How do you address a life choice that has changed its status from generation to generation and culture to culture? What has changed so drastically about suicide? The mentality and reason for suicide is what has shaped public opinion, survivors’ rehabilitation, and how we feel about the lost of a loved one.
Thinking without boundaries and jumping across continents and oceans, seppuku was an accepted form of suicide throughout the Japanese culture for centuries. This is because it allowed a noble samurai to die with dignity rather than live with disgrace from a failure. This comes from a culture concerned with saving face and rooted in moral values that affected not only the present generation, but also their ancestors. In a feud-ridden Japan, the wives of samurai would also perform a separate suicide, however this was not only to maintain honor, but also, to prevent women from being raped and taken hostage by opposing, warring clans.
In current society, we have a two scenarios that suicide takes center stage. On one account, is preservation of dignity with a person dying from a terminal illness and/or intangible pain. On the other hand, a person sees suicide as the first and only solution rather than the last. Two distinctly different mindsets mix in this equation. The latter is a cause for concern because it is the ending of one’s life that has yet to be lived, and usually that life has the ability to have a positive future.
Suicide is becoming more prevalent in high-income countries, but is an emerging problem in low- and middle-income countries.
This is a huge problem Japan is dealing with in its Aokigahara forest. Located at the base of Mt. Fuji, it has been home to over 500 confirmed suicides since the 1950’s. It is the world’s second most-used site for suicide with the Golden Gate Bridge being the first. In 2010 local government concluded that 247 people attempted suicide, 54 of whom succeeded, but that’s just the number they found and reported.
Education makes a world of difference. Sometimes it is the best solution. However, a lack of education is a primary concern for individuals who may be contemplating, attempting, or are the survivors of suicide. A lack of education is also the main reason why stigma surrounds suicide. Although decriminalized in many parts of the world, suicide remains a crime in many Arab states. Discriminations, which stretch beyond the UAE, can prevent or discourage people who suffer from mental illnesses and/or suicidal ideation or behavior from seeking professional help, or from returning to their normal social roles after receiving treatment for an episode of illness or crisis. Though one may have certain opinions regarding how they believe things should be handled, it is important to have a sense of acceptance and, as a professional, being available to persons in need. It is also important to guide children with proper skills they need to deal with difficult periods in life. Without raising awareness, developing interventions, and effectively addressing the social problem of suicide with education, the mental and physical well being of a person may be jeopardized during critical adjustment periods in the life course.
The main risk factors for suicide are:
- Depression, other mental disorders, or substance abuse disorder
- A prior suicide attempt
- Family history of a mental disorder or substance abuse
- Family history of suicide
- Family violence, including physical or sexual abuse
- Having guns or other firearms in the home
- Incarceration, being in prison or jail
- Being exposed to others’ suicidal behavior, such as that of family members, peers, or media figures.
The risk for suicidal behavior also is associated with changes in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, including serotonin, which is also associated with depression. Lower levels of serotonin have been found in the brains of people with a history of suicide attempts.
Many people have some of these risk factors but do not attempt suicide. Suicide is not a normal response to stress. It is however, a sign of extreme distress, not a harmless bid for attention.
How can suicide be prevented?
Effective suicide prevention is based on sound research. Programs that work take into account people’s risk factors and promote interventions that are appropriate to specific groups of people. For example, research has shown that mental and substance abuse disorders are risk factors for suicide. Therefore, many programs focus on treating these disorders in addition to addressing suicide risk specifically.
Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” can effectively reduce suicide risk. One type is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help people learn new ways of dealing with stressful experiences by training them to consider alternative actions when thoughts of suicide arise.
Another type of psychotherapy called dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been shown to reduce the rate of suicide among people with borderline personality disorder, a serious mental illness characterized by unstable moods, relationships, self-image, and behavior. A therapist trained in DBT helps a person recognize when his or her feelings or actions are disruptive or unhealthy, and teaches the skills needed to deal better with upsetting situations.
Some medications may also help. For example, the antipsychotic medication clozapine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for suicide prevention in people with schizophrenia. Other promising medications and psychosocial treatments for suicidal people are being tested.
Still other research has found that many older adults and women who die by suicide saw their primary care providers in the year before death. Training doctors to recognize signs that a person may be considering suicide may help prevent even more suicides.
Also, there is a toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
As we have discussed, the lost of a loved one, from natural causes or not, is going to impact all the people who surrounded that loved one. Some suicide attempts even leave their survivors alive and in critical condition. What could have been prevented, has caused a regrettable act that can’t be changed. We, as a community, can not afford to let our neighbors feel this way, someone should always be there to extend a hand and give the support of life. KLF Counseling and Consulting would like to help educate everyone about suicide to help eliminate the stigma that surrounds it, and provide the safe haven for whoever should need it.
Suicide survivors have lost enough, it is time to win back their lives, and end our losing streak.
Kathy Fortner, EdS, LPC, CCMHC
Crystal Eaddy, Contributor
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