Goel, D., Dennis, B., & McKenzie, S. K. (2023).
Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 36(5), 352–359.
Abstract
Purpose of review
Suicide is a complex phenomenon wherein multiple parameters intersect: psychological, medical, moral, religious, social, economic and political. Over the decades, however, it has been increasingly and almost exclusively come to be viewed through a biomedical prism. Colonized thus by health and more specifically mental health professionals, alternative and complimentary approaches have been excluded from the discourse. The review questions many basic premises, which have been taken as given in this context, particularly the ‘90 percent statistic’ derived from methodologically flawed psychological autopsy studies.
Recent findings
An alternative perspective posits that suicide is a societal problem which has been expropriated by health professionals, with little to show for the efficacy of public health interventions such as national suicide prevention plans, which continue to be ritually rolled out despite a consistent record of repeated failures. This view is supported by macro-level data from studies across national borders.
Summary
The current framing of suicide as a public health and mental health problem, amenable to biomedical interventions has stifled seminal discourse on the subject. We need to jettison this tunnel vision and move on to a more inclusive approach.
Here are some thoughts.
This article challenges the prevailing view of suicide as primarily a mental health issue, arguing instead that it's a complex societal problem. The authors criticize the methodological flaws in psychological autopsy studies, which underpin the widely cited "90 percent statistic" linking suicide to mental illness. They contend that focusing solely on biomedical interventions and risk assessment has been ineffective and that a more inclusive approach, considering socioeconomic factors and alternative perspectives like critical suicidology, is necessary. The paper supports its argument with data from various countries, highlighting the disconnect between suicide rates and access to mental healthcare. Ultimately, the authors call for a shift in perspective to address the societal roots of suicide.
