social theories of suicidefguhbvc-1.pptx

Psychiatry

1. SOCIAL THEORIES OF SUICIDE Presenter :Dr Ameena C Hanna Chair:Mr Tomy Mathew

2. Bertolote et al ,2004 “Experience indicates that for effective suicide prevention, the appropriate treatment of people with mental disorders is just one of the main components, Actually, biological and psychological characteristics and factors pertaining to the cultural, social and physical, although more difficult to approach I quantitative ways, should receive much more attention…..”

3. Social models Social factors were the setting and major cause of most suicide

4. In 1897 , Emile Durkheim , a French sociologist published his auspicious text –”SUICIDE” He proposed that social factors were the setting and major cause of most suicide Emphasized on social integration and moral integration

5. Against prevailing views that suicide as a matter of free willed individuals acting out of private despair,the moral statisticians reasoned that such systematic, geographic, and temporal patterns pointed to forces larger than individuals. Masaryk focused on suicide as an unintended consequence of increasing levels of education, arguing that the abandonment of traditional ways of thinking and a preference for rational reflection opened up the idea of suicide as a solution to individual problems. PRE DURKHEIMIAN APPROACHES

6. Tarde [1895] countered the theories of moral statisticians by positing that geographic and temporal clustering of suicides could also be caused by various kinds of imitative behavior , which, along with innovation , constituted the fundamental drivers of all social interaction.

7. According to Durkheim suicide refers to “every case of death directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act performed by the victim himself and which strives to produce this result “

8. Durkheim’s theory of suicide is cited as a monumental landmark in which conceptual theory and empirical research are brought together

9. On the basis of Analysis gathered by him on many societies and cultures, Durkheim identified three basic types of suicides EGOISTIC SUICIDE ALTRUISTIC SUICIDE ANOMIC SUICIDE +Fatalistic Suicide TYPES OF SUICIDE

10. ●Product of relatively weak group integration. When men become detached from society and when the bonds that previously tied then to their fellow beings become loose they are more prone to egoistic suicide According to Durkheim,egoistic suicide are committed by those who have tendency to shut themselves up within themselves. Lack of integration of individuals to social group 1. EGOISTIC SUICIDE

11. Example Durkheim found that among the Catholics suicides were comparatively less than among Protestants as Catholicism is able to integrate its members more fully into its fold while Protestants permits greater individual freedom , lacks hierarchic organization and fewer common beliefs and practices. Suicude is more in unmarried men than married, couples without child than those with child.

12. Suicide more in singles than couples

13. This kind of suicide takes place in the form of a sacrifice in which an individual ends his life by heroic means so as to promote a cause or an ideal which is very dear to him. It results from the overintegration of the individual into his group. In simple words, altruistic suicide is taking off one’s own life for the sake of a cause. It means that even high level of social solidarity induces suicide. 2.ALTRUISTIC SUICIDE

14. Examples of altruistic suicide ( i ) In some primitive societies and in modern armies such suicide takes place. (ii) Japanese sometimes illustrate this type of suicide. They call it “ Harakiri .” In this practice of Harakiri , some Japanese go to the extent of taking off their lives for the sake of the larger social unity. They consider that self of social unity.destruction would prevent the breakdown (iii) The practice of “sati” which was once in practice in North India is another example of this kind.

15. Altruistic suicide

16. ⊙The breakdown of social norms and sudden social changes that are characteristic of modern times, encourage anomie suicide. ⊙When the collective conscience weakens, men fall victim to anomie suicide. “Without the social backing to which one is accustomed, life is judged to be not worth continuing.” ⊙Anomie suicide is the type that follows catastrophic social changes. Social life all around seems to go to pieces. 2.ANOMIC SUICIDE

17. ●A sudden change has its vibrations both in social life and social relationship, which paves way for suicide ● If the change is sudden, adjustment becomes difficult and those who do not get adjusted to changes commit suicide. It is this social disruption which leads to suicide. ●According to Durkheim, not only economic disaster and industrial crisis but even sudden economic prosperity can cause disruption and dysregulation and finally suicide.

18. ●type of suicide occurring in social conditions where the individual experiences pervasive oppression. ●Durkheim has defined fatalistic suicide as resulting "from excessive regulation." ●Suicide by individuals whose passions are choked by oppressive discipline. Eg :Slavery,jail ● We would call it fatalistic suicide because the individual considers himself condemned by fate or doomed to be a slave Here . , is a fatalistic situation calling for a fatalistic suicide as a solution or escape. FATALISTIC SUICIDE

19. Durkheim has given importance only to social factors in suicide. Neglected role of other factors especially psychological. Theory based on very small sample of data concerning suicide Fails to consider the issues of reliability and validity Subjectivity in his work CRITICISMS TO DURkHEIM THEORIES

20. Douglas (1967)argues that sociological analysis should focus on meaning rather than social structure Requires an examination of individuals own construction of his actions One should examine the meaning of the participants-using diaries, suicide notes,psychiatrist’s notes and biographies He suggests a number of typical meanings suicide can have in society Suicide as Reunion -release from cares/pressures Suicide as atonement -transforming oneself for others Suicide as revenge -most increased form in 20 th century

21. Jean Beachler developed on the work of Douglas. He believed suicide can only be explained through personal factors He concluded suicide is both a response to a problem and a method to try and solve a problem Escapist-Flight from an intolerable situation Aggressive-As a way of harming others, make others feel guilty Oblative-Sacrifice Ludie-Deliberate risks are taken that might lead to death

22. Steve Taylor Criticizes both Douglas and Beachler His research was conducted over 12 months where he collected 32 cases of people throwing themselves under trains and looked how the deaths were classified. Of the 32,17 were classed as suicide,5 as accidental deaths 10 were open verdicts. Factors according to Taylor that made suicide verdicts more likely were.. A history of mental illness Social failure Social disgrace Reports by witnesses on the state of mind

23. Submissive suicide Thanatation suicide sacrifice suicide Appeal suicide Inner directed, results from what person thinks about themselves Outerdirected,results from patient’s relationship with others

24. Atkinson believed that suicide statistics are more a reflection of the coroner’s assumptions. They are socially constructed He focuses on the methods used by coroners for how they categorise deaths as suicide. He advocates the use of interviews, observations and inquests and coroners records in records in research Atkinson believes suicide verdicts are a result of a complex interaction

25. Our brief history of sociological research suggests that two different and often separate goals underlie research on suicide: concern with the development and testing of sociological theory and concern for the amelioration of social problems. The new directions for research we have outlined require that we simultaneously stand back and reassess Durkheim and the competing theories of his time and move forward along new avenues of inquiry and collaboration to embrace the complexity of suicide. Conclusion

26. REFERENCES Kaplan and Sadock’s CTP Tenth edition Durkheim E: Suicide. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. 1951 Kallivayalil R A, Suicide, Attempted Suicide & Suicide Prevention. Kerala Medical Journal. 2011 Mar 28;4(1):1-3 Wray M,Colen C, Pescosolido B,The Sociology of Suicide,Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2011.37:505–28 Niezen R. The Durkheim-Tarde debate and the social study of aboriginal youth suicide. Transcultural Psychiatry. 2015;52(1):96-114. doi: 10.1177/1363461514557560

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