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Chapter 10 Suicide
Suicide
20
Psychology
Undergraduate 2
11/06/2008

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Term
Suicide
Definition
the purposeful taking of one's own life; women higher attempts (3x), men higher completion of suicide (4x)
Term
Death Seekers
Definition
clearly and explicitly seek to end their life; may intend to commit suicide for some time, even giving away possessions during this period; most often intentions are fleeting and if prevented they may become ambivalent about will to die
Term
Death initiators
Definition
individuals who intend to die but believe that they are simply speeding up an inevitable death; ex: a person with a serious illness who commits suicide
Term
Death Ignorers
Definition
individuals who intend to end their lives but do not believe this means the end of their existence; may see their death as the beginning of a new and better life; ex: mass suicides but members of religious cults and suicide bombers seeking God's reward
Term
Death Darers
Definition
individuals who are ambivalent about dying, and take actions that greatly increases their chances of death but do not guarantee they will die; may want attention or may want to make someone else feel guilty more than they want to die;
Term
Subintentional deaths
Definition
acts in which people indirectly contribute to their own death; may be unconsciously; may be lifestyle choices such as a heart patient continuing to smoke cigs
Term
Suicide Notes
Definition
only about 1 in 4 leave notes; suicide notes often reveal the obvious- driven by mental anguish and a sense of futility about going on; most notes are thanking close friends and family and praising those they leave behind, meant to relieve family members from guilt
Term
Egoistic suicide
Definition
committed by people who feel alienated from others, empty of social contacts, and alone in an unsupportive world; ex: someone with schizophrenia who is completely isolated from society
Term
Anomic Suicide
Definition
committed by people who experience severe disorientation because a major change in their relationships to society; ex: a man loses his job of 20 years and commits suicide; anomie: a complete confusion of one's role and worth in society
Term
Altruistic suicide
Definition
committed by people who believe that taking their own lives will benefit society in some way; ex: during Vietnam War, Buddhist monks set themselves on fire to protest
Term
Suicide Cluster
Definition
when two or more suicides or attempted suicides nonrandomly occur closely together in space or time, most likely occur among people who knew the person who committed suicide, or in a link to a celebrity (ex: Kurt Cobain)
Term
Suicide Contagion
Definition
phenomenon in which the suicide of a well-known person is linked to the acceptance of suicide by people who closely identify with that individual; idea you can "catch" suicidal intentions or ideas;
Term
Psychological Factors of Suicide
Definition
Psychodynamic: suicide is the extreme expression of anger at the love object that has abandoned the person.
Mental Disorders: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders all increase risk for suicide.
Impulsivity: general tendency toward impulsive acts.
Cognitive theories: hopelessness and dichotomous thinking increase the risk for suicide.
Term
Biological Theories of Suicide
Definition
Genetics: disordered genes increase the risk for suicide, suicidal tendencies run in families.
Neurotransmitters: deficiencies in serotonin lead to impulsive, violent, and suicidal behavior.
Term
Crisis Intervention
Definition
community-based programs available to help people who are highly suicidal deal in the short term with their feelings and then refer them to longer care to mental-health specialists
Term
Suicide Hot Lines
Definition
a form of crisis intervention done over the phone
Term
dialectical behavior therapy
Definition
cognitive-behavioral intervention aimed at teaching problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, and skills at managing negative emotions
Term
Drug Therapy
Definition
lithium most consistent at reducing rates(however many people have trouble with the side effects and toxicity); SSRI's reduce impulsive behavior and suicidal behavior (although may increase likelihood of suicide in some people, reasons unknown)
Term
euthanasia
Definition
mercy killing by medical professional, friend, or family member; illegal in the US but still prominent in many cases
Term
Guns and Suicide
Definition
supposedly for protection against intruders (Deaths in homes due to guns: .5% intruders, 83% suicide by family member); several studies indicate that strict anti-gun laws reduce suicide rates without w/o increasing deaths via another method
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