Concept of suicide

imagination of self-destruction1.0 Concept of self-annihilation1.1 BackgroundSir Thomas Br causeed originates the word self-annihilation in 1642 in his Religio Medici. It was derived from SUI (of iodinself) and CAEDES (murder).since then, this word has caused much controversy and evoked legion(predicate) professionals to unvarying research and debate upon its definition in various ways from both aspects medical, social, psychological, administrative, legal, spiritual and religious purposes. self-annihilation is no longer uncommon in the society and every day, thither argon people from many walks of flavour living nether the same roof without us knowing what problems they atomic number 18 plagued with. Back centuries, felo-de-se was a taboo subject to be discussed and yet, many atomic number 18 engaged in such behavior although it is believed that most self-destruction events atomic number 18 unreported. To some, dangerous kneadions ar glorified especi bothy to cu lts and religion purposes. As time progresses, the geniality of the society changes along with time and the stigma of self-destruction is slowly undergoing much debate and understanding. Now, felo-de-se is regarded to a greater extent of a calamity instead of ritual because disassociate of the reason is that the society undergoes globalization and no longer practices scarification. Even if there is a minority of tribes who block removeorses scarification, the groups ar minimum throughout the globe. Also, self-destruction in this era more(prenominal) often is do due to private reasons be it morality, spiritual etc.In 1763, the send-off try was through scientifically by Merian to understand the rationale hind end self-annihilation. It is believed that self-annihilation was non perceived as a sin or a crime. Instead, self-destruction has been regarded as a disease of mankind. After the goal of Jean Jacques Rousseau in 1822, which had sequentially and graphically des cribed circumstances of his shoemakers last, Farlet manages to trine a first in-depth examination on self-destruction. This enables better understanding on self-destruction with broader perspective. A far-famed psychiatrist, Dr R. Gaupp, says that amongst people accuseting suicide they possess erratic and bizarre character traits. For the past 50 historic period, it is concluded by serial publication of researches that suicide begins from the state of judging, coupled with external factors, resulting in suicide. Herein, we entrust fashion in depths of suicide amongst Malaysian train students.1.2 DefinitionA suicide idea is when one thought of ending ones own heart. One liaison leads to a nonher(prenominal), suicide ideas often leads to self-destructive campaign and dangerous behaviour. Suicidal behaviours argon thoughts or tendencies that started off a person and put them at jeopardy for committing suicide. Simply said, suicide is an intentional or voluntary determin ation to end ones life history, as defined by the World Health brass (WHO). A suicidal person often scrawnyd ones options in life, and flavours at an other darker side of negativity. To them, dying is a pre-requisite for the end of all sufferings. A famous sociologist, Emile Durkheim whom not just now proposes the theory of functionalism but alike studied on Suicide, states that the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positivist or prohibit act of the dupe himself, which he knows go forth produce this result (1982, p. 110 excerpt from Suicide).1.3 DescriptionSuicide is not an uncommon issue these days and it is widely discussed in institutions although it is slake condemned by the society. Much near discussing facts and truths behind this dark sentiment of life, there are common myths about suicide which we privation to eradicate in order to comprehend the problem better we are able to checkout this issue. When we listen ed to people whom talks about suicide, we assumed that these people would not do it since they are open to discussion. To include, people who are open to discussion should not be overlooked because they might also consider the options of suicide since the minds of a person is incomprehensible. In addition, the society views the troubled ones as people whom cannot be saved and are un testamenting to seek assist. Since they intend to commit suicide, zip can stop him. These misconstrued assumptions are proven wrong because they are woolly-headed and sometimes hope for anguish and understanding. Indeed, these are man-to-mans whom should not be segregated. some other notion that should be avoided is that people believed that suicide indicates lose of faith in religion. This is incorrect because there are certain religions which encourage suicide in the name of faith.Thoughts and attempts of suicide as surface as committing suicide are major associates throughout the world and i t is still a growing concern amongst the society. Very much obvious, most suicidal case involves adolescents and young teens. The teenage years are one of the most difficult stages in