The Mind of a Suicide. Why Young People Decide to Die

For centuries, the loved ones of those who committed suicide were punished, stripped of their property, and exiled from the community. Their emotional pain caused by loss was downplayed by acquaintances, friends, and the church. Today, society is gradually beginning to understand that family members of people who have committed suicide should be treated with the same kindness as those who have lost loved ones in accidents or murders. In this book, leading American suicidologist Edwin Shneidman conducts an "autopsy" of the mind of Arthur, a young 33-year-old man who took his own life. Shneidman interviews Arthur's parents, brother, sister, best friend, ex-wife, girlfriend, psychotherapist, and psychiatrist to understand what might have pushed this talented and successful man to suicide. Although interviews in psychological autopsies are usually conducted according to a protocol, Shneidman deviated from the strict list of questions and spoke with Arthur's loved ones in an open format. He asked what Arthur was like, how his relationships with others developed, what could have been done to prevent his death, and so on. To analyze the reasons that led Arthur to take his own life and to understand what measures could have saved him, Shneidman turned to the top suicide experts in the country and asked them to analyze the interviews as well as the suicide note that Arthur had been writing for several days. Each of the eight experts expressed their opinions, which are presented in this book.