Realities after suicide can be a deterrent

Résumé

I read with interest the personal perspective on suicide in the introspection titled “Purple and Turquoise Ribbons,” by Jennifer Bremer, M.D., published in the September 2014 issue of the Journal (2014). As Bremer poignantly demonstrates, well-intentioned efforts to sanitize self-destructive acts mask the terrible emotional impact that these acts have on family, friends, and even bystanders who witness or discover a suicide. She implies that the emotional aftermath of suicide might be used to discourage suicidal patients. When making a decision to act, understanding all the consequences of the action is crucial. When deciding to take one’s life, many don’t think much beyond the suicide itself. I found that exploring the realities after suicide can be a deterrent for patients who have the capacity to think rationally. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved) DEUIL ENDEUILLÉ DEUIL-SUICIDE PRISE-DÉCISION