EXPLORING THE SUICIDE PHENOMENON: BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNSELING PROGRAM
Bonna S. Palma, Ed.D.
West Visayas State University
La Paz, Iloilo City Philippines
Abstract
This qualitative study conducted in May 2010 sought to find out the characteristics of the eight suicide attempters, the precipitating factors that trigger them to attempt suicide, their coping mechanisms, the role of significant others in their health, the insights gained from the experience and the post intervention services availed after the incident. Data gathering strategies used were the researcher-made interview guide and the focused-group discussions using photo essay which summarized the commonalities among the informants. The informants were college students
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He argues that suicide rates are related to social integration – that is, the degree to which an individual feels part of a larger group. Durkheim found suicide is more likely when a person lacks social bonds or has relationships disrupted through a sudden change in status, such as …show more content…
This model has been reformulated in the last 20 years as the stress-vulnerability-protective factors model, particularly by Dr. Robert P. Liberman and his colleagues in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation (Barlow and Durand, 1998).
In the diathesis-stress model, a biological or genetic vulnerability or predisposition (diathesis) interacts with the environment and life events (stressors) to trigger behaviors or psychological disorders. The greater the underlying vulnerability, the less stress is needed to trigger the behavior or disorder. Conversely, where there is a smaller genetic contribution, greater life stress is required to produce the particular result.
This study aimed to delve into the suicide phenomenon that has remained a major problem worldwide. Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions:
1. Who are the suicide attempters? What are their characteristics?
2. What are the precipitating factors that trigger an individual to attempt suicide?
3. How do suicide attempters cope with the aftermath?
4. What is the role of significant others in their healing?
5. What insights do the informants have gained from their suicide attempts? How do these affect their personality?
6. Were there some post-intervention services offered or availed of after the
The Line between Right and Wrong All human beings have morals, whether they are their own individual ideals, or the morals that have been set into their brains by society. However, these morals can change over time if an individual is put into an atrocious situation where those ethics need to evolve. This situation has occurred in The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, where the world is thrown into complete chaos and turmoil where there is no food or clean water readily available. Individuals then need to change their morals in order to survive in an environment that is socially and physically changing. Therefore, in a post-apocalyptic world, the concept of right and wrong changes due to the need of survival.
In his book, Suicide, Emile Durkheim explores the social reasons that would someone to commit suicide. The basis of his argument laid in his ideas of social integration and social regulation. Social regulation is the many facets in which a person can be involved with society, such as political groups, religious groups, and domestic groups. Social regulation in comparison are the social and moral rules that a society decides what is right and what is wrong. Durkheim believes that people need to find a balance within social integration and social regulation to live a healthy lifestyle.
The lack of community services for suicidal individuals or their families left Keiski alienated from society. Due to Keiksi’s personal experience with her friend’s suicide, she says: “We, as a society, need to stop stigmatizing the friends and relatives of suicide victims and start helping them” (Keiski 94). As Keiski explains in her story, communities have more services to help suicidal individuals, yet almost no services in communities that support friends or relatives of suicide victims. When Keiski’s best friend committed suicide she felt alone and grieving with no one to comfort her since the friend that would have comforted her just passed. Keiski’s personal experience with an almost-family member self-harming resulted in her suffering from the alienation of society.
Keiski acknowledges that, “Individual therapy with a psychologist or psychiatrist is probably the most common form of treatment for people suffering from any sort of depression or need help through a crisis.” (95). In most cases, suicide is a result of how lonely the victim may feel since they may not fully receive the love and care they deserve. Hence, it is important that professional caretakers reach out to them since they may feel too embarrassed of their negative thoughts. Directly connecting to this idea, most times family members and friends are not too sure about how to address this with the victim since they do not really know how to help.
People who committed suicide were in a state of immense despair; they could not see hope and find the courage to go on. They wanted to end their pain. At the same time, they might not realize that they were also being selfish.
John and Jane both present levels of suicide risk that requires intervention. Joiner, as cited by Anestis, Bryan, Cornette, and Joiner (2009), posits a sense of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdenesomeness create a desire to commit suicide, while exposure to, or enaging in, violence and/or self-injury increases their acquired capacity to commit suicide. According to the case studies by Anestis et al. (2009), both John and Jane exhibit all three variables of this theory to varying degree. John’s feeling of thwarted belongingness include his reduced feelings of connectedness with his peers resulting from his reluctance to discuss his deployment experiences, the strain placed upon his relationship with his wife, and social isolation due to a recent move to a new community where he did not know many people.
As of 2015, 5 in 100,000 girls and 14 in 100,000 teenagers commit suicide (Lewis). Teenagers are becoming more vulnerable and schools seem to be taking no notice. If these lives could be saved, it would help so many families across the united states. The National Institute of Mental Health states that there “are as many as 25 attempts of suicide to every one that is actually committed” (Eco Child’s Play). Suicides can be prevented by treatment of the illness.
Suicide has continued to rise as one of the leading causes of death worldwide (Suicide). Each year, no matter what the cause is, 44,193 people in the U.S. are taking their own life. As the number of suicide attempts is continuing to skyrocket, suicide has verified itself as an important health problem (Suicide). Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, 7% of high school students are attempting it (State). I, myself have become a percent.
Introduction: What is the problem? Recently, news about suicide cases on telephone and newspaper appeared frequently. 22 cases were reported since the first academic year last September 2015. The number of cases reached the annual average cases in last five years.
One demographic that was specified within Durkheim’s study of suicide was married couples. Within his book ‘The Elementary Forms of Religious Life’ he looked at the rate of suicide in married and divorced individuals. Married women within countries that allow divorce keeps women from suicide while countries that have made divorce illegal have a higher rate of suicide for married women. However the opposite is true for men. Marriage is somethings commonly valued around the world.
Over the years the issue of suicide has been slowly increasing. It is now the third leading cause of death among young people. The effects of suicide are tragic and felt long after the individual has taken their own life. Some people who consider suicide, however, never make a “serious” attempt at it. For every attempted suicide, there is said to be more than one person whose thought of suicide has never translated into an actual attempt.
Suicide and Self-harm is one of the main leading causes in youth deaths in today 's society. The thought of ending his or her life is one of the thoughts developing in teenagers’ minds around the globe. There are many reasons to why a person will put their life at risk, such as stress, depression, loss of a loved one, or being bullied. Constant use of drugs or alcohol is also another leading cause to a person to have suicidal thoughts/actions. Suicide is not the way to go, there are plenty of other options to overcome suicidal thoughts or actions.
Suicide is a dominant cause of death among teenagers and young adults. The rate of suicides and suicide attempts increases from time to time. For some, suicide is the permanent solution to a temporary problem and most pressing public health issues across the world. Suicides case is so often these days even becoming a trend and we are not even flinch anymore. The depression and substances abuse for teenagers currently become issues that lead to suicide cases among teenagers.
Thus, this paper, with the purpose of helping troubled teens will discuss the reasons behind a teen’s suicide, warning signs and how
The statistics about teenage runaways, alcoholism, drug problems, pregnancy, eating disorders, and suicide are startling. Every year, thousands of people succeed in taking their lives and even more have attempted suicide at some point in their lives. Although we have reached the stage that hearing about suicide is now common, it is was viewed as trivial and petty back then. It seems like a reverse spectrum