What is suicide: why do people commit suicide

The term "suicide" is used to describe the act of self-destruction through various means aimed at intentionally killing oneself. An unfinished action of the nature described above is called “parasuicide”. According to psychologists, there are certain markers in an individual's behavioral pattern that help recognize the emergence of suicidal tendencies. In this article we will look at what suicide is and its main causes.

Suicide is a term coined by physician and philosopher Thomas Browne.

Reasons for attempting suicide

It is a fairly common opinion that people who commit suicide have a weak will and see the only way out of existing life difficulties in death. However, this opinion is erroneous, since sometimes even people with a strong will have thoughts about death. Most people who failed to commit suicide say that the reason for this act was various life circumstances that were traumatic in nature. Thus, attempting suicide is a way of getting rid of feelings and thoughts that destroy the human personality.

Most people resort to suicide not only because of a desire for death, but to resolve certain conflicts. For some people, life's challenges can present insurmountable obstacles. It is these thoughts that lead to the idea that death is the only way out. According to the famous Austrian scientist Viktor Frankl, suicides fear their own life more than death. It is this trait that distinguishes suicidal people from most people.

Of course, trying to take your own life is not a way out of the current difficulties in life. But many psychologists say that internal rebirth is possible only one step from the brink of despair. Let's look at examples from the lives of famous people who are known to the general public.

The legendary singer Tina Turner suffered for many years from the aggressive behavior of her husband, who was her producer. In nineteen eighty-six, the singer decided to commit suicide, tired of the tyranny of a loved one. The attempt to take her own life failed, which inspired new strength in the woman. Tina broke off her marriage with her husband and became a world-famous star.

The singer is accompanied on this list by the famous actress Drew Barrymore. Drew became famous as a teenager. According to the actress herself, at an early age she learned from her own experience about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. At the age of fourteen, Drew attempted to kill herself due to her bipolar disorder. A personal psychotherapist helped the actress get out of the vicious circle, who taught her to control her own emotions.

Pseudosuicide, or parasuicide, implies a demonstrative attempt to take one’s own life, not for the purpose of ending life, but for the purpose of attracting the attention of others

Mike Tyson often talks about the difficulties in life that can force a person to commit suicide. The famous boxer often faced various critical situations and was even imprisoned. Under the influence of severe depression, “Iron” Mike tried to take his own life with the help of drugs. Today, the fighter still thanks God, who gave him the strength to survive this difficult period.

Suicide is a topic that comes up frequently in the media. However, inclinations towards such ideas are observed not only among famous personalities. This topic affects every person. According to researchers, one in five people will experience thoughts of suicide during their lifetime. In order to help a person in such a state, it is important to have an idea of ​​the reasons for the appearance of thoughts of self-destruction .

Suicide in people of different ages

A person can become suicidal at any age. But the most vulnerable are children and adolescents. Today, suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents aged 14-19. In most cases, suicide occurs after prolonged depression. Other causes of suicide among teenagers include:

• suicides among close relatives;
• drug use, especially psychostimulants, and alcohol;
• antisocial behavior;
• decreased self-esteem;
• failures at school;
• breaking up with a close friend;
• change of place of residence and loss of contact with friends;
• pressure from parents;
• dysfunctional and alcoholic family.

Most often, suicide occurs in adulthood. There is an opinion that suicide is committed by people with mental illness. But this is the tip of the iceberg.

What pushes

Most people who decide to voluntarily self-destruct are mentally healthy and mentally strong individuals. Often adults look back at the past and discover that most of the things they dreamed of in their youth never came true. Or suicide is committed at the peak of grief and loss, when a person forgets about past achievements and future prospects. In such situations, a person needs a qualified specialist: a psychotherapist who will help overcome grief and improve the quality of life, and also show ways to achieve the desired goals. But, in many cases, a person who wishes to die does not turn to a psychologist or psychiatrist. And he decides to get out of a difficult condition on his own and commits suicide.

Indirectly affect the suicide rate:

• political changes in the country;
• changing the moral principles of city residents;
• changes in the institution of family, church reforms.

Adults often commit suicide without much thought. Therefore, it is extremely important to recognize approaching grief and help the person in constructive ways. If a person has no appetite, is depressed, loses self-confidence, or neglects social contacts, one should be seriously concerned about the state of the adult personality. If you contact a specialist at the Transfiguration Clinic, you will be able to receive all the necessary recommendations on how to behave in this situation and how to help the person.

