4 ms·
In "Why do people die by suicide", Dr Paul Thomlinson goes over the research on predicting suicide.[1] First, he talks about a well supported model called Join
by pmoriarty 5y ago
In "Why do people die by suicide", Dr Paul Thomlinson goes over the research on predicting suicide.[1]
First, he talks about a well supported model called Joiner's Model, based on research which shows that people who are most likely to commit suicide have all three of these factors:
- Thwarted belongingness ("I am alone")
- Perceived burdensomeness ("I am a burden")
- Ability to commit suicide ("I am not afraid to die")
Perceived burdensomeness has two components: Liability ("My death is worth more than my life to others") and self-hate ("I hate myself")
Thwarted belongingness also has two components: Loneliness ("I feel disconnected from others") and absence of reciprocal care ("I have no one to turn to and I don't support others")
And finally, capability to commit suicide is predicted by: Lowered fear of death, elevated physical pain tolerance, family history of suicide, clustering/exposure to suicidality, combat exposure, suicide attempts, childhood maltreatment
And another model with the acronym "IS PATH WARM" shows that people who are most likely to commit suicide are likely to have, feel or be:
- I = Ideation
- S = Substance Use
- P = Purposelessness
- A = Anxiety
- T = Trapped
- H = Hopelessness
- W = Withdrawal
- A = Anger
- R = Recklessness
- M = Mood Change
[1] - at about 25 minutes in to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arywx88jMXw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arywx88jMXw
- agumonkey 5y agointeresting categorization, very much so, I find there's a duality in the lonely/self-hate group. So many people who feel like that are utterly normal, they just can't connect other realities than their own judgement.
- autoexec 5y agoJoiner's Model seems to exclude people who are candidates for assisted suicide. They often don't feel alone, don't feel like a burden, but are terminally ill, in constant pain, feel they've lived long enough, seeing significant mental/physical decline etc. You can shoehorn them into "IS PATH WARM" under hopelessness, trapped, or anger I guess.
- LorenPechtel 5y agoYeah, it's looking at mental illness suicide. The terminally ill ones are more like the people who jump from a burning building--life has legitimately become more painful than death. That's not something a psychiatrist can change.
- paulcole 5y agoI always wonder about a 3rd group. Those without mental illness or terminal illness who just want to die. Or is the assumption that someone who wants to die but isn’t terminally ill must be mentally ill?
- acover 5y agoThat is the assumption. I don't agree with it - dying seems like a pretty rational choice for some people.
- Dylan16807 5y agoLike who? Of the people who can feel normal emotions like happiness without some great interference, and have reasonably functional bodies, (and aren't like a prisoner of war) what does a candidate for rationally wanting to die look like?
- paulcole 5y agoHonestly, me. I run ultra-marathons, I have a decent job, I have Type 1 diabetes (not terminal obviously), I’m about 40 years old. If given a guaranteed to work and painless option of suicide, I’d plan to not work for a few years, drain my savings, and call it good. Sure there are things I like and find happiness in. But what’s the point? I’ve had about enough.
- Dylan16807 5y agoYou don't think you could figure out a guaranteed painless suicide method if you had years of prep time?
- dannyphantom 5y agoIt's always interesting to find clinical observations for something you struggle with; you somewhat have to remove yourself from your own mind when learning why your brain is manifesting these types of thoughts and feelings. "IS PATH WARM" really personifies the feelings.