I t is important to distinguish between the risk factors, which increase the chances of suicide, and the motivational factors, which are the actual cause of the persons suicidal actions. Psychological, environmental and social factors are commonly associated with suicide. Often a combination of these three serves to increase the risk factor of the individual and statistics show more than 90 % of people who die have these risk factors. There is far more information on risk factors than motivational causes, and many of the suicide prevention websites, information boards and helplines, although mentioning that these are not actual causes, have no information on possible motivations. Could this actually be misleading and causing health professionals and prevention centres to focus on risk factors rather than the motivation behind the suicide attempt? If a schizophrenic, whose family have a history of suicide, attempts to take his own life, is the motivation for it simply classified
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The Importance of Psychological Factors in Suicide Motivation
by
rob hutchinson
website
www. ispectrummagazine. com
I t is important to distinguish between the risk factors, which increase the chances of suicide, and the motivational factors, which are the actual cause of the persons suicidal actions. Psychological, environmental and social factors are commonly associated with suicide. Often a combination of these three serves to increase the risk factor of the individual and statistics show more than 90 % of people who die have these risk factors. There is far more information on risk factors than motivational causes, and many of the suicide prevention websites, information boards and helplines, although mentioning that these are not actual causes, have no information on possible motivations. Could this actually be misleading and causing health professionals and prevention centres to focus on risk factors rather than the motivation behind the suicide attempt? If a schizophrenic, whose family have a history of suicide, attempts to take his own life, is the motivation for it simply classified
16