Lonely pensioners and elderly people are also susceptible to suicide. The reasons for this action may most often be:

• difficult financial situation;
• lack of social contacts;
• feeling of worthlessness, feeling of abandonment;
• an abundance of physical ailments.

Psychological assistance and treatment

Treatment of a person with suicidal tendencies takes place on a hospital basis. For a full recovery, it is necessary to conduct a diagnosis and identify the current state of a person’s health. Are there any abnormalities in the functioning of the brain and mental disorders, is the person taking medications, and the general condition of the body? These and other factors can affect the psychological state of an elderly person and provoke the emergence of suicidal tendencies. The specialists of the Transfiguration clinic know what can cause destructive behavior and what measures are necessary to prevent the violent death of an old man.

The client of our clinic does not need to prepare in advance for treatment. The specialists of the Preobrazhenie clinic will carry out all the necessary diagnostics and treatment independently. Throughout the entire treatment course, the patient will be supported by a psychologist, and experienced psychiatrists, neurologists and therapists will improve their health.

At the Transfiguration clinic, treatment is carried out based on an integrated approach and the most effective methods, which include:

• psychotherapeutic sessions;
• drug treatment: psychotropic drugs, neurometabolic therapy, vitamin and amino acid complexes;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• restorative treatment.

Anyone who contacts the Transfiguration clinic will receive the necessary assistance in full. Every person who suffers from suicidal tendencies will be able to return to a full life, improve their body and improve their mental health.

Causes of suicidal thoughts

There are dozens of radically different reasons for thoughts of suicide. For certain individuals, taking a life may be the only visible way to escape the pain of loss or feelings of rejection. Reasons for suicide may be related to the presence of strong feelings, which include guilt, anger and shame. Some people commit similar acts when faced with betrayal from loved ones. There is a category of people who commit suicide because they do not want to be a burden to their loved ones.

Suicidal tendencies manifest themselves most strongly in situations that traumatize the human psyche.

A serious illness, loss of a job or a loved one is a unique reason for the emergence of negative thoughts. Experts say the cause of suicide should be considered much deeper. Most often they are associated with disorders of social and psychological perception. According to doctors, in frequent cases, the cause of suicidal tendencies is associated with hereditary factors.

According to scientific data, the risk of suicide is observed in people suffering from mental illness. Having bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or symptoms of major depression automatically puts a person at risk. The same statistics indicate that self-destructive behavior is often observed in deviant families. There is a close relationship between parasuicide and problems of integration into society. The sudden onset of a problem related to a lack of social relationships can be a key factor. Most often, lonely people decide to commit suicide when faced with betrayal or the death of their partner. Psychologists say that in families where one twin decides to take his own life, the risk of similar thoughts in the second twin increases significantly.

In terms of terms, the concept of suicide (or suicide) is defined as the conscious, independent taking of one’s life

A suicidal person is a person who has certain personal pathologies that prevent him from adequately assessing the situation. That is why the opinion that suicidal people face more severe life difficulties is wrong. Long before thoughts of leaving life appear, such people are faced with various stress factors. Often, such thoughts are “pushed” by mental disorders or drug use. Despite this, psychologists say that anyone can decide to commit suicide, even those who look well.

Types of suicide

There are often two types of suicide: true and demonstrative.

True suicide

True suicide is characterized by the presence of a goal to die, ignoring the thoughts of others on this matter, the feelings of loved ones and circumstances. Such suicide is characterized by good preparedness, it is planned in advance. Typically, the preparation period for a true suicide lasts a couple of days; in rare cases, the intention to die is “nurtured” for several years. During this period, people think about the situation that has developed, analyze the reasons that pushed them to suicide, and consider the likely results of their death. Then a change in behavior may be observed in the form of emerging peace and detachment from reality. In the presence of complex, intractable problems that previously caused anger, a feeling of helplessness and other negative experiences, such a change in behavior should be considered as a sign of planning suicide.

Demonstrative suicide

When committing a demonstrative suicide, a person does not really want to say goodbye to life, but in this way wants to influence the people around him, ask for help, or blackmail someone. In this case, safe methods of implementing auto-aggressive actions are chosen and a fatal result can only occur as a result of an accident.

