IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review, 2013, 1(1), 29-34
Easy access to means: the immediate availability of a method is an
important determinant of suicide. Exposure to suicide: Exposed to suicide in real life or through the media may influence to engage in suicidal behavior. Previous suicide attempt: It is the best indicator that a patients at increased risk of suicide. Studies show that about 40 percent of depressed patients who commit suicide have made a previous attempt and 10-14% of people who attempted suicide eventually die through suicide.
Suicide and mental disorders
Suicides attempts have been associated with a history of psychiatric disorders (Parker et al., 2008; Sarkar et al., 2006), situational context and social stresses also play a major role in suicidal behavior and these social factors may vary across cultures. Both in developing and developed countries majority of people (up to 90%) who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder. Risk of suicide is a 3 to 4 times higher in psychiatric patient than general population. Depressive disorder account for 80 percent, schizophrenia accounts for 10 percent. Dementia/delirium for 5 to 25 percent's also alcohol dependence and has dual diagnosis. Substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder in person less than three 30 years of age, mood disorders and cognitive disorders are often associated with suicide in those more than 30 years age. Suicide and physical illness: Chronic physical illness like diabetes, renal, hepatic, cardiovascular and neurovascular diseases are estimated to be important contributing factors in about half of suicides. Factors contributing suicides and suicides attempts are loss of mobility, disfigurement, chronic intractable pain, patients on homo dialysis, and increased impulsivity/aggression as in epilepsy, chronic disability as a CNS injury, and stigma and poor prognosis of illness itself like HIV/AIDS.
31
Protective factors against suicidal behavior
There are protective factors should be identified and strengthened to give protection against suicide. Cultural and socio-demographic factors: social integration, e.g., through participation in sport, religious, associations, recreational activities, good relationship with schoolmates or work colleagues, good interaction with relatives , teacher or superiors are said to be protective's factors. Family patterns: Good relationships with family members and receiving support from the family have been identified as protective factors. Cognitive style and personality: Confidence in oneself and confidence in one's own situation and achievements, good social skills, seeking advice when important choices must be made, openness to others people's experiences and solutions, and openness to new knowledge are factors providing protection against suicidal behaviors. Environmental factors: Regular physical workout, adequate test and avoidance of substance abuse are protective against suicide. Psycho-social factors: Adolescents who report suicide attempts receive relatively little family support. They also report much more physical/ or sexual abuse than non attempter (Garnefski &Arends, 1998). There are also various studies on deficiencies in problem solving skills that lead to depression which can lead to suicidal behavior when adolescent face adversity in every day life (Wilson et al., 1995). The association between life events such as inter personal losses, conflicts with parents and boyfriends/girlfriends and school problems, these events has been recognized as risk factors for suicidal behaviors in many Western studies (Fergusson et al., 2000; Borowsky et al., 2001; King &Apter, 2003).
Stress vulnerability model and development of the suicidal process from suicidal ideation to suicide. 20