Major Causes of Suicide - Essay Example

Causes of Suicide Suicide has been defined as the act of ending your own life by different means by a person’s own will (Berger 2010). According to the sociological standpoint, suicide has been identified as an act which is done out of personal will and wish and is considered to be an act that is not socially justified and acceptable and signifies a kind of behavior against the sociological norms (Brym et al 2006, Cutchin et al 1999). Suicide has become a subject of global concern because it is a reason of death which can be avoided and overcome with preventive measures. It is a subject that is widely focused upon owing to the fact that there has been a great rise in the number of people who resort to ending their lives. According to the World Health Organization, approximately there is a loss of one million lives across the globe annually due to suicide and in other words one precious life is lost in every 40 seconds. The problem of suicide has substantially increased over the last five decades and there has been a surge of 60 percent in the rate of suicides. It has been identified as the third major cause of death in between the ages of 15 to 44 years and has been ranked on second for the deaths between the ages of 10 to 24 years. The issue is even more serious than these statistics because this does not include the number of people whose attempts of ending their life do not become successful and it has been seen that out of 20 attempts there is one successful case of suicide. It was initially considered that suicide was a common occurrence in the elderly but statistics have proved the fact that it has become a major cause of death amongst younger age groups all across the world (World Health Organization 2011). The widespread nature of the problem has called for attention and it has made it important for the identification of the underlying reasons that drive a person to take such a measure of ending his own life by committing suicide. The word suicide first came to be known during the middle of the seventeenth century and the developed world actually presented with a rise in the number of suicides during the era of the industrial revolution. This increase called for research into the underlying causes of this problem by many sociologists. The sociologists identified two important perspectives for the reason resulting in suicide which included egoism and anomie. Egoism has been further explained as a lack of communication that develops between an individual and his immediate surroundings and environment. When a person becomes more directed towards his own individuality and does not associate more with his surroundings, he tends to develop weaker forces with his social circle. This lack of mixing and amalgamation with the social circle promotes suicide. The basic social circle that keeps a person integrated includes the family, the religions as well as the political setup of the country where a person resides. They make a person associated with his surroundings and make him participate in the social structure. The other type of suicide which is referred to as anomic suicide has different principles. It is led to when the person becomes unable to adjust to his environment and the occurrences in his life do not pave way for the fulfillment of his wishes and desires. This may include financial problems as well as issues in the marital life of a person (Cutchin et al 1999). Altruistic suicide is another kind of suicide which is explained in terms of suicide which is done for the good of a larger number of people. In altruistic suicide there are rules and norms set for a particular group which makes them commit suicide from thinking for the benefit of a large number of people. A perfect example is that of soldiers who may commit suicide to kill the enemies considering the help that their death can bring for the nation (Brym et al 2006). It is argued by psychologists that suicide is associated with psychiatric illnesses but sociologists present with findings against this perspective. Emile Durkheim who is a well known sociologist presented with important findings to uphold the sociological argument. He conducted a research and explained that it is a known fact that males have a greater suicide rate as compared to females whereas females present with greater psychiatric issues. This presented against the fact that mental disorders pose an increased risk for suicide. Another important finding was a survey that he carried out in France and it also upheld the sociological perspective. He researched upon Jews as Jews present with greater psychological disorders but they had the least tendency of committing suicide. Durkheim presented with different arguments to support his perspective and argued that suicides were related to social linking. He explained that stronger ties within the social groups made a person least susceptible to commit suicide and kept a person away from suicidal behaviors. Thus strong attachment with the environment made a person stronger. He provided strong points to support his claims. He identified loneliness and loss of social interaction as a reason for suicide and explained the fact that people who did not get married committed suicide mostly rather than people who were in a relationship and married. On the other hand, he also justified that males were at a higher risk to commit suicide. This is because females are more socially active and in active relations with members of the family and hence they do not tend to commit suicide. The increase in the rate of suicides in the ageing population has also been explained sociologically owing to the fact that the old people become lonely and are not very active members in the society and hence they commit suicide. Different researches have upheld these findings. In surveys conducted in the United States it has been seen that people who are active religiously do not have a tendency to commit suicide. Also it was highlighted that groups where marriages did not prove to be successful and resulted in separation led to higher suicide rates (Brym et al 2006). The increase in the rates of suicide has led to analysis of the causes that result in such anti social behavior. It has been argued by sociologists that factors of the society and the social environment of a person increase the susceptibility of a person to commit suicide. These include weak bonds with other members of the society as well factors which makes people segregated from their groups. Works Cited Berger, Fred, K. “Suicide and Suicidal Behavior.” The New York Times. (2010). Retrieved from: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/suicide-and-suicidal-behavior/overview.html Top of Form Brym, Robert J., & Lie, John. Sociology: Your Compass for a New World, Telecourse Guide. Wadsworth Pub Co. 2006 Print. Top of Form Cutchin, Malcolm P, and Robert R. Churchill. "Of General Interest - Scale, Context, and Causes of Suicide in the United States." Social Science Quarterly. 80.1 (1999): 97. Print. World Health Organization. “Mental Health: Suicide prevention (SUPRE)” (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/ Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More