Suicide: Myths, Facts and Prevention

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Suicide Myths, Facts and Prevention

• James M. Eddy
• Texas AM University

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Suicide Myths

• People who talk about suicide dont commit
  suicide
• Only a specific class of people commit suicide
• Suicide has simple causes that are easily
  established
• Only depressed people commit suicide
• Only crazy or insane people commit suicide
• Suicide is inherited

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Definitions of Suicide

• Durkheim-Those cases of death resulting directly
  or indirectly from positive or negative acts of
  the victims themselves The victim knows the
  results that will be produced by their action.
• Stengel-The fatal act of self-injury undertaken
  with conscious self-destructive intent, however
  vague and ambiguous.

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Definitions of Suicide

• Baechler-All behavior which seeks and finds the
  solution to an existential problem by making an
  attempt on the life of the subject, suicide here
  is a means vs. an end.

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Who is Suicidal?

• A person who consumes an overdose of barbiturates
• A person who mixes barbiturates and alcohol
• A diabetic who carelessly follows the prescribed
  diet
• A person suffering from intractable pain shoots
  him/herself

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Who is Suicidal?

• A person who so strongly believes in a cause that
  he/she goes on a hunger strike
• A person who commits a capital offense despite
  knowing the penalty if caught
• A person who provokes another to attack
  him/herself
• A person who chooses a high risk form of
  recreation such as sky diving, hang gliding, or
  Grand Prix racing

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Adaptation of Freemans Model of Intentionality
Level of Intervention
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Demographics of Suicide

• Males commit suicide more often than females
• Females have a greater number if incomplete
  suicides than males
• Older people commit suicide more often than
  younger people
• Younger people have a greater number of
  incomplete suicides than older people

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Demographics of Suicide

• City dwellers commit suicide more often than
  rural residents
• Protestants commit suicide more often than
  Catholics or Jews
• Wealthy people commit suicide more often than
  poor people
• Professionals commit suicide more often than
  non-professionals
• Alcoholics commit suicide more often than social
  drinkers

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Comparative Suicide Rates

• Males vs. Females
• Males are 2x more Successful
• Females attempt 4x more suicides
• Higher rates are found in
• Caucasians, urban communities, middle class,
  people with no children, people with chronic
  illness, alcoholics and addicts, elderly

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The Typical Suicide

• Higher Correlates
• Male Caucasian
• Single, widower, divorced or separated
• Adolescent of over 65
• Probably living alone
• Unemployed or retired
• Depressed
• Probably previous suicide attempt

• Lower Correlates
• Abuser of alcohol or other drugs
• Demonstrated difficulty in coping
• Suffering from illness
• Threatening suicide
• Visited his/her physician

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Behavioral Indicators of Suicide

• Poor communication
• Items of value
• Isolation
• Insomnia and worry
• Substance abuse
• Decline in work performance
• Prior acts of suicide
• Verbal attitude

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Suicide Prevention Procedures

• Listen
• Evaluate the seriousness
• Evaluate the intensity
• Accept every complaint and feeling
• Dont be afraid to ask the person directly about
  suicide thoughts
• Beware of presumed fast recovery

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Suicide Prevention Procedures

• Be supportive but affirmative
• Take specific action
• Be willing to take further consultation
• Never treat the act with disgust
• Never challenge the potential victim
• Never leave a person in an acute crisis alone