Psychology Facts

▼ Suicide ▼

⚠️⚠️⚠️TRIGGER WARNING⚠️⚠️⚠️

If any of you are suicidal just know that you're so fooking tough. I'm so proud you're still here.

For immediate help, 24/7:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line by texting
TALK to 741741.

》Suicide is the act of killing yourself, most often as a result of depression or other mental illness.

》Suicidal behavior is complex and not a response to one problem that a person is experiencing. Some risk factors vary with age, gender, or ethnic group and may occur in combination or change over time. (The most common/key factor leading to suicide is unbearable mental pain)

》The left lateral orbitofrontal cortex of the brain, which is associated with decision-making, lit up when healthy subjects chose the bad decks (of cards in a study). But in suicide attempters, the region was markedly less active. This and past behavioral studies seem to suggest that decision-making is impaired in numerous psychiatric disorders.

》Depressed patients with low levels of 5-HIAA, the primary metabolite of serotonin, attempted suicide significantly more often than depressed individuals with higher levels of 5-HIAA.

》there are observable differences at the cellular — and even molecular — level in the brains of those who commit suicide. Their levels of microRNA — molecules that help regulate gene expression — for example, are much lower than in those who die of natural deaths, researcher Dwivedi observed.

》In October researchers in Canada found that the depressed who commit suicide have an abnormal distribution of receptors for the chemical GABA, one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain.

》If modern research / Research methods continue to advance it may soon be a possibility to identify young people who are at a higher risk for committing suicide.

》A new test created, the Implicit Association Test, or IAT test asks patients to quickly classify words related to life or death — such as "thriving" or "suicide" — as being like them or like other people.

"For suicidal people, they're faster responding when 'death' and 'me' are paired on the same side of the screen. People who are non-suicidal are faster responding when 'death' and 'not me' are paired on the same side of the screen," Nock (the test creator) explains.

》When you looking at the brain of a person who died by suicide, researchers noted there is less serotonin going to a part of the brain that is involved with decision making or with controlling impulsivity.
This may be why some people view suicide as a way to quickly escape their pain

》The drug ketamine, which doctors have long used as anesthesia in people and animals, is currently being researched as a medication to combat severe depression

》Statistically, suicide occurs most frequently among people ages 45 to 54.

》Women are more likely than men to attempt suicide; men are more likely than women to complete the act. (Sadly it's due to women choosing less violent means as to not cause burden to others)

》Celebs who have battled suicide / attempts

Pete Davidson

Vanilla Ice

Owen Wilson

Drew Barrymore

Johnny Cash

Elton John

Paris Jackson