Based on the population size, the following types of suicides can be distinguished:

• individual;
• group;
• mass.

The individual appearance is based on the individual psychological characteristics of the individual and the “strength” of the situation that influenced the person’s decision to die; group and mass types are characterized by group pressure on the individual.

About the risk group

The appearance of suicidal tendencies indicates internal contradictions that change psycho-emotional perception. In such a state, life turns into hell, because a voice appears in a person’s head that says that there is no way out of the current situation . The emergence of the “Anti-Self” is facilitated by various emotional traumas suffered in childhood, as well as painful or psychologically traumatic events. The emergence of the "Anti-Self" increases the critical attitude towards one's own personality, which makes people feel self-hatred. The scales, where, on the one hand, the real personality is located, and on the other, the “Anti-I”, is a kind of choice between the desire to live and die.

Let's look at the influence of various factors that lead to suicidal thoughts:

• critical age (forty-five years);
• presence of serious mental disorders;
• loss of a loved one;
• loss of life incentives;
• unbearable feelings of loneliness, delinquent or deviant behavior;
• presence of addictions (alcohol, drugs, gaming addiction);
• problems in interpersonal relationships and the phenomenon of frustration;
• the presence of incurable diseases.

Every person in his life encounters the influence of various negative and traumatic factors. Based on this, a natural question arises: why do many people cope with suicidal thoughts? What contributes to loss to the desire to live? And how does a person come to the idea that death is the only way out? According to psychologists, the answer to these questions is quite simple. Deep depression contributes to the emergence of thoughts about taking one's own life.

People commit suicide due to painful experiences

What is our self-esteem based on?

Our self-esteem is our sense of self. The way we perceive ourselves, our lives, our feelings towards our friends - all of this affects our self-esteem. – Our self-esteem is also how we appear to others. Our self-esteem depends on how our friends, teachers, parents or educators treat us, and what they say about us. Think about how your self-esteem will change depending on the following circumstances: your parents praise you; you failed the exam; your friends “stand by you”; the gym teacher yells at you; you are considered the prettiest girl in the class; someone called you “crazy”; you were elected to the class council; you let your friend down.

main reason

When considering why people commit suicide, special attention should be paid to depression. It is the depressive syndrome that increases the critical attitude towards oneself and forces a person to focus on the mistakes made. People who suffer from severe depression for a long time lose the ability to see the positive aspects in their lives. Depressive disorder is a kind of lens that distorts the perception of the world around us. This pathology is especially pronounced in adolescence.

Entering puberty, a teenager is faced with various life difficulties that he must solve on his own. Teenage maximalism distorts perception, and any troubles are perceived as problems that have no solution. Often many people at this age are faced with a lack of love. Changes in the body lead to dissatisfaction with one's own appearance and decreased self-esteem. Poor performance at school and problems with concentration can only make the situation worse. A negative perception of one's own personality gives rise to the opinion that a person is a disappointment to his own parents. It is the above-mentioned problems in perception that are the primary cause of teenage depression, which often ends in attempted suicide.

Need for love

In order to value ourselves and our lives, we all need to feel self-love. The need for love is: – the need to be loved; – the need to love; – the need to be part of something. If these three “needs” are present in our lives most of the time, we are able to cope with life and solve the problems that confront us. For teenagers who are not loved, who themselves do not feel sympathy for their classmates and teachers, who feel like strangers at home, at school, and in the yard, it is much more difficult to cope with troubles. Due to the fact that they study poorly, do not get along with parents, friends and teachers, their self-esteem decreases, they feel worthless, lonely, and “lack of involvement.” Hence the inability to solve many pressing problems. Because their self-esteem has decreased, even those problems that were previously solved casually now become insoluble for them. Some teenagers compare this anxious, restless state with the feeling of a drowning person who has choked and is going to the bottom, or a person whose heart is convulsively compressed from melancholy. What do you think is the most important thing for them in this difficult time? You guessed it - Friend. Think yourself. Suppose you are planning to commit suicide because “nobody loves you,” and suddenly you begin to feel someone’s affection, care, they talk to you, they listen to you - and you have a glimmer of hope. If you are haunted by thoughts of death, because you yourself do not love anyone, then warm feelings towards you can be contagious: under their influence, your cold heart can melt. If you want to commit suicide because you feel like you don’t “fit in,” it can take just one friendly handshake to feel like you’ve made a place in at least one person’s heart. A caring and affectionate friend is able to talk you out of suicide, because he satisfies your need for love, a need that is so characteristic of each of us. Sometimes just one kind word is enough to save a person. An environment is where you are “surrounded” by others. You have several such “environments”: home, school, yard. Being in the company of your friends, you are surrounded by peers. In principle, there can be even more “Environments”, for example: work, church or basketball court. In each of these places you interact and come into contact with others. You talk, laugh, argue. And sometimes you just remain silent. Self-esteem is how you evaluate yourself.

