Suicide is, in our
opinion, a hot topic
that deserves our
attention. It is a
matter of public
health, and every 40
seconds1,
a person kills
himself in this
world. Therefore, it
is necessary that we
direct our efforts
to contain this
behavior.
Suicide assumes
taking one's life
voluntarily2.
When we mention the
word suicide, we
imagine the direct
and conscious
attempt against
one’s life. However,
for Spiritism there
is also another
indirect way of
self-killing, when
the person uses
subterfuges to put
an end to his life
by driving on a
highway in an
irresponsible or
reckless way;
smoking; using
alcohol… The vectors
used result in a
quicker
disincarnating and
people often do not
know or pretend not
to think that they
are killing
themselves
unconsciously
(alcoholism, drug
addiction, smoking,
etc.).
Therefore, in all
analyzes, suicide
should be considered
from the direct and indirect point
of view. But we must
ask: What causes a
person to put an end
to his own life?
In order to achieve
this terrible
outcome, there are
complex problems
involved that must
be considered, be
they financial (an
abrupt change in the
socioeconomic
pattern); emotional
(loss of loved ones,
broken
relationships,
issues of sexual
orientation, social
stress, etc.);
religious (religious
fanaticism, belief
in a better world
after putting an end
to one’s life);
cultural
(materialism,
hedonism, etc.),
among others, which
deserve an accurate
analysis and an
appropriate
intervention.
Most, however, is in
the mind of
the individual. That
is why prevention is
so difficult.
Although the patient
shows signs of
disturbances /
imbalances that
deserve our
attention,
unfortunately we
often ignore them.
We think it's
nonsense!
"OMS data indicate
that suicide usually
appears associated
with mental illness
- the most common
being depression today,
accounting for 30%
of the reported
cases worldwide. It
is estimated that
one in four people
will suffer from
depression
throughout their
lives. Among the
subtypes, the
bipolar depression -
in which phases of
deep euphoria and
apathy alternate -
appears to be the
one of greater risk.
Alcoholism accounts
for 18% of suicide
cases, 14% for
schizophrenia and
13% for personality
disorders -
borderline
personality and
antisocial
personality. The
remaining cases are
related to other
psychiatric
diagnoses"1.
In the brilliant
pages of The
Gospel according to
Spiritism we
find the following
statement:
"Man does not have
the right to dispose
of his life, because
it is only up to God
to free him from his
imprisonment in this
Earth when He deems
it appropriate.
However, divine
justice can soften
its severity
according to
circumstances, but
it maintains its
entire rigor for the
one who wishes to
withdraw from the
trials of life. The
suicide is like a
prisoner, who
escapes from prison,
before the penalty
is served; when
arrested again, he
is more severely
treated. The same is
true regarding the
suicidal, who thinks
he is escaping the
miseries of the
present and is,
indeed, plunging
into greater
misfortunes".3
The metaphor used is
quite peculiar! The
suicide is like a
prisoner... In fact,
life is the most
precious thing for
which we cannot
repay the Creator.
To misuse it by
killing oneself is a
very serious,
selfish and rebel
crime against the
Creator, as well as
a lack of
consideration for
the people who
surround and care
for the patient
(relatives, friends,
etc.). Therefore,
when this crazy act
occurs, the suicide
comes out of a
problem, which he
thought was
enormous, and enters
an infinitely worse
one. He will have to
go through the same
experiences that
made him abandon
earthly life with
the aggravation of
having still greater
obstacles.
In Memoirs of a
Suicide, by
Yvonne do Amaral
Pereira, and the
Spirit of Camilo,
the distinguished
Portuguese poet, the
following passage
stands out, and it
is a pale idea about
what the brothers
who kill themselves
are going through:
"As if fantastic
mirrors obsessively
pursued our
faculties, there was
the macabre vision:
─ the body
decomposing itself
under the attack of
hungry vibrio; the
obnoxious work of
rotting following
the natural course
of organic
destruction, taking
our flesh, our
viscera, our blood
contaminated by the
fetid, and finally
our body, which
vanished forever in
the filthy banquet
of millions of
voracious worms,
which was slowly
devoured in front of
our astonished eyes!
...it was dying, it
was quite true,
while we, its
owners, our
sensitive Ego,
thinking, and
intelligent, which
had been used only
as transitory
clothing, was still
alive, sensitive,
intelligent,
disappointed and
aggrieved, defying
the possibility of
dying too! And the
dark magic that
surpassed all the
power we had to
reflect and
understand! - An
irremovable
punishment,
punishing the
renegade who dared
to insult Nature by
prematurely
destroying what only
Nature was competent
to decide and to
perform: - Alive, in
Spirit, before the
rotten body, we felt
the rottenness
reaching us!"4.
In the Spiritist and
spiritualist
literature, the
narratives of
unprecedented
sufferings of the
Spirits that
committed suicide
are fertile.
