Suicide

Analysis and Comment (17)

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Evidence from the Netherlands shows that common fears about legalising voluntary euthanasia aren’t warranted. Image from shutterstock.com

Right time to die: why rational suicide should be legalised

By Janna Thompson, La Trobe University

Australians are living longer. But not everyone wants to live as long as they can. People sometimes have good reasons for wanting to end their lives: they may be suffering from a terminal illness; they…
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Barriers can reduce the number of suicides at a particular location but broader means restriction measures are more complex. AAP/Dan Peled

Reducing access to the means of suicide

By Samara McPhedran, Griffith University and Kairi Kolves, Griffith University

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s recent announcement that barriers are to be erected on the Story Bridge in an effort to reduce suicides is very welcome. Studies consistently show that barriers have…
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Gender and sexual minorities are known to be at high risk of suicide. Guillaume Paumier

Preventing suicide among gender and sexual minorities

By Delaney Skerrett, Griffith University

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and intersex (LGBTI) people were recognised as being specific high-risk groups for suicide in a 2010 senate committee report. While every suicide may not be preventable…
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Governments, industry and communities must work together to address suicide risk factors for FIFO/DIDO workers. AAP/Bagus Indahono

Mining, fly-in, fly-out workers and the risk of suicide

By Samara McPhedran, Griffith University

Barely a week passes without media coverage of some aspect of the real or perceived impacts of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) work, especially in the mining sector. We hear about the…
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Artworks by Mic Eales from the Inspired Lives exhibition at The Dax Centre. ‘End of statistics’ in the foreground. Mic Eales

The art of healing suicide: re-creating original narratives to embrace life

By Mic Eales

My doctoral studies in visual arts entails working with people who are not necessarily visual artists, but see the value in artistically expressing their story to expand our understanding of suicide…
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1783: Maria Anna Mayrin murders a three-year-old girl, turns herself in and is sentenced to death. Stadt- und Staatsbibliothek Augsburg, Graphic, Verbrecher etc.

A hell of an incentive for murder: a rationalist’s guide to suicide

By Mike Pottenger, University of Melbourne

The Holy Roman Empire, 1704: Agnes Catherina Schickin slits the throat of a seven-year-old boy. 1746: Johanna Martauschin smashes the skull of a small child. 1753: Sophia Charlotte Krügerin cuts the…
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Around 40% of farmers who died by suicide had accessed some type of professional mental health service. AAP

Farmer suicide isn’t just a mental health issue

By Samara McPhedran, Griffith University

They toiled and they fought through the shame of it – Through wilderness, flood, and drought… …The miseries suffered, unvoiced, unknown – And that’s how the land was won. Henry Lawson’s characterisations…
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Certain types of media reporting may trigger further suicidal behaviours among vulnerable people. garryknight

The facts about safe reporting of suicide

By Kairi Kolves, Griffith University

The issue of media reporting of suicide was once again thrust into the spotlight this week, with mental health researcher, clinician and former Australian of the year Pat McGorry renewing his calls for…
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Better efforts are needed to address avoidable risk factors for suicide, such as alcohol and drug abuse. yaruman

Reducing Indigenous suicide through empowerment and pride

By Diego De Leo, Griffith University

We’ve long known that rates of suicide in Indigenous communities are higher than the wider Australian population. But we’re much less clear about why this is the case. Each life lost to suicide reminds…
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We need to learn from lessons of the past when it comes to veterans' mental health. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Vietnam and Iraq: lessons to be learned about mental health and war

By David Dunt, University of Melbourne

Physical injury and death in war is expected. But we also now know the stories of large numbers of veterans suffering major psychological trauma. These involve Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety…
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On the ninth anniversary of the US-led Iraqi invasion, suicide attacks were used against civilians in Iraq. EPA/Mohammed Jalil

Good and bad deaths: why we react to suicide bombers the way we do

By Riaz Hassan, Flinders University

Suicide attacks and car bombings across Iraq this week have killed at least 43 people and left 255 wounded. We are sadly now very familiar with the phenomenon of the suicide bomber, but the particular…
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The father of Nael Abu Hlayel, who blew himself up in Israel in 2002, holds up pictures of his son. AAP

9/11: Why suicide bombers blow themselves up

By Riaz Hassan, Flinders University

Ten years ago, nineteen young Muslims commandeered passenger jets and killed themselves, taking with them 2973 people to the inferno of fire. Since the 9/11 attacks, suicide bombings have become a staple…
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Some see the ageing population as a burden on the health system. xavi talleda/flickr

Forget me not: preventing suicide among the elderly

By Brian Draper

With public attention firmly focused on the increase in the suicide rate among people under the age of 35 in the last 20 years, few people are aware that those aged 75 years and over, particularly males…

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