Every year, we confront the heartbreaking reality of lives lost to suicide- a crisis that persists despite growing awareness and understanding. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), someone dies by suicide for every 40 seconds. Although we can recognize the signs and patterns of this self-destructive behavior, prevention remains a significant challenge. This raises serious questions about our understanding of both human nature and culture. Ancient thinkers like Pythagoras, who lived from 570 BC to 495 BC, opposed suicide. He believed that there was only finite number of souls for use in the world and that the sudden and unexpected departure of one would upset a delicate balance. This highlights the long standing and serious nature of the issue.
Efforts to prevent suicide have evolved over time. In 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) teamed up with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to launch World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. This day aims to raise awareness and guide, our approach to suicide prevention, with the 2024 theme being “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. To make a real difference, society must shift from a culture of silence and misunderstanding to one of openness, understanding, and support. By changing how we discuss and address this complex issue, we can work towards creating a more supportive environment that helps prevent suicide in the future.
Understanding the Root Causes of Suicide: Beyond Mental Illness
In this modern world, the most conventional way of talking about suicide is through the lens of mental illness. While clinical depression does increase suicide rates, many sociologists including Emile Durkheim, argue that this medical model is incomplete. They believe that societal factors also play a significant role in influencing suicidal behavior. Studies show that about 50% of men who killed themselves had no history or evidence of mental illness, suggesting that this medical model fails to recognize suicide’s social causes.
Throughout history, many notable figures, from Cato to Hitler, have taken their own lives in response to sudden profound crises, such as military defeat. The ‘frustration-aggression’ hypothesis posits that suicide is the consequences of anger turned inwards, and murder of anger turned outwards. This theory has roots in Freud’s ‘Theory of Melancholia’. Interpersonal conflict, too, plays a central but often underappreciated role in suicide.
In Sri Lanka, for instance, factors such as economic crisis, rising unemployment, increasing cost of living, relationship breakdowns, and educational pressures are well documented causes. Despite these known factors, there may be additional, less obvious variables, contributing to suicide. Identifying these lurking variables is crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of suicide and it will help developing more socially and culturally appropriate prevention and treatment strategies.
The Werther Effect: Media Influence on Suicide Trends
Fictionalized depictions of self- harm and suicide have long been a staple in the arts, across various cultures and traditions. A notable example is “The Sorrows of Young Werther, a German novel that tells the story of Werther’s tragic romantic infatuation, which ends in suicide. This novel gave rise to the well documented phenomenon known as the “Werther Effect”.
The Werther Effect refers to the influence that media portrayals of suicide can have on real life suicide rates. Media can include literature, television, social media and other forms. When suicide is depicted in a glorifying or justified manner, individuals who identify with or are in similar situations as the portrayed victim, may develop suicidal thoughts themselves.
The earliest documented instances of this phenomenon occurred in Europe, where a series of copycat suicides followed the publication of ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. This effect has since been observed in various media contexts. For example, in Britain, a newspaper article that justified a suicide led to a notable increase in suicide rates in the region after its publication. This illustrates the significant impact that media portrayals can have on suicidal behavior.
The Papageno Effect: How Mozart’s Opera Inspires Hope
Conversely, when media avoids justifying suicides and instead highlights stories of overcoming suicidal thoughts and finding hope, it can help prevent suicides and reduce their rates. This positive influence is known as the Papageno Effect.
The Papageno Effect is named after a character from Mozart’s opera “Die Zauberflote “(The Magic Flute). In the opera, Papageno, facing the loss of his loved one, considers suicide. However, a group of characters intervenes, encouraging him and singing a hopeful song that helps him overcome his despair. Similarly, when media share stories of hope and successful prevention of suicide in compelling way, it can inspire viewers and individuals in similar situations. By emphasizing hope and strong social connections, media can play a crucial role prevent suicide. There is limited research on the Papageno Effect, because media often fails to follow these positive practices. To address this, the WHO has published guidelines titled “A Resource for Media Professionals” to promote best practices in reporting suicide.
Insights from Papageno and Werther
Comparing Papageno and Werther, both characters face similar situations and causes for their despair, But Papageno finds hope through support, while Werther succumbs to isolation. This contrast underscores how meaningful social connections can prevent suicide. Just as Papageno finds hope through support; strong, social networks provide crucial support and resilience for those with suicidal thoughts, creating a supportive environment and reducing risk.
Modern society, however, often lacks strong roots and traditions, with the decline of elder matriarchs and patriarchs, and a preoccupation with unnecessary consumerism and technology leading isolation. The overuse of phones and social media can further erode these crucial and meaningful connections.
Magical Words: How Simple Acts Can Combat Loneliness
Simple acts of kindness- “Take care”, “Safe Journey”, “I love you”, A hug, A smile – can have a powerful impact on someone’s inner conflict and provide hope. As fellow human beings, it is important to practice showing affection and support in meaningful ways. Even a small gesture can make a difference for someone struggling with suicidal thoughts. Mental illness is not always the sole cause of suicide. Feelings of thwarted belongingness and profound loneliness can also have a deep impact.
As seen in Papageno’s story, building strong relationships, showing affection, and truly understanding others’ feeling are crucial in reducing suicide rates. By creating a supportive environment and connecting with people personally, we can reduce feelings of loneliness and offer hope to those who need it.
Breaking the Silence: Regaining Control
We must shift our focus from viewing suicide solely as a mental illness to understanding it as a sign of deep internal suffering. Instead of branding suicide as a permanent and unforgiving situation, we must recognize that suicidal thoughts often arise from temporary, situation-specific-distress. People do not seek to end their lives because they want to die, but because they wish to escape their suffering. Suicide was understood as a rational response to unbearable circumstances by people who had little or no access to alternatives.
Therefore, if we offer support and understanding, through our actions and behaviors, we may help individuals find a way to alleviate their pain and improve their situation. A widespread stigma surrounding suicide discourages open discussion and prevents individuals from seeking help. Talking about suicide openly reduces this stigma, encourages individuals to share their experiences, reconsider their feelings, and seek support. By fostering open conversations about suicide, we can create a more understanding and supportive environment, ultimately helping to prevent suicide and offer hope to those in need.
So, starting today, let’s commit to normalizing conversations about emotional struggles and showing kindness and affection to everyone. By promoting open dialogue and providing support, we can make a meaningful difference and help prevent individuals from reaching a point of despair.
Written by : Sujan Sothilingam
References :
1.Paul, S. (2022, June 14). Most male suicides in U.S. show no link to mental health issues, study reveals. UCLA.
https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/most-male-suicides-show-no-mental-health-link
2.Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use (MSD). (2023, September 12). Preventing suicide: a resource for media professionals, update 2023.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240076846
3.Schwarm, B., & Cantoni, L. (2014, May 2). The Magic Flute | Mozart’s opera, libretto & characters. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Magic-Flute
4.Nickerson, C. (2023, September 28). Frustration-Aggression hypothesis. Simply Psychology.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/frustration-aggression-hypothesis.html
5.Hamzelou, J. (2009, September 30). Copycat suicides fueled by media reports. New Scientist.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17889-copycat-suicides-fuelled-by-media-reports/
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