What leads people to suicide? How is suicide represented in media?
Suicide (Latin suicidium, from sui caedere, "to kill oneself") is the act of a human being intentionally causing his or her own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair, or attributed to some underlying mental disorder which includes depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug abuse. Pressures or misfortunes such as financial difficulties or troubles with interpersonal relationships may play a significant role.
Todays, many people suicide. But why? There are many reasons to suicide. In movie Brothers, the main character Sam tried to suicide becuase of painful expriences in war and mental illness about his wife and brother tommy's relationship. But he depended his life.
Here is some suicide causes ;
Suicide Causes
Over 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death.
And the most common mental illness is depression.
Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.
Untreated mental illness (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others) is the cause for the vast majority of suicides.
Also, some people are genetically predisposed to depression, and thus they may not appear to be undergoing any negative life experiences, yet still become depressed, and may die by suicide.
So, some people die by suicide because of a depression that was caused by genetics. You probably have heard about some indivuduals who died by suicide and did not exhibit any symptoms or appear to have any serious problems. In these cases, it is possible that the person had depression that occured because of this genetic factor.
It is very rare that someone dies by suicide because of one cause. Thus, there are usually several causes, and not just one, for suicide.
Many people die by suicide because depression is triggered by several negative life experiences, and the person does not receive treatment – or does not receive effective treatment – for the depression. (Some people need to go through several treatments until they find one that works for them.)
Some of the negative life experiences that may cause depression, and some other causes for depression, include:
The death of a loved one.
A divorce, separation, or breakup of a relationship.
Losing custody of children, or feeling that a child custody decision is not fair.
A serious loss, such as a loss of a job, house, or money.
A serious illness.
A terminal illness.
A serious accident.
Chronic physical pain.
Intense emotional pain.
Loss of hope.
Being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc).
A loved one being victimized (child murder, child molestation, kidnapping, murder, rape, assault, etc.).
Physical abuse.
Verbal abuse.
Sexual abuse.
Unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past.
Feeling "trapped" in a situation perceived as negative.
Feeling that things will never "get better."
Feeling helpless.
Serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration.
Feeling "taken advantage of."
Inability to deal with a perceived "humiliating" situation.
Inability to deal with a perceived "failure."
Alcohol abuse.
Drug abuse.
A feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society.
A horrible disappointment.
Feeling like one has not lived up to his or her high expectations or those of another.
Bullying. (Adults, as well as children, can be bullied.)
Low self-esteem.
Again, the above causes may trigger depression, and untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.
Know what the symptoms of depression are – you should review the information on the depression and suicide page of this website – and if you or someone you know is depressed, get help immediately.
And remember that any untreated mental illness, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others, may cause suicide.
If you or someone you know is suicidal, please read the information on the home page of this website and take immediate action.
by Kevin Caruso (google)
Here is a documentary and news about suicide.
in another news ;
Police in Anderson, Indiana have confirmed that Teen Mom star Amber Portwood attempted to commit suicide Tuesday morning.
"Late this morning (11:34 a.m.), Anderson Police responded to a call at a residence in the 1300 block of Pleasant Meadow Drive," a police statement (obtained via Radar Online) reads. "According to the caller, Portwood was depressed and threatening to end her life. The victim, who did not appear to be injured, was transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation."
A rep for MTV tells Us Weekly in a statement, "Our understanding is that Amber has been admitted to a local hospital, but we have not been able to confirm the accuracy of any reports being circulated and are waiting for further details. Our thoughts are with her and we hope to hear more soon."
And how is suicide represented in media?
Media can affects to people in various angle. And media can represent suicide in many ways. For examples, TV, Documentary, Movies, News, Magazines, and so on. Sometimes, media represents suicide very lightly. It will causes many problems. If media represents suicde lightly, people will think their life lightly. If media represents suicide to people, media will have to represent suicide very carefully and seriously.
Here is a research ; media and suicide.
Almost 100 international studies have been conducted looking at the link between media portrayals of suicide and suicidal behaviour. There is strong support for the relationship between media reporting and
increases in completed and attempted suicide rates. These increases cannot be explained by suicides that may have occurred anyway, as they are not followed by commensurate decreases in rates.1
A major 1995 study of coverage in Australian newspapers found that rates of male suicide increased following reports of suicide, with actual male suicides peaking on the third day after the story first appeared.
The way in which suicide is reported appears to be particularly significant. There is also evidence that the way suicide is reported can reduce suicide rates. Reporting that positions suicide as a tragic waste
and an avoidable loss, and focuses on the devastating impact of the act on others, has been linked to reduced rates of suicide.
For example, a 1997 Australian study of reporting of Kurt Cobain’s suicide in a range of media found that rates of suicide among 15 - 24 year olds fell during the month following reporting of Cobain’s death. Significantly, media coverage of Cobain’s death was highly critical of his decision to suicide.
Newspapers
Higher rates of suicide have been reported during periods when suicide stories are run in newspapers. As noted above, in Australia, male suicide rates have been found to increase following reporting of suicide.
Higher rates of suicide have sometimes been recorded after celebrity suicides receive front page coverage. A 1984 US study and Austrian studies in 2001 and 2004 found a significant increase in the suicide rate or rates of suicide attempts in months in which articles were published on celebrity suicides.
Higher rates of suicide by a particular method such as burning or poisoning, have been found to follow the appearance of newspaper stories on a suicide by these methods.
The number of subway suicides and suicide attempts in Vienna dropped after the introduction of media guidelines led to less frequent reporting of suicides in these locations.
Film and television
Some studies have found that rates of suicide increase following television news reporting of suicide. For example, a 1982 American study found that the national suicide rate increased for a period of 10 days following a news story on suicide.
Increases in the number of teenage suicides have also been recorded following news stories on suicide in international studies. Coverage of suicide of elderly people has also been linked to higher levels of suicide by older people.
Several studies have found that the number of attempted suicides increased following the broadcast of a television movie or episode of a popular soap opera depicting suicide.
Studies have also found a relationship between the method of suicide portrayed in a fictional film or television program, and increased rates of suicide using this method.
On the other hand, appropriate portrayal may have a beneficial effect, according to a study which showed rates of suicide and suicide attempts by young people fell following the broadcast of telemovies showing the impact of suicide.
In conclusion, many painful things lead people to suicide. Many people are affected in media. Media has to represent suicide more carefully and represent it is not a solution. Many people died because of stabbing to death. It's really serious problems. The most important thing is Life. People have to overcome their painful not suicide. I believe that always, there are ways and solution in any situation.
