The main reasons for suicide. Prevention of adolescent suicide

Suicide (suicide) is depriving yourself of life on a voluntary basis, without the participation of other people. Unfortunately, in modern society, the form of calculating accounts with life is quite frequent. Causes of suicide Can be completely different, a person makes such a decision on the basis of certain psychological and social difficulties.

The problem of suicide

Cases of reducing accounts with life in various ways are noted in historical documents at all stages of the development of the human race. Ancient Greece, Ancient China and Rome in their chronicles mention the facts of committing suicide.

To date, suicide is one of the 10 most common causes of death in the West. According to statistics, every year up to 160 thousand people around the world commit suicide. The overwhelming number among them are teenagers. Wherein Causes of suicide, Both adults and adolescents, can be completely different, they can be either in the business or educational sphere of a person's life, or in his personal life.

It is generally believed that suicide is a sign of weakness, a departure from life's problems. In fact, in order to commit such an act, one must have a strong will and confidence in their actions.

Suicide: signs

According to the research, 75% of people planning to settle scores with life somehow revealed their intentions. These were both open threats, and barely noticeable hints of impending suicide. Almost all these people visited psychologists, social workers, doctors or educators, from which it can be concluded that they tried to speak out. Unfortunately, in most cases, they did not get what they wanted, because of what they did not change their initial plans.

Signs of the planned suicide are revealed during the conversation and are manifested in the duality of the senses. On the one hand, they experience hopelessness, and on the other, they hope for salvation. In most cases, the arguments for and against such an act are fairly balanced. Often you can help with simple words of support. If this is not done, the scales will bow in favor of committing suicide. That's why it's so important to know the signs that you can understand about the planned suicide.

Symptoms are behavioral, verbal and social, while the causes of suicide Can be any.

In the first group of symptoms, constant statements and unhealthy jokes about death are noted, and behavioral ones can manifest themselves in the sudden distribution of personal belongings. This also includes the introduction of order in personal papers, cases, reconciliation with people, as well as a sharp change in habitual behavior. Situational signs are manifested in social isolation, an unexpected crisis in the family, alcoholism.

The main causes of suicide

Analyzing the causes of suicide, statistics Says that the main among them are:

• The age crisis;
• Gross mental disorders of the person;
• Divorce from wife / husband;
• Death of the spouse;
• Absence of family;
• incurable disease;
• Absence of work;
• loneliness.

According to statistics, 30% of attempts to commit suicide are repeated after a while, and 10% are carried out. In addition, attempts to settle scores with life are recorded 6 times more often than completed suicides.

Scientists have identified a risk group, where the possibility of committing suicide is significantly higher than that of other people. These include:

• Persons leading an isolated lifestyle, the so-called single persons;
• Adolescents with impaired interpersonal relationships;
• People who abuse alcohol or drugs;
• Individuals with criminal or deviant behavior;
• People with an increased level of self-criticism, as well as suffering from various humiliations;
• Persons who survived the loss of a loved one;
• Teenagers with frustration and adults suffering from neuroses.

All causes of suicide may have a psychological aspect or social.

Psychological aspect of suicide

A deep conflict of motives within the individual can lead to an attempt to settle scores with life. The psychological causes of suicide are often hidden in the early childhood of a person. As a rule, these are authoritarian parents who show excessive cruelty in upbringing. Often the result of this is the manifestation of aggression in adulthood, when a person tries to change his life situation in this way. If the objects of aggression can not be found, she can turn to the person herself, which will lead to suicide.

Another psychological aspect of suicide is associated with hysterical and demonstrative manifestations. As a rule, this desire to manipulate another person. For example, a girl can take a large dose of sleeping pills, hoping that it will be saved, and the attitude of a young man to her will change. Or the guy can consciously participate in dangerous races, thus seeking to influence the emotions of his beloved. How far a person can go in his attempts to manipulate, even he does not know himself. But the more consciously the motives for action, the less tragic consequences.

Another psychological reason for suicide is the desire to punish inattention. A person in this situation seems that people will bitterly regret their behavior after his death. Unfortunately, such a reason does not have a real basis, those whom he wants to punish, as a rule, do not experience such a withdrawal from life. These are the main causes of suicide in adults And adolescents, and most often this applies to young people of a certain age.

Social aspect of suicide

Suicides can be explained not only psychologically. Social reasons for suicide Are no less significant. One of the main things here is religion. It often happens that spiritual laws that call to love one's neighbor help to build up inner tension. This tension causes the person to conflict with himself when his aggression turns against him. Here comes the concept of guilt and salvation from it. In this case, the idea arises that any fault must be punished, as a result of which the person begins to approach the hour of reckoning.

Another social aspect of suicide is the overestimation of one's own importance. This situation is typical for such cases when the death of a family member occurs. The survivor begins to cultivate a sense of his own guilt and gradually arrives at the idea that his death will be the only way to make it up.