The influence of drugs and alcoholic beverages

Systematic use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs increases the risk of suicidal tendencies. Long-term exposure to mind-altering drugs may lead to depressive disorder. Feeling the symptoms of depression, a person begins to drink alcohol or drugs in double doses to escape from the real world.

While intoxicated, a person loses the ability to adequately assess the situation, analyze risks and make the right choice. According to statistics, the majority of parasuicide attempts are made under the influence of mind-altering drugs.

Historical overview of the development of suicidology

Since the dawn of human civilization, people have been interested in issues related to death.
Departure from life is an irrevocable event through which, be that as it may, every existing person passes. The very essence of death is shrouded in a huge mystery incomprehensible to the human mind. Various theories and guesses about death are deeply imprinted on the mental state of dying people, on the conditions under which they leave the world of the living and on the understanding of their actions and the lives of those who continue to live. As a result, death can be interpreted and experienced in different ways.

Suicides were first described in ancient times. In many tribes and nationalities, it was customary to commit suicide in order not to die from illness or old age. For example, in Japan, weak and sick old people went to the mountains to die there and not burden their children; samurai were obliged to take their own lives by harakiri, which was considered an honorable duty.

In Orthodox Russia, however, a negative attitude towards suicide has always been maintained; taking one’s own life was considered a grave sin. People who committed suicide were always buried outside cemeteries. It is still believed that the souls of the dead will never find peace in this way.

In the Middle Ages, suicide was popularized; we all remember the story of the unhappy lovers Romeo and Juliet.

The scientific study of suicide began only in the 1820s. With the advent of the concept of J. Esquirol, suicide began to be viewed as a manifestation of a painfully altered psyche, i.e. a consequence of a mental disorder. According to the sociological theory of E. Durkheim, the causes of suicide are weakened connections between people, due to which a person becomes extremely unstable to the problems and difficulties of life.

By the beginning of the 20th century. psychoanalytic models of the causes of suicide appeared, developed by S. Freud, C. G. Jung, A. Adler. Suicide was considered an aggression directed not at the outside world, but at oneself, a desire to return to a carefree time in the womb, an escape from the problems of an inferior personality.

N. Farberow in 1958 formulated the concepts of self-destructive behavior and indirect suicide. By these terms he understood a more extended period of death due to the abuse of drugs, alcohol, a propensity for risk and gambling, and violation of doctors’ recommendations regarding health.

A.G. made a huge contribution to Russian suicidology. Ambrumova (1978). She described suicide as a violation of human adaptation due to conflict and identified the types of situational reactions and types of suicides based on the motives for their commission. The research of E. Shneidman (2001) is interesting in terms of descriptions of the harbingers of possible suicide, identifying a special personality type predisposed to suicide. He identified 3 types of suicides: based on the conflict of parts of the personality, unfulfilled desires and lack of connection with society.

At the moment, as you can see for yourself, there are a huge variety of different theories and concepts in suicidology. There is something true and logical in each of them. But they examine the mechanisms and causes of suicide from only one perspective, without putting together the individual pieces of a general and holistic understanding of suicide.

There is hope that in the near future, suicidology as a science will develop more rapidly, the experience and knowledge accumulated over generations about suicide will be used more actively and more widely.

Warning markers

According to scientists, suicide most often occurs within three months after a person faces a psychological crisis. While in this state, there is increased stimulation of the nervous system, which is a kind of warning signal. Signs of having thoughts about death are expressed as follows:

• an attempt to repay existing debts or personal property;
• being depressed due to feelings of guilt;
• an attempt at reconciliation with people whom a person once offended;
• reduction of con- cern from the real world, changes in appearance;
• tendency to self-isolate and refusal to communicate with loved ones;
• direct or indirect conversations on the topic of death;
• tendency to destructive behavior directed towards one’s own personality.