life, as identified by psychologists. Although teenagers are thought to enjoy life without worries of pecuniary stability and mid-life crisis, suicide seems way an inconsiderable option to them since they ought to have no problems at this phase of life besides studying. But many changes in the mind which takes place during puberty can change their identity and their unsafe self if they whitethorn have to complete with a broad cathode-ray oscilloscope of personal and social obstacles. Since young people are so fragile, they may experience difficulty in dealing with stress.Children prior to puberty had scarce been bothered by suicidal behavior, probably due to their inability to suppose or execute a suicide plan. When puberty hits adolescence, findy psychiatrical factors, such as slack and me dicate hatred become impending and be given a part in contributing to the causes of frequency in suicidal behaviour. Some children especially girls, view the transition from primary to sum inform stressful. In addition, as one gets older parental watch decreases, so teenagers are more managely to engage in membrane-forming behavior without their parents consents.Suicide is divided into several commonly used chime to identify its symptoms and causes. Here are the descriptions provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding suicidal terms that needed to be taken into bill-Suicide a planned act of killing oneself intentionally. The act can be performed by the person with or without the full knowledge or lookout of any fatal outcome.Suicidal attempt A medical interference is required in this case, by and byward the person whom intended to end his or her life committed a life-threatening act with a witting intent.Suicidal gesture A series of self-threatening beha viour on display, which may be detrimental or non- detrimental.Suicidal idea The power of mind to thought or set up the process to end ones own life.Suicidal take chances The tendency of ending ones life depends on this characteristic, depending on its presence or absence.Suicidal pact Two or more people in agreement to die synchronicly by committing the act of suicide.Suicidal cluster race who gather in groups to commit suicide together, usually for a common objective.Suicidal counters To pr horizontalt suicide, this set of factors ope positions at heart the individual, family or society.1.4 Facts and FiguresWith many reasons believed to be the causes for suicide, facts and figures of statistics below are generally shown to set off suicide from methods of ending life in different ethnic groups (inference is pinched from analysis of data from suicidal cases from the University Malaya aesculapian Centre mortuary ) to why it is committed It is estimated that 450 billion peopl e suffered from mental of behavioral put out.Every year, close to 1 million people committed suicide and 1 in 4 families have at least a member with mental disorder.There are 25 million schizophrenic patients and 50 million who suffer from epilepsy, which About 40 million or 80% are assumed to live in developing countriesmost of them lived for 33% of the years with disability are due to neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, alcohol-use disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder).From 2000-2004, University Malaya Medical Centre found suicides of 164 male (65%) and 87 female (35%) victims with their ages ranging from 15 to 80 years.The age group with the highest total of cases between 21 to 30 (83 of 251 33.1%)The highest rate of suicide was among Chinese (ethnic groups) with a total of 120 cases (120 of 251 47.8%) by use the common method jumping from height (41%).Whereas, Indians commonly commit suicide by hanging themselves (49 of 87) and poisoning (20 of 37 54.1%) and Musli ms had shown the lowest cases of suicide (18 of 251 7.2%).1.5 Types of suicideCollective tendencies have an existence of their own they are forces as genuinely as cosmic forces, though of another sort they, likewise, affect the individual from without (Thompson, 1982, p. 109 excerpt from Suicide)To separate true suicides from accidental deaths, Durkheim proposed this definition of suicide the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a prescribed or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result (1982, p. 110 excerpt from Suicide). Then, Durkheim proposes four types of suicide1) Egoistic suicideMinimal social integration allows outcasts and segregation of individuals who are not considered sound to be bounded to specific social groups. These individuals are left with humble social support or counseling. Thus, tendency to commit suicide increases. For example, students especially girls in take aimings wanted to belong in groups or so-called cliques. Most of the times, the ones whom are shunned off are the ones to be laughed at and criticized.2) Altruistic suicideThe opposite of egoistic suicide. This type of suicide results from too much of integration. self-devotion is the prominent trait and members of the group were so integrated that