Such thoughts are typical of many people, but not everyone can bring their own plans for suicide in execution.

Causes of Suicide (Durkheim)

One of the main supporters of the social causes of suicide is the French sociologist Emile Durkheim. In his theory, it is the society that causes the bulk of suicides.

Durkheim believed that there is a kind of social consciousness dictating to people how to live. For example, a person can come to the conclusion that he is not worthy of life, because he does not have a family or work. All the main causes of suicide He reduces to one - loneliness. It is he who pushes man to note the bills with life.

Disagreeing with the psychological causes of suicides, Durkheim cites the following fact: in homes for mentally ill people, there are more women than men. However, it is the latter who commit 80% of all suicides. He also argues with supporters of the view that suicidal tendencies are inherited. The sociologist asserts that both men and women receive the same set of genes, but it is precisely the strong representatives of mankind who often take scores with life.

The causes of suicide in men, According to Durkheim, are of a social nature. They do not comply with the norms of society, do not earn the maintenance of the family or do not have it, therefore, are useless for the society.

Types of Suicides for Durkheim

The sociologist divided into several types of suicide. Causes, suicide It depends on its kind.

So, there are three types of suicide according to Durkheim:

• egoistic;
• altruistic;
• Anonymous.

The egoistic type comes when the person is faced with the impossibility of satisfying personal selfish needs. For example, a person may desire a lot of money or a high position in society, but do not have the internal resources to achieve the goal. In this case, especially if there is no support from close people, the likelihood of committing suicide is extremely high. In favor of such a theory, the sociologist cites high figures of suicide among Protestants who profess the selfish moral of personal enrichment.

An altruistic suicide is called when a person says goodbye to life disinterestedly for the sake of other people. For example, such a situation is possible when suicide is committed with a view to obtaining a family insurance for the life of the deceased.

Anonymous suicide is associated with a certain state of society, when there are disagreements in it, and there is also no normative and moral framework for behavior. Durkheim believed that too rapid development of the society could lead to mass suicides. At this rate, there is no balance, which is accompanied by an economic decline or, on the contrary, an upswing. In the first case, people settle scores with life due to the loss of capital, in the second - because they think that others are getting richer faster. This type of suicide is a kind of egoistic, because it also depends on the person's personal needs.

Suicide among adolescents

Transitional age is the most difficult stage in the emergence of an adult personality. That is why, among this age group, the percentage of suicides is extremely high.

Causes of suicide in adolescents Are as follows:

• Conflicts with parents or friends;
• Severe family situation;
• Humiliation on the part of peers;
• unrequited love.

In addition, the unformed personality is heavily influenced by the media. Because of this, often accounts are brought to life as an imitation of your favorite characters from movies or books.

Other causes of suicide of teenagers are the use of alcohol, toxic or narcotic substances, and also depression. In addition, suicide can lead to the death of a family member or close friend or low academic performance in disciplines. For girls, the reason for committing suicide may also be rape or an early pregnancy.

However, suicide is not always the result of a tragic accident. Among the adolescents there are gifted individuals who do not fit into the surrounding reality, which makes them feel like outcasts of society. It is this that can push them to such a desperate step.

Prevention of suicide among adolescents

The causes of suicide and their prevention Are one of the most important problems of psychology. What is suicide and how to avoid it, it is necessary to tell the children from an early age. Meanwhile, many parents avoid this topic, believing that their child will not be affected by this problem.

Prevention of suicide among adolescents is the timely psychological support and good participation. In addition, one should take into account the high degree of suggestibility of this age category. Teenagers represent their beautiful young body in a coffin, the grief of loved ones, and also their sense of guilt. It is important to dispel this myth, explaining and visually showing how they will look after they are found. By acting in such ways, it is important to remember that adolescents are extremely sensitive and their reaction to any words can be unpredictable. That is why the issue of prevention of adolescent suicide is so important in modern society.

Suicide and help

It is important to be able to help a person who has confessed his intentions. Most often, you need a simple participation and a confidential conversation in which he will be able to express all his grievances and worries. Sincere interest on your part and understanding will help to realize that he is not indifferent to you. It is this feeling that is most necessary for the person who decided to commit suicide.

It is necessary to conduct a dialogue in such a way that a person realizes the senselessness of his actions, as well as his sad consequences for people close to him. It is important not to express condemnation, but to thank for such frankness, stressing that you will try to help find a way out of the situation. Often one such spiritual conversation helps a person to get out of the state of deepest depression and if not to give up their suicidal plans, then at least put them off. And this will be a chance to help him completely forget about his intentions.

As a rule, the decision to settle accounts with life does not come suddenly. Usually this is the last straw in a series of life problems. Therefore, by taking care of close people and being able to foresee the impending danger, you, probably, will save someone's life.