Consciousness is
disturbed; the
repeated views of
the attempt on life;
to feel with all the
richness of detail
the worms devouring
the spoils; the
pursuit of cruel and
vindictive groups,
among other
Dantesque paintings.
Prevention and
control are not
easy, but we can
point out some
paths, without any
boasting on our
part.
Let's look at them:
1 - Reframe the
approaches in the
areas of Psychology
and Psychiatry.
There is a breakdown
of the paradigmatic
model of Psychiatry
and Psychology
today. It is
necessary to
consider the
recommendations of
the Letter of Ottawa5 and
to review academic /
practical concepts
in the medical
clinic. Suicide
cannot be undermined
and statistics show
that existing
paradigms do not
address the current
problems. Thus,
making the access to
quality mental
health services
without bureaucracy
is the role of the
state and of society
as a whole.
2 - Family and
friends support. It
is imperative that
the treatment
involves all, so
that the patient
feels loved,
protected, respected
in his ontology.
And, it is necessary
to consider, that
often what leads the
patient to attempt
against his life
goes back to family
problems, problems
at work, financial
difficulties,
diseases of
difficult treatment,
etc. Therefore, the
presence of the
family is
fundamental in
therapeutics.
3 - Spirituality. It
is relevant that the
patient and all
those involved in
its support /
recovery have a link
with the
transcendent; that
they believe in
life; have faith;
and visualize
energies / good
things for their own
life. In this
particular, the
worship of the
Gospel of the home
is a powerful tool
of opening a channel
to the beyond, as it
brings balance,
peace, and health.
4 - Break with the
forbidden. The
subject of suicide
is still seen as
taboo. There are
sociocultural,
religious,
philosophical, and
political vectors
that surround it.
However, spreading
the terrible
consequences of this
stunned act is a way
to prevent its
occurrence. It
should be pointed
out that those who
consider such an
outcome may, based
on their knowledge,
seek the channels of
support necessary
for the
non-attainment of
the act.
5 - Seek help. There
are several
interesting channels
for suicide support
and prevention. This
CVV (Center of
Valorization of
Life) is, for
example, a very good
one: http://www.cvv.org.br.
6 - Environmental
control of risk
factors6. It
is essential that we
analyze the
environments and,
consequently,
eliminate the
factors that promote
suicide. (Example:
if it is a school
environment, one
must pursue the
respect for one's
neighbor and life,
ethical and moral
values and so on.
Violent practices, bullying,
and detrimental
comments and so on
should be avoided).
7 - The management
of a suicide crisis
should not be a
solitary event6.
Suicide is a social
problem.
Authorities, health
professionals
(physicians, nurses,
social workers,
psychologists),
religious, family,
community, friends
at work, everyone
should be involved
in the fight against
suicide. It is a
problem that
requires a
multi-professional
intervention.
8 – Prevention and
survivors’
protection
(“posvenção”).7 It
is necessary to end
the stigma and take
care of the
relatives, who
suffer the mourning
of the suicidal
relative. They are
called "survivors of
suicide" and need
full support. Thus,
it is fundamental to
offer them the
following
mitigation: "To
bring relief from
the effects related
to the suffering and
loss; to prevent the
appearance of
adverse reactions
and complications of
mourning; to
minimize the risk of
suicidal behavior in
suicide mourners; to
promote resistance
and coping in
survivors"7.
9 - Prayer. It
has already been
scientifically
proven that prayer
brings several
benefits to the
human organism: it
lowers stress
levels, raises the
immune system, apart
from the spiritual
benefits that we are
not yet able to
assess, but which
are very well
documented in the
Spiritist
literature. Thus,
daily prayer is a sine
qua non for
balance and inner
peace.
Finally, we would
like to address our
brothers and sisters
who are in
difficulties.
Do not be afraid! Do
not feel ashamed! No
problem is
insignificant. Each
person looks at it
in a different way.
And if you feel
powerless, unhappy,
depressed, you want
to "give up", then
get help! Look for a
friend, a relative,
a religious, a
therapist, a health
professional. Do not
keep in you! Talk
about what bothers
you and humbly ask
for help. And help
will come! It will
come! And everything
will be back in
peace!
God, our good
Father, loves all of
us! And He would not
put a heavy burden
on frail
shoulders... Fight
for your life!
References:
1 VOMERO,
Maria Fernanda. Why
does a person kill
himself? Available
in Super
Interesting Magazine: here
is the link -
Accessed on
06/08/2017.
2 Available
at http://conceito.de/suicidio -
Accessed on
06/08/2017.
3 KARDEC,
Allan. The Gospel
according to
Spiritism. Brasilia:
FEB, 2013.
4 PEREIRA.
Yvonne / Camilo. A.
Memoirs of a
Suicide. 11th
ed. Rio de Janeiro:
Brazilian Spiritist
Federation, 1955.
5 Available
at Letter
of Ottawa -
Access on
06/08/2017.
6 Available
at mental
health -
Access on
06/08/2017.
7 Available
at survivors’
protection (“posvenção”) -
Accessed on
08/08/2017.