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Background of the study Essay Suicide is a complex issue that eludes explanation. Theories, studies and researches have been made in order to answer the many questions regarding the nature of suicide and the underlying causes why so many people commit, or even attempt, suicide: confusion, disappointment, heroic glorification, sympathy, anger, moral or religious condemnation (Cholbi, 2006). What causes a person to commit or even think of suicide? What makes a person’s behavior suicidal (Cholbi, 2006)? Is it even rational to commit suicide? During the time of Plato, philosophers argue about the rationality of suicide. Socrates, in Plato’s work Phaedo, argued that suicide is always disgraceful because one attempts to release himself from a â€Å"guard-post† which the gods placed upon him. Plato stressed that although suicide is wrong, there are some exceptions that can be regarded as a justification of suicide. The Stoics, in contrast with these theories, argued that suicide is justifiable when flourishing life is no longer available to the person (Cholbi, 2006). It was the advent of institutional Christianity the brought about the notion that suicide is morally wrong. St. Augustine argued that it is disobedience of the fifth commandment â€Å"Thou shalt not kill†. Even the Renaissance philosophers and Protestants agree to this notion about suicide. However, Protestants believed that it is possible that God treats suicide permissible and that he allows repentance. This notion prevailed into the late seventeenth century. Even John Locke believes that suicide is wrong, that God provide us with the liberty to think for ourselves but that liberty does not include the liberty to destroy ourselves (Locke 1690). The Enlightenment thinkers brought about the examination of suicide through science and psychology. They held out that suicide results from facts about individuals, their psychologies, and the social settings in which they belong to. The nineteenth and early twentieth century brought about modern developments about theories on suicide. Some romanticized these theories by defining suicide as â€Å"the inevitable response of a misunderstood and anguished soul jilted by love or shunned by society† (Liebermann 2003). Some attempted to study suicide through psychiatry. Others, and perhaps the most prevalent perspective today, view suicide as a social illness reflecting isolation, anomie and other attitudinal byproducts of modernity (Cholbi, 2006). This latter development led to a wave of institutionalization of suicidal persons (Cholbi, 2006). Today, suicide is a growing national concern. Suicide is a major cause of public health problem. More and more people die each day because of suicide. In fact, it is estimated that about 1 million people worldwide die each year from suicide (Torpy, 2005). In 2004, a total of 32,439 died by suicide in the United States while an estimate of 811,000 suicide attempts are made each year. An average of 1 person every 16. 2 minutes killed themselves. Suicide ranks as the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States as compared to homicide which ranks as fifteenth only (Macintosh, 2006). These rates may be higher since some suicide deaths may not be recorded like motor vehicle accidents that may result from suicide by the driver or deaths where the cause cannot be determined if it is suicide or murder. Among the races in the United States, from 1994-1998 Native Americans have the highest suicide rate with 12. 71 per 100,000 population followed closely by whites with 12. 61 and then African Americans with 6. 4. However, in 2004, statistics show that whites have the highest suicide rata with 24. 7 followed by the Native American with 12. 9. Males have higher risk of suicide than females. From 1994-1998, suicide rates among males were four to six times higher than females. In 2004, males still have higher suicide rates with 17. 7 than females with 4. 6. However, females have higher suicide attempt rates than males. It is estimated that three females for every one male attempt suicide each year. It is reported that suicide risk tends to increase with age. Older persons aged 65 and above have higher risk of suicide since they have a higher incidence of depression and have greater use of lethal weapons. However, suicide among adolescents is a major cause of death. It is, in fact, the third leading cause of death among people between the ages of 15 and 24 (cite). Out of the 32,439 suicide cases in the US in 2004, 4,316 were aged between 15 and 24. An average of 1 young person every 2 hours and 2. 