Suicide (suicide) - taking one's own life of one's own free will, without the participation of other people.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that there are different types of suicide. The choice between them depends on the character of the person, his temperament and personality type.

Forms of suicidal behavior

In suicidal behavior it is possible to distinguish the structure - internal and external forms.

Internal forms include passive suicidal thoughts, suicidal thoughts and suicidal intentions:

• passive suicidal thoughts are ideas about one’s own death, but the absence of fantasies about taking one’s own life;
• suicidal plans are thinking through the methods, time, and place of suicide; plans are worked out more and more deeply as a plan for their implementation is developed;
• suicidal intentions - a decision and a volitional component are added, which encourages external behavior.

External forms of suicidal behavior include suicide attempts and, in fact, completed suicide. These forms have two phases:

• reversible - a person can stop attempting suicide (of his own free will or as a result of the actions of others);
• irreversible – completed suicide.

Methods of psychotherapeutic treatment

Having examined the main reasons for suicide, let's move on to talking about how to cope with such thoughts . In order to reduce the severity of thoughts of suicide, a person needs emotional support . You can get such support by seeking help from a psychotherapist. There are special groups for people with specific life difficulties (Alcoholics Anonymous group, psychological support groups for people with incurable diseases, etc.). By taking part in such groups, a person gets the opportunity to share his situation and see the world in new colors.

Psychotherapeutic treatment itself is aimed at eliminating depressive disorder. A person suffering from this disease must learn to control his thoughts and desires. Cognitive-behavioral practices aimed at situational solutions to problems have a special role in this issue. The duration of therapy may vary. The participation of a doctor is required until the patient learns to overcome various life difficulties on his own.

Under the influence of ambivalent feelings, every person sooner or later comes to the idea of ​​suicide. Being in this state, a person needs attention from others in order to feel his importance and significance in the world.

Techniques for working with a suicidal person

Thanks to special psychological techniques, it is possible to identify the trigger of suicidal thoughts and resolve the true problem.

Young's association test

Self-coaching of 16 associations takes approximately half an hour. It promotes the manifestation of talents and the resolution of complex life problems. The Jung test is a great help for understanding your own feelings. Psychological problems arise as a result of the brain, which remembers and recalls unpleasant stressful images. Understanding the reasons that influence the subconscious attitude towards a phenomenon, situation or fact. Step by step exercise:

• Sit comfortably in a quiet place.
• Have paper and pen ready.
• Decide what word you want to work with, such as “love,” if you have a bad breakup.
• Place numbers 1 through 16 vertically.
• Quickly, without wasting time on thoughts, enter phrases, catchphrases, words - associations in the left column.
• Then fill out column 2 and the rest, each time combining words into pairs - 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, etc.
• As a result, only one keyword comes out - something that allows you to diagnose the essence of the problem. You need to apply it every day to any current area and situation.

If the final key word turns out to be negative, sad, for example: sadness-helplessness-death, you should reformulate it into a positive one (death-freedom). Never give up!

Decision making technique - Descartes square

This is an easy way to make decisions by analyzing the situation. Answer a few questions: What happens if this (doesn't) happen? What advantages and disadvantages will there be, what will this (not) bring me. Everything (not) will remain as it was.

The exercise is aimed at clarifying the outcome of each decision. The whole truth is that under circumstances that force us to make a decision, we get stuck on one idea without thinking through other options and the outcome of our actions.

Technique for revising personal history according to Valery Sinelnikov

The purpose of the exercise is to reconsider negative situations in a positive way.

Algorithm:

• Think about a story, an event that pushes you to commit suicide. Something that caused anger, resentment, stress and negativity. Imagine in small details everything that happened, the people who took part in it. Say it out loud, visualize it. You should feel what you felt at that moment.
• In the end, you accept what happened. It has already happened and the past cannot be changed. We must take responsibility for the situation. After all, it was you who mentally or through actions created the ground for everything to be like this.
• You must take the positive out of what happened and put an emotional end to it. Every situation is a life lesson. “Everything that is done is for the better.” Think about how to avoid a recurrence in the future.
• It is important to breathe correctly during memories. Breathe slowly, calmly. Gently turn your head left, right, sideways, in a semicircle. Get rid of it, give away the negativity along with your exhalation.