they lost their identicalness and ever so willing to sacrifice for the groups interest. For example, black metal groups in nurture do underground sacrificial methods at times in their act of worshipping.3) Anomic suicide (of moral regulating)When means were unable to take on ineluctably, an imbalance of means and needs arise.i. Acute economical anomie traditionalistic institutions such as religion and government failed to practise moral restraints on a capitalist society. Hence, the ruling of private individuals to determine ones fate in life. This type of suicide does not apply in Malaysia because it is a parliamentary country where everyone h as the equal rights to flourish in their own ability.ii. Chronic economic anomieSocial regulation gradually diminishes after a innovation or urbanization. As a result, traditional social rules deteriorated. Wealth and airplane propeller was not enough to make individuals happy, as was demonstrated by higher(prenominal) suicide rates among the wealthy than the poor. For instance, richer students gain easier access to drugs because of their high payment making it affordable for them. Later on, usage of drug essences will lead to suicide (will be discussed later(prenominal) in this topic). This also explains why students in urban drills are more prone to suicide instead of outlandish area students.iii. Acute domestic anomieThe inability of an individual to set to sudden changes in life results in this suicide. For instance, a student who could not cope the loss of his or her family members might consider suicide as an option to end the suffering.iv. Chronic domestic anomieThe w ay wedding is seen in different regulations and needs for each sexual urge. Bachelors tended to commit suicide at higher rates than married men because of a lack of regulation and established goals and expectations. On the other hand, bachelorettes are dismount endangerment to commit suicide because without marriage, they are not confined to boundaries set by the household. This is not an issue for students in Malaysian schools unless if young girls are married off during schooling. Such cases are rare in Malaysia unless in rural areas like in Sabah or Sarawak.4) Fatalistic suicideThis type of suicide did not receive much attention because it is a rare phenomenon of the real world. People who are over regulated and receive unrewarding lives like the slaves or childless married women might consider suicide. Their future is relies on others to determine. Cases do happened like prostitution or human trafficking, but this type of suicide does not relate much to the field of knowled ge.1.6 Warning signsRarely, suicide spurs a moment of intense decision, says Dr Suarn Singh, Head of Psychiatry, Ministry of Health Malaysia. more often, there are many clues to look out for to identify school students at risk of mental and social distraint and signs leading to the actual attempt, such asA change in behavior- speech or actions such as constantly saying that I cant go on or I want to end it all.Attitudes or appearance takes a toll on health and individual becomes recluse and not care of how they look usually by not grooming.Behaving recklessly by not fetching safety measures, e.g. crossing the road without looking.Giving away prized possessions and valuable items. one-on-one may be accompanied with unpredicatable mood swings like crying, self-mutilation and impulsiveness.Identify the distress and dramatic change that affects the students performance in school (e.g. attendance and behavior) deficiency of interest in school, overall decline in performance, miscondu ct in class, unexplainable absence or truancy.Abuse of substance, smoking or drug (including cannabis).Violent behaviour which sometimes involves the police.1.7 Risk Factors and Risk SituationsWhen accessing suicide patterns amongst students, all parties including school provides, families and friends should be aware of the victims behaviour. Repetitive self mutilation should also be taken into bring up because distraught teenagers tend to repeat their acts. Particular suicide behaviour under circumstances is interdependent with the environment and genetic factors. confused states or neighbouring countries that features factors of heathenish, political and economic differences may play a usage in risking the younkers decisions of suicide. On the other hand, risk government agencys are hurtful or injurious events which are experienced by the victims. These occurrences may wound the victims personal dignity and self-image. Example, a suicidal student may encounter with mate pr essure in school, bullying, disappointment and failure in academic or high expectations from parents during examination.Suicide has become an intense debate, yet, it still remains as an ambiguous subject to fully grasp. A normal person will never understand to what extent these youth will do dependable to end their lives. Researches were through and found that major risk factors are cerebrate to young people who are plagued with these causes that might have been