1 minutes killed himself (Macintosh, 2006). Experts say that for every teenager that dies of suicide, ten other teenagers attempt to commit suicide. In a survey done by the National Youth Prevention Resource Center, it was found that about one in five teenagers have thought of suicide, about one in six made plans to commit suicide, and more than one in twelve attempted suicide. Because of the alarming cases of suicide, suicide prevention is made a bureaucratic and medical occupation. Many studies were conducted to understand the underlying causes of suicide and suicidal behavior in order to determine appropriate solutions to prevent suicide cases and attempts. The suicide problem is complex ranging from psychological to social and even religious factors. As mentioned previously, studying suicide through psychology helps determine the relationship between suicide and the state and characteristics of the human mind and behavior. Through psychology, reasons why certain groups such as adolescents and young adults have higher suicide potential than others can be understood. Adolescence is considered as a crucial stage because it is the time a person experiences a lot of changes, where abstract thinking, law of morality, and ideology are developed (Christie Viner, 2005). During this stage, the adolescent is starting to develop acceptance ideas and reactions to situations. Because of this, they are easily influenced making them vulnerable to disappointing situations that may result to depression and consequently, suicide. According to Bennet (1994), adolescents and young adults with history of depression, a previous suicide attempt, a family history of psychiatric disorders, family disruption, and certain chronic or debilitating physical disorders or psychiatric illness are at higher risk of committing or attempting suicide. Among these factors, depression was found out to be the most common clinical syndrome of suicidal behavior (Petrie Chamberlain, 1983)and approximately 66 percent of those who attempted suicide have depressive symptoms (Rich, Sherman, Fowler, 1990). Psychological pains are commonly caused by sociological factors such as exposure to suicide or suicide attempts, relationships, and interactions among the member of the society and may increase the potential of having suicidal behaviors thus psychology and sociology are interrelated disciplines when it comes to determining the causes of suicide. Sociology encompasses several issues such as culture, media, peer, family, demographics, ethnicity, and socioeconomics that may influence the behavior and thinking of adolescents and young adults. Adolescents are part of the society and the interactions occurring into it such as friendship. Friends and peers are parts of the social network and is one of the central contexts for adolescents (Bearman Moody, 2004). Adolescents who are still at the stage of finding their identity needed strong association and belonging and that isolation from peers leads to lower estimations of self-worth and self confidence (Tani, Chavez, Deffenbacher, 2001). Media is also a strong influence on adolescents and young adults. Young people are very much exposed to popular media such as television, radio, movies, Internet, and reading materials. Since they are at the stage where they are easily influenced, they tend to copy the values and actions depicted by what they see in the media. Religious beliefs and practices influence the behavior and thinking of most people including the young adults. Religion is considered as a significant part of peoples way of living, resulting to various beliefs about issues. It is perceived that the more a person is religiously committed; he is more likely to avoid suicide since suicide is considered to be a mortal sin for most religions. Kendler et. al. (2003) found that some dimensions of religiosity are related to reduced risk of particular psychiatric disorders. Malone et. al.(2000) also suggests that religion can provide reasons for living. This allows people experiencing depressive episodes to be more optimistic about life, reducing the feeling of hopelessness and thus reducing the risk of committing suicide. Dervic et. al. (2004) supports this notion by suggesting that religious affiliation is associated with less suicidal behavior in depressed patients and that religiously affiliated subjects may function as protective factors against suicide attempts (p. 2303). Thus, religion is a major factor that can impact a person’s suicidal behavior. Researches have been made regarding the psychological, sociological and religious aspects of suicide. However, there is a lack of research connecting these three aspects. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine suicide through linking psychological, sociological and religious perspectives on suicide. First, earlier research studies relating to each discipline will be examined. Then each discipline will be compared to the other two. Studying suicide through an interdisciplinary approach will help in giving a wider perspective and understanding about the underlying causes of suicide. It will also help in determining appropriate solutions in order to prevent suicide and to help those who have already attempted suicide. Possible solutions that might be determined will not just help suicidal persons psychologically but in all aspects as well, that is, mentally, physically and spiritually. The study is limited to the data and studies made by earlier researchers about adolescent suicide. The scope of the study is broad and attempts to address important issues and developments from each discipline based on earlier researches.