The technique according to Valery Sinelnikov must be performed until the memories begin to evoke a feeling of freedom and lightness.

Miracle technique

Helps to increase the level of love of life, helps to leave thoughts about a negative event in the past, and rebuild thoughts about the future in a positive way. To complete the exercise, you need to imagine and sincerely believe that a miracle is possible and everything you write on a piece of paper will definitely come true. After all, it has long been known that thoughts are material.

Then you need to imagine what you will do when the wish comes true, how you will feel, how you will behave, how you will look, how you will tell your family and friends, think about the reaction of others. Feel the positive emotions colorfully, with taste, color, and be sure to smile at the same time.

Time Machine

Write down what you would like to change in the past, imagine a time machine and how you change these events. Imagine how, transported back some time, everything happens in the best way for you.

Then take a time machine to the future. Describe your life, appearance, environment in a year, 5, 10 years. All the little details are important. Cover all areas of life, think positively.

Tatiana Oshmyanskaya’s “Paper Man” technique

Exercise helps reduce the level of auto-aggression (hostility towards oneself):

• Take a clean landscape sheet (preferably with a high density) and with your hands, without scissors, tear it off so that a person comes out.
• Afterwards, note what you are not happy with about your creation and begin to “reproach” it: the legs are different, crooked, the head is large, ugly, etc.
• After each dissatisfaction, slightly curl the edge of the paper, starting from the head, and smooth it down firmly with your fingernail.
• When you throw out negativity, stop and look at what happened as a result.
• If you fantasize, what do you think such a twisted little man is capable of now? Most likely for useless, aggressive things or nothing at all.
• Then start praising the little man, as if you were yourself, telling him words of encouragement, while unfolding the paper over and over again.
• Note what is easier for you to do: scold or praise. Did you manage to unroll the paper completely? Is the untwisted little man different from the one before the folding?

Discouraging a person from committing suicide is not an easy task. It is important not to remain indifferent and seek qualified help.

Phone numbers of organizations that provide suicide assistance

Tactics for helping in a crisis situation

So what measures are taken to prevent suicide attempts? First of all, it is the relief of psychological stress and resolution of a traumatic situation, reducing dependence on the cause that led to suicidal behavior. Next, it is necessary to form a compensatory mechanism of behavior and a clear, adequate understanding of life and death.

The tactics for helping in a crisis situation are as follows.

1. Assess the risk of suicide and its severity.
2. Do not leave a person unattended in a situation where there is a high risk of suicide.
3. Be sure to seek medical help from specialists. Thanks to their knowledge, skills and psychotherapeutic influence, psychiatrists and psychologists have a unique ability to understand a person’s feelings, needs and problems, and help cope with mental discomfort.
4. Establish a trusting and caring relationship, become an attentive listener, do not argue, ask questions, give a sense of hope.
5. Offer constructive methods for solving the problem, help in word and deed.

Self-help in a critical situation:

• speak out;
• write a letter;
• give yourself a gift;
• get a good night's sleep;
• try to avoid people who are unpleasant to you, enjoy today, communicate with interesting people and not pay attention to other people’s opinions, plan your life and change what you want to change in yourself and the world around you!

Causes and mechanisms of suicide

Suicidal behavior in the modern understanding is considered as a single continuous process, which is based on the prepared soil for personality changes.

What factors are the conditions for suicide?

Biological

Just in recent years, the presence of a genetic predisposition to committing suicide has been discovered. Mutations in several specific genes disrupt the transmission of impulses between neurons in the brain and change the activity of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine). The brain is programmed by incorrect reactions of individual parts of this system and determines such personality traits as aggressiveness, depression, impulsiveness, and poor resistance to stress.

As a result of exposure of a person with such traits to problems in the surrounding world, suicidal behavior may be activated.

Personal-psychological

Such factors, sometimes dictated by society, as feelings of guilt and helplessness, emotional lability, excessive self-criticism, immaturity of judgment, low self-esteem, aggression and self-rejection. This group includes the inability to achieve the desired result, problems in communicating with others (for example, strong attachment to a person, rejection in a team), and a somewhat distorted perception of oneself in reality in terms of negative emotional connotation.