the reasons leading them to suicide. The major risk factors to include areCultural and sociodemographic factorsFamily pattern and negative life events during childhoodCognitive style and personalityAnxiety disorders marrow squash abusealimentation disordersPsychotic disordersCurrent negative life events as triggers of suicidal behaviorCultural and sociodemographic factorsDifferent countries are linked to different cultures and demographic structures. In the third world countries, low socioeconomic status, lack of education system and unemployment are risk factors for suicide. Although Malaysia is a developed country and cannot be compared to third world neighbours, suicide still happens rampantly in urban areas, which is developed and suicide rates are expected to be lower instead of a drastic statistics to show. When urbanization enforces competitions, psychological impact of twist may lead to self-conflict between oneself and the society. One is expected to perform to the standards of societys universal demands. Likewise, in Malaysian schools, students are very academic inclined. This is a goodly risk factor for students to be depressed and may resort to self-destruction. Also, students and adolescents whom lack of self-identity and cultural roots may opt for this choice of suicide under stressful environment. That said, Each individual young persons growth is intertwined with collective cultural tradition, as stated by World Health Organization (WHO). Since Malaysia is a multiracial country, th ere are more than one race that plays a greater attribution of gender nonconformity and identity issues. Imagine an Indian girl being placed at a Chinese school with the majority of Chinese, she is hardly accepted into the culture of the majority. When a student begins to solicitude a serious acceptance problem, they will lack of support in order to experience an optimum growth during that phase of life.Family pattern and negative life events during childhoodPersonal loss and conflict, associated with parents or romantic attachments are one of the commonest reasons for suicide amongst students. corporal or sexual abuse, family feud play a part in suicide contemplation as well. Usually, suicidal youth will leave a note or tracks that they are about to suicide. Like the diary, short notes of apologies, so on and so forth. More often, suicidal students want to escape the pressure from demands of the environment or from psychological aspects that the truth is a painful unbearable fact to handle. Broken families and traumatic experiences e.g. rape, mental torture, etc. leave a scar for life in the child especially when the child is unable to manage with the aftermaths of trauma. There are evidences that suggest suicidal students often come from destructive families with more than one factor risks. The effects are cumulative and these problems are usually not known because suicides are more likely to refrain from seeking help from others. Here are a few negative aspects to take note of a dysfunctional family that often characterizes cases of suicidal studentsFamily with the history of suicide.Alcohol and substance abuse member in the family.Abusive family (physically, mentally or sexually). decouple and separation of familyVery high or very low demands of standards from the parents. lack of attention and care from family members.Cognitive style and personalityIt is arguable between the relationship of a certain suicidal trait and an array of cognitive style and pe rsonality that risk suicides amongst young people. It is generally equivocal and ambivalent because suicidal patterns vary amongst different individuals. The chase traits are find oneselfd in a suicidal youth, particularly students during adolescenceInstability in mood.Aggressive and needs anger management.Anti-socialHigh impulsivenessInability to grasp realities and rigid mentality, often in their own world of illusion.Great relishing of worthlessness and despair.Anxiety and inferiority.provocative behaviour towards others including family and classmates.Ambivalent relationships with the society (family, friends, people).Suicidal behaviour is overrated amongst school children and adolescents with the following psychiatric disordersAnxiety disorders and DepressionIt is known from studies that have proven the association between anxiety disorder and suicide. Whilst traits of anxiety appear to be free of depression, its effect always leads to psychosomatic symptoms if not treated . Unlike depression, anxiety disorder is prominent to detect and victim will always shows signs of worries and unhappiness with themselves. password about depression should be taken seriously. Depression is often beyond recognition. Students may seem fairly disappointed or angry at minor disturbances and may never considered suicide. But if the symptoms of depression last for more than a week or so without improvement, help is needed. The signs of depression spy amongst students or youth includeUtter degree of sadnessslow withdrawal from everything.Student becomes recluse and isolated.schooling performance dropped with no sheer reasons.Loss of interest in activities that student used to enjoy.Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness deficiency of motivation.Differences in sleeping habits and fatigue.Change in appetite and eating patterns.Self-neglect and self-hatred.Physical complaints, sad thoughts or death.Anger management needed for reckless carriage and temper.Su bstance abuse.Restlessness and agitation with one self or others. civilize students with depression symptoms oftentimes present anti social behavior and both are precursor to suicide. It is noticed that depressed female student will be more silent and withdrawn from others, whereas on their male counterpart, students of that gender becomes aggressive and disrupted and seek a great deal of attention. prior(prenominal) to that, students can kill themselves too without having to be depressed and they can also be in a state of depression without killing themselves.Substance abuseStudents who abused alcohol and drugs are often linked to suicide. Teenagers are oftentimes found to have committed the act of suicide after consuming the substances. Sometimes, students used these substances to ease their stress and depression. In another case, youth whom have never thought of suicide may have done so after taken alcohol because alcohol suppresses rationale thinking. Simply, their actions are based on an impulsive act which leads them to ending their lives even so they might never have look atd suicide when they are sober.Eating disordersEating disorders happen mostly to the female genders whom are dissatisfied with their own bodies. In the eye of the society, thin slender girls are objects of desire. The media often portrays catwalk models, who are cheeseparing and scrawny. In schools, fat students are always being sneered and jeered as well as being outcast. Anorexic and bulimic girls are nonimmune towards depression and suicide risk for anorexics are as much as 20 times more than youth in general.Psychotic disordersAlbeit, we hardly hear of Malaysian students suffering from severe psychiatric disorders like the schizophrenia or manic-depressive disorder, those affected are still in jeopardy with suicide risks. But most psychotic youths started off with other risk factors, such as excessive smoking and substance abuse.Current negative life events as triggers of suici dal behaviorAs aforementioned due to genetical genetic factors, destructive families and negative aspects in life, students of this age find themselves susceptible towards suicide because when current negative life events happen in concurrent with their condition they find it difficult to cope furthermore. This susceptibility makes it difficult to cope with negative life events adequately, and that said, stressful life events precede suicide. They reminds of the student of signified of hopelessness and despair.2.0 How instills can Prevent SuicideUsually, suicidal students hardly attempt suicides within the school compound. But when the outbreak of a students suicide takes place, even off schools territory, the intelligence service will shock others, causing extreme stimulated distress amongst students, staff, and parents whilst school activities will come to halt for weeks in front it is resumed. Hence, schools play an important role for preventing suicides. Many young student s whom are affected by mood disorders or substance abuse later on contemplate suicide. Whilst the other emotional setbacks linked to suicide includes conduct disorders, aggression, split personality disorder, and intense feeling degree of hopelessness (Berman, Jobes, and Silverman, 2006).Here, the schools responsibility and roles to play are summarized by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) (Poland and Lieberman, 2003)2.1 Detection/ AwarenessSchool administration and staff personnel should take note of students behaviour for signs of suicide. interaction on a regular basis is encouraged amongst the school and students. School counselor must play his or her responsibility in part baffling students before any occurrence of suicide.2.2 Parent notificationWhen sentience is created, any changes in attitudes or suspicious acts arise the school should modify the parents or guardian of students. Face to face discussion is recommended to come about ways of preventing the student from suicide, which includes close supervision or referral to professionals. Also, a establish of victims parent and victim should be kept confidential.2.3 Support for students at risk of suicideThe school, psychologists and counselors, should monitor and support suicidal students. Counseling and follow-up work shall be recommended.2.4 School-Based Suicide Prevention ProgramsSchools should train teachers and staffs to help recognize students at risk of suicide. This can be done through training and inhibit mechanisms necessary. These mechanisms include a series of architectural plans specially designed to counteract suicidal risks. Schools must heed these vital