Dazee's Garden - Suicide Information



	There is no single suicidal type. Suicide may be undertaken by any variety of personality in any one of a variety of different moods ranging from the most frenzied passion to the most sober and calculating rationalism. Even though it is hard to identify suicidal personalities, extensive studies have attempted to catalog the types of reasoning that can lead a person to try and kill himself.


Types of Suicidal Thinking
Type	Thinking Process	Example
Catalogic	The person is depressed, despairing, self-destructive, and incapable of thinking rationally.	A man who cannot conquer his alcoholism, who has lost his job and destroyed his marriage because of it, and who commits suicide in order to escape his loneliness and self-condemnation.
Logical	The person makes a rational decision to rid himself, through death, of an unbearable burden that he cannot rid himself of otherwise.	A woman who, after being told that she has terminal cancer, commits suicide in order to save her family the medical expenses and save herself the agony of dying gradually.
Contaminated	The person's beliefs in the spiritual ennoblement attached to death lead him to kill himself rather than endure dishonor or some other situation he perceives as intolerable.	A Japanese army officer who through his own error has sent a battalion of soldiers to an unnecessary death and commits suicide to save his family and himself from the disgrace.
Paleologic	The person commits suicide in response to hallucinations and/or delusions	A psychotically depressed woman who is convinced that she has killed her parents and obeys a voice telling her to kill herself so as not to pollute the world with her sins any longer.



Myths About Suicide
One of the most unfortunate myths about suicide is that a person who threatens to kill himself will not carry out his threat; only the "silent type" will actually pull it off. This notion is utterly mistaken. The fact is that in approximately 70 percent of all completed suicides, suicidal intent was communicated at some time within the three months before the fatal attempt. ANY VERBALIZATIONS REGARDING SUICIDE ARE CLEAR DANGER SIGNALS AND SHOULD BE TAKEN QUITE SERIOUSLY! Another myth is that when a person has attempted suicide and has failed, this means that the person was not serious about ending his life. In this view, a mild self-inflicted injury, such as a superficial cutting of the wrist, suggests that the would-be suicide was making a histrionic gesture...just faking or looking for sympathy. On the contrary, studies show that approximately 12 percent of those who make nonfatal suicide attempts will make a second, successful attempt within two years. In fact, roughly 75 percent of all completed suicides have made a previous attempt or threat. It may be that the initial attempt serves as a trial run, enabling the person to prepare more adequately for a later, more efficient attempt. It is often very difficult to predict a suicide; however, it is possible to pick up "clues" to detect suicidal plans, such as a person suddenly drawing up a will or exhibiting secretive behavior. Sometimes a suicidal person will make a very direct verbal statement such as "I'm tired of hurting and don't want to go on anymore" or "I know I'm a burden to everyone." Once a person has decided to kill himself, he may withdraw into an almost contemplative state. He may refrain from conversation or drastically reduce his food intake. He may sleep more soundly than usual, or he may suffer from insomnia. Often he acts as if he were going on a long trip. In what he presumes his last days, the suicidal person may give away his most highly valued possessions. A type of calm may follow a decision to commit suicide. If you know of someone who has showed signs of being suicidal, do not let your guard down if they suddenly become tranquil. Often times, this danger signal is misinterpreted as a sign of improvement. Since the person seems better, he is watched less carefully.

Myths About Suicide

One of the most unfortunate myths about suicide is that a person who threatens to kill himself will not carry out his threat; only the "silent type" will actually pull it off. This notion is utterly mistaken. The fact is that in approximately 70 percent of all completed suicides, suicidal intent was communicated at some time within the three months before the fatal attempt.

ANY VERBALIZATIONS REGARDING SUICIDE ARE CLEAR DANGER SIGNALS AND SHOULD BE TAKEN QUITE SERIOUSLY!

Another myth is that when a person has attempted suicide and has failed, this means that the person was not serious about ending his life. In this view, a mild self-inflicted injury, such as a superficial cutting of the wrist, suggests that the would-be suicide was making a histrionic gesture...just faking or looking for sympathy. On the contrary, studies show that approximately 12 percent of those who make nonfatal suicide attempts will make a second, successful attempt within two years. In fact, roughly 75 percent of all completed suicides have made a previous attempt or threat. It may be that the initial attempt serves as a trial run, enabling the person to prepare more adequately for a later, more efficient attempt.

It is often very difficult to predict a suicide; however, it is possible to pick up "clues" to detect suicidal plans, such as a person suddenly drawing up a will or exhibiting secretive behavior.

Sometimes a suicidal person will make a very direct verbal statement such as "I'm tired of hurting and don't want to go on anymore" or "I know I'm a burden to everyone." Once a person has decided to kill himself, he may withdraw into an almost contemplative state. He may refrain from conversation or drastically reduce his food intake. He may sleep more soundly than usual, or he may suffer from insomnia. Often he acts as if he were going on a long trip. In what he presumes his last days, the suicidal person may give away his most highly valued possessions.

A type of calm may follow a decision to commit suicide. If you know of someone who has showed signs of being suicidal, do not let your guard down if they suddenly become tranquil. Often times, this danger signal is misinterpreted as a sign of improvement. Since the person seems better, he is watched less carefully.


	Are You Depressed? \| Causes \| Symptoms \| Random Thoughts