Many problems in the family can lead to suicide - cruelty, indifference, lack of love and warmth, affection and mutual understanding. Don't underestimate the importance of family in modern society. It is this cell of society that lays the ground for the further development of the individuals within it.

It has long been found that infants who did not receive adequate love and attention from their mother in the first year of their life are at greater risk of suicide when they become adults. The invisible connecting threads of relations between generations leave an indelible imprint on all subsequent descendants. Information about suicide in the family and among close relatives is extremely important for making a prognosis for the stability of a person’s mental state.

Clinical

What is meant here is the mental component of the development of suicidal behavior. According to medical data, 90% of suicide victims had mental disorders at the time of suicide. For example, with depression the risk of suicide is 30 times higher than in the general cohort, with schizophrenia – 20 times higher, with personality disorders – 15 times higher, with alcoholism – 10 times higher.

Masked conditions (depression) are dangerous, which are difficult to recognize clinically and to identify in time a moderate and even pronounced decrease in mood with vital melancholy. Recurrent affective disorders with long-term depression, difficult to treat, can at any time lead a person to the decision to kill himself.

In schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, auditory hallucinations at the height of psychosis may cause a person to kill himself, or a delusional attitude may form with incorrect conclusions regarding life and death.

But not only with mental disorders such a picture is observed. People with physical illnesses are no less at risk for suicide. In case of cardiovascular, cancer, kidney, and immune diseases, the risks also increase tenfold.

Chronic pain syndrome and pain intolerance at a certain moment lead a person to questions of euthanasia, killing oneself in order to avoid unbearable torment. Euthanasia is officially prohibited in many states.

Ethnocultural

Numerous studies have found that certain ethnic groups are more prone to suicide. Countries with a high suicide risk include China, Japan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania (more than 20 cases per 100,000 population).

Low suicide rates in all countries of the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Central Asia. Of great importance is the system of religious beliefs that accepts such a method of death, or categorically does not accept it.

If we consider Christianity and Islam in this context, then suicide is an extremely unacceptable act, because if God gave life, then the person himself cannot choose when to die.

Buddhism and Judaism more calmly view death as a logical continuation of death and the rebirth of the soul.

Macrosocial

All unfavorable political and socio-economic conditions directly affect the population in a depressing manner. Unemployment, economic recession, wars, local conflicts, social restructuring, population migration, and unsettled life lead to a disappointing increase in the number of suicides.

Microsocial

An unfavorable situation in the family, at home and at work provokes people to commit suicide. The immediate environment can easily unsettle an already shaken psyche. The specific features of difficult professions also leave their negative imprint on doctors, lawyers, and the military.

Personal life problems

Crises in a person’s life that upset the balance between external circumstances and internal experiences are considered. More than 800 situations have been described that can lead to suicide. About half of them are interpersonal, for example, divorce, unhappy love, betrayal, death of a loved one, conflicts.

Suicide prevention and treatment

Suicidological assistance is the most complex and resource-intensive process, which involves many medical specialists, psychologists and social workers. In conditions of outpatient care, multiprofessional teams, anti-crisis assistance rooms, hotlines, and anonymous appointments are created in psycho-neurological dispensaries.

Difficulties in diagnosis are associated with the low detection of people with suicidal tendencies in the pre-suicidal period, not only by general somatic doctors, but also by psychiatrists. It is important to create and distribute as many information resources as possible in the media, educational and medical institutions with the correct content to avoid the formation of false ideas about suicide among the population. It is necessary to draw public attention through thematic lectures, forums, conferences and educational events conducted by specialists in the field of suicidology.

Observation by a doctor

For persons with mental disorders, it is important to regularly see a psychiatrist at their place of residence, take the necessary medications (tranquilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers) that relieve anxiety-depressive or psychotic symptoms, and, if necessary, be hospitalized in a hospital in a timely manner.

In the post-suicide period, in case of incomplete suicide, after life-saving measures have been provided in the intensive care unit or trauma department of a hospital and there is no threat to life, it is also necessary to immediately begin drug therapy.