locomote to control suicide among their students School-based suicide prevention computer programme and school-based mental health servicesHealth screening, mental health survey and educational activities are carried out at school level to help students recognize and seek help when needed. Programs like heal th promotion program and risk prevention can be legal if made comprehensive to students. Suicide prevention gate keeping programPeople who have regular interaction and contact with students in school are teachers. They need to know how to recognize students behavioural patterns and warning signs. Also, teachers need to be actively involved in dialogue to explore the risk of suicide amongst students and to ensure that the victim must receive proper guidance and treatment when it is necessary. Records must be kept up to date and problematic students must be scrutinized. School crisis preparation and response planThis prepares the school in the case of emergency, from natural disaster to violence within the school. The school crisis preparation plan should include procedures of preventing self-destructive students as well as students in the midst of contemplation. Also, guidance must be taken into account as a reference for teachers and staffs to respond such cases when such calamity arises. PostventionSuch term is used to measure preventions to be implemented after a tragedy takes place. The purpose of this program is to lessen the risk of those witnesses to be affected directly after the incident. Suicide or unexpected death of another student can result in a traumatized individual. This program includes grief counseling for students and school party. Postvention helps to identify other students whom may be at risk after a trauma, and to support students. Sometimes, school full treatment with the media to ensure such coverage of news does not lead to excess risks of suicide.3.0Suggestions A guide for Teachers and School StaffsIt takes time for a student to attempt suicide. Rarely, suicide occurs out of sudden with no warning. Most cases, teachers and members of the society who observe the victim on a daily basis is able to remove a behaviour of norm and suicidal. The following are three (3) steps of prevention before, during and after a suicide3.1 General p revention before any suicidal incidentEarly recognition helps save lives. Experts advised that it is not a wise approach to teach about suicide explicitly. Rather, they recommend tackling this problem by replacing issues of suicide with a positive mental health approach.a) Mental health of schoolteachers and other school staffTeachers are the role model in any causes. A positive teacher is able to change the outlook of a persons perspective in a brighter light. Hence, strengthening the mental health of a teacher only can he or she guides the students into the correct path in life.b) Students self-assertionPositive self- reckon is vital to protect students against suicide. One with topnotch of esteem will cope better with stress even how difficult ones situation may be. To nurture positivity amongst the students, a few rules should not be taken lightly. Firstly, students must never been pressured constantly to fare better than other students. They must always look on the brighter si de of life experiences in order to forge a positive identity. Every student should be cherished as who they are and be accepted for what they are. In addition, the school should work on introducing life skills by having experts giving talks and later on assimilate a positive workshop as part of the curriculum.Most importantly, the programme is able to send out messages of knowledge to peers on how to be supportive and seek help if necessary. Plus, the school should revise and refresh the education system to enhance the development of every student holistically.c) activated expressionStudents should learn on how to express their emotions appropriates and to take charge of how they feel seriously. When things gone awry, they should confide in parents, teachers, adults, doctor, friends or even religious advisors.d) hector and violence at schoolIssues on bullying have been a serious matter for ages since bullying make suicide seemed more sweet to students to escape from humiliation and personal dignity. Because the victim could not determine what others had done to him/her, the victim had only his own life to control. Thus, specific skills should be taught in schools to prevent bullying and violence. This way, only the school can provide a sanctuary for safety and intolerance of the negative aspects.e) Information about care servicesIn Malaysia, Befrienders are not unfamiliar to the society these days. Students should be aware about the availability of these services and by making it fond to the young people, so that they can utilize the help lines in the case of crisis and psychiatric emergency. To include, there are over 240 Health Centres nationwide in Malaysia that have psychiatric units and also counseling unit for help. The latest news up to date, Prof Hu