Adieu, the final farewell, an exploration of death!
Suicide: Forward to Religious Beliefs – Back to Extending Life
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Suicide is of course, intentionally causing one’s own death. It is often dismissed as an act of cowardice, but may be thought by the individual as an act of personal sacrifice.
Rates of suicide are higher among men than women, 1.5 times higher in the developing world and 3.5 times higher in the developed world.
Culture and religion shapes societal attitude to suicide. Judaism, Chrisitianity and Islam consider suicide as offensive to God as it is against the principle of the sanctity of life. Yet the bushido code of the Japanese samuari, saw seppuku as an honourable action to atone for failure or as a protest.
It is not illegal in many western countries, but remains illegal around the world.
The notion of euthanasia is developing momentum in recent years. Euthanasia is from the Greek and means ‘good death’. Long-term illnesses and old age can lead to a slow, painful, and undignified death and euthanasia can look like a better route to death.
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Some are passionate or impetuous reactions to stress (often caused by financial or academic worries), or to relationship problems (like separations and divorces), or because of the individual being a victim of harassment and bullying.
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Mental disorders are a common cause of suicide. These include anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression and personality disorders like ADHD, cognitive disengagement, schizophrenia. Suicided is also generated by physical disorders like fatigue, and substance abuse of alcohol and drugs.
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Common methods include:
- hanging, strangulation or suffocation;
- jumping from high places;
- jumping in front of a fast-moving object;
- drowning;
- poisoning or drug overdoses;
- slashing one’s wrists or neck;
- firearms – including ‘death by cop’.
These combine to make it the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.
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The WHO states that globally over 700,000 commit suicide each year. There are also an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempts every year. Non-fatal suicide attempts often lead to injury and long-term disability.
Over 75% of these occur in low- and middle-income countries.
It is the fourth-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds.
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Other impacts include the experience of conflict and disaster, the exposure to violence and abuse, the incidence of loss, and a sense of isolation – thesse are all associated with suicidal behaviour.
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The WHO is trying to reduce this with various programmes – but this will of course inevitably add to population. Another ethical merry-go-round!
Suicide: Forward to Religious Beliefs – Back to Extending Life
Back to Adieu Index - Back to Bob Denton home page
