Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case
Introduction Suicide results from a complex interaction between biological, genetic, psychological, sociological, cultural and environmental factors. The frequency of suicide among psychiatric pathologies is quite variable, with depression accounting for 45% to 70% of suicides. The association of s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822014018/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617132420202496 |
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| author | C. Freitas M. Felizardo |
| author_facet | C. Freitas M. Felizardo |
| author_sort | C. Freitas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Suicide results from a complex interaction between biological, genetic, psychological, sociological, cultural and environmental factors. The frequency of suicide among psychiatric pathologies is quite variable, with depression accounting for 45% to 70% of suicides. The association of suicide with the existence of mental illness is not consensual, with reports of rational suicides in 2% to 9% of suicide cases. It is unquestionable that the awareness of the lived experience limits the person’s condition to what it is.
Objectives
To describe a clinical case on the subject and discuss the influence of cultural context in suicide.
Methods
The authors describe a case of a patient hospitalized in Psychiatry, after a suicide attempt and a consummated suicide by his wife.
Results
The patient and his wife lived their entire lives as hermits. Although no acute psychopathology was found in the patient to justify the act, such as psychotic or depressive symptoms, dysfunctional personality traits were found, which translated into an attitude of superiority, requirement of subservience, hostility when contradicted and breaches of basic rules.
Conclusions
Taking into account what has been described, the authors discuss the influence of personality on the patient’s life choices and on the decision that led to the suicide attempt, as well as the suicide of his wife. A reflection is made on whether suicide can be completely independent of mental illness or whether, even in cases where rationality seems to be the causal factor, personality dysfunctionality and a profound influence of the cultural context, are present or not.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:51:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-53a495f5f13943b18d1b41e01611b149 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:51:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-53a495f5f13943b18d1b41e01611b1492023-11-17T05:06:42ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S547S54710.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.1401Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical caseC. Freitas0M. Felizardo1Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Psiquiatria, Vila Real, PortugalCentro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Psiquiatria, Vila Real, Portugal Introduction Suicide results from a complex interaction between biological, genetic, psychological, sociological, cultural and environmental factors. The frequency of suicide among psychiatric pathologies is quite variable, with depression accounting for 45% to 70% of suicides. The association of suicide with the existence of mental illness is not consensual, with reports of rational suicides in 2% to 9% of suicide cases. It is unquestionable that the awareness of the lived experience limits the person’s condition to what it is. Objectives To describe a clinical case on the subject and discuss the influence of cultural context in suicide. Methods The authors describe a case of a patient hospitalized in Psychiatry, after a suicide attempt and a consummated suicide by his wife. Results The patient and his wife lived their entire lives as hermits. Although no acute psychopathology was found in the patient to justify the act, such as psychotic or depressive symptoms, dysfunctional personality traits were found, which translated into an attitude of superiority, requirement of subservience, hostility when contradicted and breaches of basic rules. Conclusions Taking into account what has been described, the authors discuss the influence of personality on the patient’s life choices and on the decision that led to the suicide attempt, as well as the suicide of his wife. A reflection is made on whether suicide can be completely independent of mental illness or whether, even in cases where rationality seems to be the causal factor, personality dysfunctionality and a profound influence of the cultural context, are present or not. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822014018/type/journal_articleRational suicideCulturalSuicidemental illness |
| spellingShingle | C. Freitas M. Felizardo Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case European Psychiatry Rational suicide Cultural Suicide mental illness |
| title | Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case |
| title_full | Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case |
| title_fullStr | Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case |
| title_short | Rationality and suicide, cultural context and mental illness – tenuous limits: about a clinical case |
| title_sort | rationality and suicide cultural context and mental illness tenuous limits about a clinical case |
| topic | Rational suicide Cultural Suicide mental illness |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822014018/type/journal_article |
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