alcohol, some people become maudlin

and impulsively attempt to end their own lives. Once sobered and calmed, these people

usually feel emphatically ashamed. The remorse is often genuine, but whether or not they'll

ever attempt suicide again is unpredictable. They may try it again the very next time they

become drunk or high, or never again in their lifetime. Hospital admission is therefore not

usually indicated. Substance abuse and the underlying reasons for it are generally a greater

concern in these people and should be addressed as aggressively as possible.

4. They're crying out for help - and don't know how else to get it. These people don't

usually want to die but do want to alert those around them that something is seriously

wrong. They often don't believe they will die, frequently choosing methods they don't think

can kill them in order to strike out at someone who's hurt them, but they are sometimes

tragically misinformed. The prototypical example of this is a young teenage girl suffering

genuine angst because of a relationship, either with a friend, boyfriend, or parent, who

swallows a bottle of Tylenol, not realizing that in high enough doses Tylenol causes

irreversible liver damage. I've watched more than one teenager die a horrible death in an

ICU days after such an ingestion when remorse has already cured them of their desire to

die and their true goal of alerting those close to them of their distress has been achieved.
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5. They have a philosophical desire to die - The decision to commit suicide for some

is based on a reasoned decision, often motivated by the presence of a painful terminal

illness from which little to no hope of reprieve exists. These people aren't depressed,

psychotic, maudlin, or crying out for help. They're trying to take control of their destiny

and alleviate their own suffering, which usually can only be done in death. They often look

at their choice to commit suicide as a way to shorten a dying that will happen regardless. In

my personal view, if such people are evaluated by a qualified professional who can reliably

exclude the other possibilities for why suicide is desired, these people should be allowed to

die at their own hands.

6. They've made a mistake - This is a recent, tragic phenomenon in which typically

young people flirt with oxygen deprivation for the high it brings and simply go too far. The

only defense against this, it seems to me, is education.

The wounds suicide leaves in the lives of those left behind by it are often deep and long

lasting. The apparent senselessness of suicide often fuels the most significant pain.

Thinking we all deal better with tragedy when we understand its underpinnings, I've

offered the preceding paragraphs in hopes that anyone reading this who's been left behind

by a suicide might be able to more easily find a way to move on, to relinquish their guilt

and anger, and find closure. Despite the abrupt way you may have been left, guilt and

anger don't have to be the only two emotions you're doomed to feel about the one who left

you.
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Chapter III
Who is most likely to commit Suicide?

Suicide rates are highest in teens, young adults, and the elderly. White men over the age of 65

have the highest rate of suicide. Suicide risk are also higher in the following groups

Older people who have lost a spouse or through death or divorce.

People who have attempted suicide in the past.

People with a family history of suicide.

People with a friend or co-worker who committed suicide.

People with a history or physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

People or are unmarried, unskilled or unemployed.

People with long- term pain or disabling or terminal illness.

People who are prone to violent or impulsive behavior.

People who have recently been released from psychiatric hospitalization.

People with substance abuse problems.

Although women are three times as likely to attempt suicide, men are far more likely to

complete the act.

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Chapter IV
How to prevent Suicide

1. Get help from a professional: If youre having suicidal thoughts yourself, the very

best thing you can do is contact someone who can help.

Find a therapist in your area, or even tell your primary doctor that youre feeling very depressed

and hopeless. Visiting a counselor who offers cognitive behavioral theory (CBT), a form

of psychotherapy, can be one of the powerful things someone who is suicidal or very anxious or

depressed does. The Texas Suicide Prevention Organization states that CBT works by teaching

patients more effective, less risky ways of coping with stressors that precipitate suicidal crises or

suicidal thoughts. Coping strategies are learned using behavioral, cognitive and interactional

skills that teach patients to identify their own extreme, unrealistic, harmful and negative thoughts

in order to not react to them.

Here are a couple other ways you can reach out for help:

Consider telling a friend, spouse or family member you know cares about your well-

being.

Confide in a local minister, spiritual leader, teacher or someone in your faith community

you trust and know has good intentions.

Call a suicide hotline to speak with a professional whos trained in suicide intervention

(more on this below).

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Make an appointment with a mental health provider who is available at your school,

office, community center, etc.

2. Reach Out for Emergency Support

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline available at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) is a free and

confidential service available 24/7 that helps those who might be having suicidal thoughts. The

hotline can also be used by family members, friends, teachers or therapists who are looking for

resources to prevent, treat and refer someone they know.

The suicide lifeline has been successfully used for years by those seeking help at the very

moment that they fear theres nowhere else to turn. Trained suicide crisis center counselors are

available at all hours to listen to someones needs and offer emergency, free-of-charge crisis

counseling or suicide intervention. Very importantly, they can also provide mental health referral

information in order to get depressed patients the help they need.

