| "We must light the dark corners of taboo | | | | exceeding deaths by motor vehicle accidents |
| and stigma. We must silence the loud voices of | | | | annually. Many states spend huge amount of |
| ignorance"---Adina Wrobleski.In the political | | | | money on safer highways, but very little, if any, |
| environment today, it is extreamely difficult to | | | | on suicide awareness and prevention.Consider for |
| watch the evening news or read the morning | | | | a moment what would be society's reaction if 35, |
| paper without being reminded of terrorism and | | | | 000 airline passengers were killed in airplane |
| suicide bombers. Still, the social conspiracy of | | | | crashes each year in the United States. One can |
| silence on suicide is very much alive and thriving. | | | | safely assume that there would be a political and |
| No subject is more misunderstood, even today, | | | | social uprising demanding that the airline industry |
| than suicide. it remains one of the last taboos. So | | | | make safety improvements immediately. In 2004, |
| great is the taboo on suicide that some people will | | | | six students killed themselves by jumping from tall |
| not say the word, some newspapers will not | | | | buildings on the campus of New York University; |
| publish accounts of it. And, too often, scientists | | | | according to N.Y.U. spokesman two students |
| have avoided it as a subject for research. For | | | | committed suicide in the same week. If six |
| instance, I have checked EzineArticles and found | | | | students were murdered, in less then one year, |
| just one article on suicide under the listing of grief | | | | on the campus of one of American's leading |
| and loss, another indication that the taboo is at | | | | university the public would demand accountability. |
| work. As I have already hinted, the final conclusion | | | | And state officials would mount a full-frontal |
| is that people will kill themselves and that playing | | | | attack on the problem. The mass media would |
| the ostrich does not diminish this reality in the | | | | setup camp outside the university asking |
| least. "Suicide," writes the notes English | | | | questions and interviewing everyone within reach |
| poet and critic A. Alvarez, "has permeated | | | | of their cameras and microphones. However, in |
| Western culture like a dye that cannot be washed | | | | either case they were no demands for |
| out." The Savage God: A Study of | | | | accountability or social outrage for political |
| Suicide.Historical BackgroundIn Western culture | | | | interventions. In fact, if you lived outside the New |
| suicide has always been a taboo and a | | | | York City Area you may not have read or heard |
| ecclesiastical ban, many religions consider the act | | | | of these suicide. Yes, suicide is clearly a taboo |
| of taking ones own life such a sin they will not | | | | subject which society tip toe around.Lack of |
| allow an individual who committed suicide to be | | | | Ability to Cope: Not Mental IllnessAttempts at |
| buried in "hallowed" ground. For | | | | suicide, and suicidal ideations are usually a |
| example, in in the early years of Christianity St. | | | | symptom indicating that the individual is not coping |
| Augustine (AD 345-430) pronounced suicide to be | | | | very well. This inability to cope is often the result |
| a mortal sin and a century later Christian Church | | | | of some event or series of events that the |
| prohibited the saying of masses for the souls of | | | | person find overwhelmingly traumatic or |
| those who died by suicide, and they were denied | | | | distressing. In many cases, the events in question |
| burial in hallowed ground. The last recorded | | | | will pass, the impact can be mitigated, the |
| "unhallowed" burial of a suicide in Britain | | | | overwhelming nature will gradually fade if the |
| occurred as late as 1823. Families will go to great | | | | individual can make constructive decisions when |
| lengths to hide a suicide and there is tremendous | | | | the crisis is at its peak. In the vast majority of |
| shame associated with the act of suicide.Suicide | | | | cases a suicide attemptor would choose |
| has occurred consistently throughout recorded | | | | differently if they were not in great distress and |
| history in every cultural and social setting. | | | | were able to evaluate their options objectively. |
| However, the attitudes towards suicide changed | | | | Most suicidal individuals give warning signs in the |
| greatly in different times, cultures and societies. In | | | | hope that they will be rescued, because, the |
| ancient Greece and Rome suicide was mostly | | | | primary intent is to stop their emotional pain, and |
| seen as an honourable or heroic form of death. | | | | not on dying.The majority of individuals who |
| Again, the mass suicide of Jews at Masada in AD | | | | commit suicide do not have a diagnosable mental |
| 73, was perceived to have been an honourable | | | | illness. They are people like you and I who |
| act to avoid falling into the hands of the defeating | | | | sometime feels isolated, desperately unhappy and |
| Roman Army. In Japan, the Samurai ritual was | | | | alone. Suicidal thoughts and action may be the |
| codefied for different methods of suicide which | | | | result of life's stresses and losses that the |
| bring them death before dishonour. Even today in | | | | individual feels they can't cope with and just want |
| Japan there is little stigma associated with suicide, | | | | the pain to stop.In a society where there is much |
| which may account for Japan's high rates of | | | | stigma and ignorance regarding mental illness, a |
| suicide.In the Hindu faith there is a general taboo | | | | person who feels suicidal may fear that others will |
| against suicide, especially among men. The | | | | think they are crazy if they express how they |
| concept of altruistic suicide is acceptable, also | | | | feel, and may be reluctant to reach out for help in |
| there is an honourable tradition associated with | | | | a crisis. Individuals who are suffering from a |
| bereaved women committing suicide. For | | | | mental illness such as schizophrenia or clinical |
| example, widows, often, commit suicide by | | | | depression do have significantly higher suicide |
| cremating themselves to fulfill their true role as | | | | rates than average, still they are in the minority |
| wives. Another example, surviving members of | | | | of attemptors. For these individuals having their |
| Taino Indians tribe jumped of high cliffs in Puerto | | | | illness correctly diagnosed may indicate that an |
| Rico to escape capture after Christopher | | | | appropriate treatment can begin to address the |
| Columbus' men had already killed two-third of the | | | | problem.For additional information on suicide facts |
| tribe. Many Africans being transported from Africa | | | | and myths: Smith is a psychologist and personal |
| were known to take their own lives, rather than | | | | consultant with over three decades of experience |
| be enslaved in the so-called New World.Criminalized | | | | working with clients addressing varied problems of |
| the Act of SuicideUntil 1950's in Britain, people | | | | personal and confidential nature. To learn more |
| were being sent to prison for attempting suicide. | | | | about my experiences and services, visit my |
| The 1961 Suicide Act repealed the law under | | | | website at: And tell me how did you hear about |
| which both actual and attempted suicides were | | | | my services.To express my appreciation for |
| held to be a criminal acts. England and Wales were | | | | visiting my site, please present a problem of great |
| the last countries in Europe to decriminalize suicide. | | | | concerned to you, I will completely assess your |
| The criminalization of suicide is not so far-fetched | | | | problem and make recommendations FREE of |
| the word suicide itself has the implication of being | | | | CHARGE. Please state your problem precisely and |
| a criminal act, literally meaning self-murder.The | | | | completely as you can with no concern for the |
| Power of Social TabooSuicide is a significant cause | | | | length of your e-mail. |
| of death in the United States, in some cases | | | | |