suicide

Australia's #1 for Law
Join 150,000 Australians every month. Ask a question, respond to a question and better understand the law today!
FREE - Join Now
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders—including depression, bipolar disorder, autism, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, physical disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome, and substance abuse—including alcoholism and the use of and withdrawal from benzodiazepines—are risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress (such as from financial or academic difficulties), relationship problems (such as breakups or deaths of close ones), or harassment/bullying. Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a higher risk for future attempts. Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide—such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance misuse; careful media reporting about suicide; and improving economic conditions. Even though crisis hotlines are common, they have not been well studied.The most commonly used method of suicide varies between countries, and is partly related to the availability of effective means. Common methods of suicide include hanging, pesticide poisoning, and firearms. Suicides resulted in 828,000 global deaths in 2015, an increase from 712,000 deaths in 1990. This makes suicide the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.Approximately 1.5% of people die by suicide. In a given year this is roughly 12 per 100,000 people. Rates of completed suicides are generally higher among men than among women, ranging from 1.5 times as much in the developing world to 3.5 times in the developed world. Suicide is generally most common among those over the age of 70; however, in certain countries, those aged between 15 and 30 are at the highest risk. Europe had the highest rates of suicide by region in 2015. There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year. Non-fatal suicide attempts may lead to injury and long-term disabilities. In the Western world, attempts are more common among young people and among females.Views on suicide have been influenced by broad existential themes such as religion, honor, and the meaning of life. The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide as an offense towards God, due to the belief in the sanctity of life. During the samurai era in Japan, a form of suicide known as seppuku (harakiri) was respected as a means of making up for failure or as a form of protest. Sati, a practice outlawed by the British Raj, expected the Indian widow to kill herself on her husband's funeral fire, either willingly or under pressure from her family and society. Suicide and attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries. It remains a criminal offense in some countries. In the 20th and 21st centuries, suicide has been used on rare occasions as a form of protest, and kamikaze and suicide bombings have been used as a military or terrorist tactic. Suicide is often seen as a major catastrophe for families, relatives and other nearby supporters, and is viewed negatively almost everywhere around the world.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. F

    NSW Police - The Legal Meaning of "Blackmail"?

    Hi, I was asked in 2016, to come & live with an elderly lady (I'll call her Ruth - not her real name). Whilst there, I started to help out that lady's daughter & her husband out on the farm (Maree & John - not their real names.) I had recently lost my wife of 33 years & Maree was helping me...
  2. M

    QLD Breach of 5-Year DVO and Proceedings in Family Court - Help?

    My daughter has been separated from her ex de facto for approx 6 months. She separated after approx 3 years together because the relationship was extremely toxic & abusive. They have a 2.5-year-old child. (She became pregnant within a week of being with him) She also has a 5-year-old whom has...
  3. M

    QLD Issues with Final Consent Orders - What to Do?

    Hi, I’m hoping for help on my current situation. My solicitor lodged consent orders in court on the 19th of March which are still not finalised. My ex-husband has now gone to a mediation company to change these orders to increase his time. I have been advised by this company that they have...
  4. J

    QLD Family Court - What to Expect in Ex Parte Hearing?

    Hey guys and girls. I have submitted my Initiating application containing interim and final orders, affidavit, notice of child abuse and a letter to the registrar. I have applied to the Family Court of Australia as my case is more complex than usual. My affidavit / annexes are quite...
  5. Complex16

    QLD Final Orders Sought - Thoughts and Suggestions?

    Hi all, I am looking for some fresh eyes/perspectives and guidance please on final orders to seek in my matter. Happy to answer questions if you need further info, but will provide a summary to kick things off :-D Current consent orders are that I have sole parental responsibility on an...
  6. F

    NSW Half Sisters Welfare

    I'm looking on advice on how to get custody of my 14y/o half sister. In July 2017 my 19 y/o sister and I went to court to have our step father charged for multiple accounts on the sexual assualt we experienced when living with him and our mother as children. During this court case our mother...
  7. J

    ACT Drink Driving - Can Charges be Dropped?

    12 months ago, in a suicide attempt, I crashed my car (unregistered at the time). I was later picked up by the police and breath tested and blew 0.2 bac. I was taken to the police station and breath tested again and they took my drivers licence on the spot (90 day suspension). Officers were not...
  8. Red Belly

    VIC Help with Syndicated Gang Stalking?

    I'm now 62.7 years, been homeless for 22 years, and after as long looking for answers as to "why?", I'm still suffering from the shock of what I uncovered about myself and what's going on behind my back. An illegitimate issue of a wealthy banker, who has his secret cult's plan for me, which I...
  9. B

    ACT Building Owner Giving Misleading Statements After Investigation?

    In an instance where there has been a car fire, for example, due to a suicide attempt and the owner of a building is claiming that after a police investigation by the federal police, it has been found it to be a suicide attempt by someone who is mentally ill, and for them to then publicly say on...
  10. C

    QLD Ex attempted suicide should i keep the kids?

    My ex took out a DVO on me (which wasnt even properly served to me by the police) after i broke that DVO via texting her in anger over not seeing my kids she had me locked up in the police watch house. While i was in the watchhouse i got charged by the police for an alleged r**e offense which...