Doctors evaluate the level of depressive symptoms and the personality characteristics of the person who committed suicide. Among antidepressants, preference is usually given to the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Sertraline, Paroxetine, Fluvoxamine, Citalopram, Escitalopram. Taking medications should be long-term, continuous, with a duration of therapy of at least 6 months of active treatment with a transition to maintenance treatment for 3-6 months for the first episode, and longer-term therapy for repeated cases of suicide.

The initiation of antidepressant therapy is accompanied by the simultaneous administration of small doses of tranquilizers (Phenazepam, Diazepam) to relieve anxiety and autonomic disorders, and compensate for sleep disturbances. Neuroleptics in small dosages are used in the evening to relieve psychotic symptoms in order to alleviate sleep disturbances and anxiety (Teralijden, Chlorprothixene, Clozapine).

Psychotherapy

The main method of correcting suicidal behavior and conflict between parts of the personality is still psychotherapy. It should be carried out continuously, over a long period of time and begin as early as possible. The choice of psychotherapy technique is purely individual, designed for the personality characteristics of a particular person.

A positive effect is observed when loved ones and family are involved in therapy, and intra-family conflicts are resolved. Such support, as a rule, is very necessary for people who are on the verge of choosing between life and death; it shows the importance of a person and belonging to a generation, their family.

It is important to obtain information about the patient’s family members, their characters and characteristics, the relationships between them, what atmosphere prevails in the communication of the most significant people for each other, and also try to find out what kind of stressful situation arose and what could have caused it.

"Timeline"

Among the methods used during psychotherapy, work with the so-called “time line” is actively used. A person figuratively represents his past, present and future. Most often, suicidal people experience a lack of extension of the line into the plane of the future; it is blocked.

The doctor, together with the patient, needs to develop a new positive concept of thinking, assess and look forward to a brighter future, try to find a rational solution to the problem that caused suicide, learn to set short- and long-term goals and achieve them. The main idea of ​​psychotherapy is the patient’s awareness that he has all the necessary resources to successfully solve the assigned tasks, to feel calm, easy and comfortable.

Logotherapy

Logotherapy as a method is used to shift the focus of a person’s attention from his personality, fixation on his inner worldview. What could be better than to speak freely in a relaxed and confidential conversation with a doctor? The goal achieved with this method is to piece together a complete personality, independent of the opinions of others, self-sufficient and free.

Group therapy

Good dynamics of therapy are observed in group psychotherapy. In a group of like-minded people, it is easier for a person to open up, express what hurts, share their emotions and receive tremendous support. The group encourages activity, a positive attitude, and continued socialization. When people see that they are not alone, and there is a place where they will always be listened to and given advice, faith in themselves and their capabilities increases.

Art therapy

Creative psychotherapy, or art therapy, is also often used to symbolically transform a traumatic conflict situation, find a way out of it, using internal reserves to release the emotional component of stress.

This happens through the depiction of artistic images, music therapy, and drama therapy. When listening to music, deep-seated experiences are released from the subconscious, muscular and psychological tension is relieved, and the body comes into a state of emotional balance and balance. The sessions are long and relaxing, allowing you to learn to listen and hear yourself and your body.

Rational therapy

Rational or behavioral psychotherapy is used to destroy a person's misconceptions and beliefs that influence a person's attitude towards life in a logical way. The psychotherapist, together with the patient, corrects errors in judgment, and the reasons for the suicidal person’s incorrect behavior are explained.

Telephone psychotherapy

It is worth noting another important method - telephone psychotherapy. Its undoubted advantages include urgency and speed of delivery, support is provided by specialists around the clock, multi-channel, everyone in need receives targeted help, regardless of the distance between the subscriber and the doctor. With the introduction of the telemedicine project, anti-crisis counseling via the Internet will soon begin to gain momentum, which is very relevant and promising.

Contraindications to psychotherapy may include acute psychotic conditions (psychosis is initially treated with medication in a hospital setting), mental retardation and dementia (due to the fact that a person loses the ability to correctly assess his condition, think imaginatively, and incorrectly assess the environment).

Promptly block sites and programs that encourage suicide. This primarily applies to parents of children and adolescents, the most vulnerable group of the population from negative information. The sites offer to join the “game”, carry out assignments, quests, and the end result is an order to inflict self-harm and kill yourself. Be careful, vigilant and careful! Control the flow of information coming to your child.