suicide

/sooh"euh suyd'/, n., v., suicided, suiciding.

n.

1. the intentional taking of one's own life.

2. destruction of one's own interests or prospects: Buying that house was financial suicide.

3. a person who intentionally takes his or her own life.

v.i.

4. to commit suicide.

v.t.

5. to kill (oneself).

[1645-55; < NL suicidium, -cida, equiv. to L sui of oneself, gen. sing. of reflexive pron. + -cidium, -cida -CIDE]

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Act of intentionally taking one's own life.

Suicide may have psychological origins such as the difficulty of coping with depression or other mental disorders; it may be motivated by the desire to test the affection of loved ones or to punish their lack of support with the burden of guilt. It may also stem from social and cultural pressures, especially those that tend to increase isolation, such as bereavement or estrangement. Attitudes toward suicide have varied in different ages and cultures; convicted criminals in ancient Greece were permitted to take their own lives, and the Japanese custom of seppuku (also called hara-kiri), or self-disembowelment, allowed samurai to commit ritual suicide as a way of protecting honour and demonstrating loyalty. Jews committed suicide rather than submit to ancient Roman conquerors or crusading knights who intended to force their conversion. In the 20th century, members of new religious movements, notably the Peoples Temple and Heaven's Gate, committed mass suicide. Buddhist monks and nuns have also committed sacrificial suicide by self-immolation as a form of social protest. Japan's use of kamikaze suicide bombers during World War II was a precursor to the suicide bombing that emerged in the late 20th century as a form of terrorism, particularly among Islamic extremists. Suicide, however, is generally condemned by Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and attempts to commit suicide are still punishable by law in many countries. Some communities around the world have sought to legalize physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Euthanasia was legalized in The Netherlands in 2001 and Belgium in 2002, and it is openly practiced in Colombia. Since the 1950s suicide-prevention organizations have been established in many countries, with telephone hot lines serving as a source of readily available counseling.

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      the act of intentionally taking one's own life. Because this definition does not specify the outcome of such acts, it is customary to distinguish between fatal suicide and attempted, or nonfatal, suicide.

      Throughout history, suicide has been both condemned and condoned by various societies. It is generally condemned by Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and suicide attempts are punishable by law in many countries. The Brahmans of India, however, tolerate suicide; and suttee, the theoretically voluntary suicide of an Indian widow, now outlawed, was highly praised at one time. In ancient Greece, convicted criminals were permitted to take their own lives, but the Roman attitude toward suicide hardened toward the end of the empire as a result of the high incidence among slaves, who thus deprived their owners of valuable property. Jews committed suicide rather than submit to ancient Roman conquerors or Crusading knights who intended to force their conversion. Buddhist monks and nuns have committed sacrificial suicide by self-immolation as a form of social protest. The Japanese custom of seppuku (also called hara-kiri), or self-disembowelment, was long practiced as a ceremonial rite among samurai. Japan's use of kamikaze suicide bombers during World War II was a precursor to the suicide bombing that emerged in the late 20th century as a form of terrorism, particularly among Islamic extremists (see September 11 attacks). Members of new religious movements, notably the Peoples Temple (Jonestown, Guyana, 1978) and Heaven's Gate (San Diego, California, U.S., 1997), have committed mass suicide.

      Since the Middle Ages, Western society has used first canon law and later criminal law to combat suicide. Changes in the legal status of suicide, however, have had little influence on the suicide rate. Beginning after the French Revolution of 1789, criminal penalties for attempting suicide were abolished in European countries; England was the last to follow suit, in 1961. But many of these countries and numerous U.S. states also adopted laws against helping someone to commit suicide. Physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill has been legalized in the states of Oregon (1997) and Washington (2008), and euthanasia is openly practiced in such countries as Colombia and The Netherlands. This movement has renewed discussions concerning the morality of suicide and the role of physicians who treat terminally ill patients.

      The permissiveness of and the alienation experienced in modern society may be partly responsible for an increase in suicidal acts. There is now a greater readiness to understand rather than to condemn suicide, but a tendency to conceal suicidal acts still persists.

      A fatal suicide tends to cause grief and guilt for those who may feel that they could have prevented it by caring and loving more than they did. If the act is nonfatal, it can serve as an appeal for help and may give rise to efforts at reparation. Conscious or unconscious expectation of these responses is one of the factors underlying many suicidal acts.

      A number of theories have been developed to explain the causes of suicide. Psychological theories emphasize personality and emotional factors, while sociological theories, such as those posited by French sociologist Émile Durkheim (Durkheim, Émile), stress the influence of social and cultural pressures on the individual. Social factors such as widowhood, childlessness, residence in big cities, a high standard of living, mental disorders, and physical illness have been found to be positively correlated with suicide rates. The decline of suicide rates in wartime (war) has been related to the turning of aggression toward the common enemy and away from oneself. The greater closeness of human relations in wartime also tends to reduce the social isolation that is regarded as the most important cause of suicide.

      No single approach can be expected to succeed in substantially reducing the incidence of suicide, but early recognition and treatment of mental disorders (mental disorder) is an important deterrent. Special centres and organizations for the prevention of suicide can be found in many countries. Most of them are not under medical direction, though all have medical consultants. Around-the-clock telephone hot lines (telephone) provide counseling for lonely and desperate individuals in need of support. There is evidence that this kind of service may help to avert suicidal acts.

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