Language, Suicide, And Stigma (Part 3 of 3)

Why do people die of suicide? Join Jana and Donna Schuurman for a discussion about this complex question.

Two prominent theories mentioned by Donna:

Edwin Shneidman

“Suicide is caused by psychache. Psychache refers to the hurt, anguish, soreness, aching, psychological pain in the psyche, the mind. Suicide occurs when the psychache is deemed by that person to be unbearable.”

Reference: Suicide as Psychache: A clinical approach to self-destructive behavior, (1995), p.51.

Thomas Joiner

1. Perceived Burdensomeness

2. Thwarted Belongingness

3. Acquired capacity/decreased fear of pain of death

Reference: Why People Die by Suicide (2007).