What is suicidal behavior?

Unfortunately, recently the number of suicides has sharply increased, preventive works in this direction have become especially urgent, and this theme is raised again and again in the press and in various educational and rehabilitation institutions.

All of the above is inextricably linked with the term suicidal behavior, and, unfortunately, in the modern world everyone needs to at least in general terms understand what it is. Perhaps, this knowledge will one day help you save a life for a loved one. After all, it is most important to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

The psychology of suicidal behavior has not yet been fully understood, which seriously complicates the work with patients. Moreover, not all suicidologists agree on what can be called suicidal behavior. Some insist that this concept should include any manifestations of aggression directed at oneself, as well as self-destructive behavior: alcoholism, drug addiction, even smoking, as well as drunk driving, deliberate fights, religious fanaticism associated with self-torture and so on.

However, most scientists tend to determine suicidal behavior, as behavior directly related to the preparation for suicide. Two stages of suicidal behavior are divided: pre-suicidal and suicidal.

The first is characterized by thoughts of voluntary withdrawal from life, the construction of abstract plans, reflections on the method of suicide, but the real actions of the person at this time is not taking. The duration of this stage is fixed, and ends, as a rule, by an attempt of suicide. Fortunately, not always successful.

It is believed that suicidal behavior is most typical for adolescents, and this is partly true, because their psyche is the most mobile and subject to stress, not protected and not flexible. However, elderly people are not less at risk, when other factors are added to health problems. Very often people who are sick with incurable diseases, associated with pain or other unpleasant symptoms, choose voluntary withdrawal from life.

There are several types of suicide: true suicide, conscious and deliberate choice; Affective suicide, committed under the influence of emotional stress, often under the influence of psychotropic substances, drugs or alcohol; And demonstratively blackmailing, when the goal of suicidal behavior is not death as such, but a demonstration of intentions in order to obtain any benefits. Despite the apparent reluctance of a person to die, demonstrative suicide in 2/3 of the cases leads to a lethal outcome.

Prevention of suicidal behavior is a complex process that requires timely qualified help and joint work of psychologists and close associates. First of all, it is necessary that the person himself or his relatives, as soon as possible turned to specialists.

In order for this to become possible, it is necessary to know how suicidal behavior manifests itself. Below are some of the signs that you need to pay attention to in order to have a chance to prevent a tragedy.

The soil for the development of suicidal behavior can serve as a depression, as it seriously reduces a person's self-esteem, forces to exaggerate the significance of negative incidents in life and to doubt his own abilities.

Anxiety can also become a sign of impending danger. The fact is that contrary to the general opinion that depression manifests itself through melancholy, in about half of cases it is anxiety, insomnia, etc., that are characteristic of it. And these people are more likely to come to the desire to commit suicide, as their nervous system is overloaded.

Talking about suicide, as well as thematic sites and questions in the history of the search engine on the Internet should also alert the loved ones and may become a reason for appealing to a psychologist.