3. Show Support for Someone You Know Whos Suffering

What can you do to show someone who is having suicidal thoughts that youre there for him or

her and things arent hopeless? Experts recommend the following tips to show signs of care

toward someone whos desperately in need:

Listen with concern, acceptance and attention. Try to sincerely hear out all of his or her feelings

without offering advice or diminishing how they feel, instead just showing youre willing to give

him or her your time.

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Share your own feelings with him or her to let the person know that he or she is not alone. If

youve ever felt depressed, anxious, very sad or alone, its OK to let your loved one know that

youve been there and everyone has hard times.

Voice your concern that he or she might make a reckless decision. Show that this upsets you

deeply and that its important to you that he or she reconsiders his or her actions and get help

right away.

Be straightforward and ask outright if that person ever had suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide

in the past. If you feel that the question is inappropriate or likely to make matters worse, contact

a professional who can intervene. If he or she does report having had suicidal thoughts, call the

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and speak with someone who can help you get that

person treatment right away.

4. Reduce Depression and Anxiety with a Supportive Diet

Believe it or not, its been shown that certain dietary choices can help lower depression

symptoms and keep mental health problems from worsening. Changes to your diet that support

mental health include:

Eating healthy fats A whopping 60 percent of your brain is made up of fat. Healthy fats in

your diet help support hormone production, are tied to more stable blood sugar, support positive

moods and have anti-inflammatory effects that support cognitive health as you age.

Consume omega-3 foods regularly, such as wild-caught salmon, sardines, walnuts and flaxseeds,

in addition to healthy oils like coconut and olive oil.

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High-antioxidant foods Antioxidants help keep the body and brain young, lower free radical

damage that can disturb cognitive health, and support healthy nervous system functions.

Avoiding too much sugar, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol All of these are tied to higher

levels of inflammation, blood sugar swings that can lead to worsened moodiness, and sometimes

sleep trouble or anxiety.

5. Control Stress with Exercise and Mind-Body Practices

Exercise has been shown to help prevent and treat depressive symptoms by naturally boosting

production of happy hormones like serotonin, endorphins and neuropeptides. Exercising

outside seems to be especially beneficial for those with mood-related problems. Begin gradually,

or consider enlisting the help of an accountability partner or friend whom you can run, bike,

dance, do yoga or go to the gym with.

When feeling very down or anxious, try to calm the body naturally with essential oils that

help depression. These include lavender, chamomile, rose, bergamot, ylang ylang and

citrus oils if fatigue is also caused by depression. You can use essential oils in a warm

bath or shower, or apply them to the skin when receiving a soothing massage.

Change your brain with yoga. Yoga has been shown to release GABA, a natural feel

good neurochemical, and calm an anxious or distressed nervous system. Some studies

have also found yoga is associated with mental well-being.

Spend more time outdoors in nature in order to produce more brain-boosting vitamin D.

Form new relationships and spend more time with those you feel close to.

Regularly try guided meditation, or join a spiritual group to feel the healing power of

prayer.
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Practice deep breathing exercises to learn to relax the body when anxious.

Better manage stress with the help of herbs, supplements and other natural stress

relievers. A number of adaptogen herbs, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals can help

support hormone production, lower inflammation and stabilize moods. Some

supplements shown to have benefits for those with depression and mood disturbances

include B vitamins, omega-3s, vitamin D, SAMe, 5HTP, turmeric, rhodiola and

ashwagandha.

6. Find Something that Gives You Sense of Purpose

One of the most powerful things we can do to improve our own happiness and mental

health is to find ways we can help others. Acts of kindness, teaching others, community

service and volunteering are all powerful ways to feel more connected to those around us

and enrich our sense of purpose. Ask yourself what gifts or talents you possess? What are

you passionate about? What have you learned that you could share with others to help

them become happier?

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Conclusion

Suicide is not a natural tendency it is a behavior which is characterized by the societal conditions

that a person is put through in his life. A person commits suicide not because he wants to but

because of the mental pressure he has been put through. According to the research the leading

cause of suicide is depression, mental illness, family problems, bipolar disorder, financial

problems etc. Approximately 0.5% to 1.4% of people die by suicide, about 12 per 100,000

persons per year. Three quarters of suicides globally occur in the developing world. Rates of

completed suicides are generally higher in men than in women, ranging from 1.5 times as much

in the developing world to 3.5 times in the developed world. Suicide is generally most common

among those over the age of 70; however, in certain countries those aged between 15 and 30 are

at highest risk. There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every

year. Non-fatal suicide attempts may lead to injury and long-term disabilities. In the Western

world, attempts are more common in young people and females. To prevent and to stop these

suicide attempts a person must be aware of his surroundings keep a look at his family and

friends or neighbor and try to talk to them, and if not try to take help from a professional so that

at least one life can be saved.

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References

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/435765

http://www.practicalhomicide.com/articles/suicide.htm

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/recognizing-suicidal-behavior#1

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-six-reasons-people-
attempt-suicide

https://draxe.com/suicidal-thoughts/