PSYC 3331 - Death And Dying - Topic 4
Exam Latest Update
How many people who eventually commit suicide give some detectable hint? - ANSWER
Up to three quarters of people
How many people die by suicide every year? - ANSWER - More than 700,000 die by
suicide every year globally (WHO)
- One in every 1000 deaths is a death by suicide
Definition of suicide - ANSWER - The intentional act of killing oneself (or self-murder)
- Intentionally (purposely) causing one's own death
What is passive suicide? - ANSWER - Not making the effort to stay alive or letting oneself
be killed
Relationship between gender and suicide - ANSWER - Women attempt suicide 2-3x more
often than men
- Women tend to report higher rates of depression than men
- Men die by suicide at a rate of 3-4x that of women
Possible explanations for gender differences in death rates by suicide - ANSWER -
Women are more likely than men to seek help when in a crisis
- Women are more likely than men to see a doctor
- Women tend to use less lethal means of killing themselves compared to men
The relationship between marital status and suicide - ANSWER - Suicide rate is lower for
people who are married than for those who never married (Marriage provides social
support, emotional stability, and reduces social isolation)
- Marriage brings increased feelings of responsibility
- Individuals with children commit suicide less than childless individuals
Occupations with the highest suicide rates - ANSWER - Medical doctors: between 2-4%
of all physicians take their own lives each year (Doctors know lethal doses, have greater
access to meds)
- No gender differences in doctors who die by suicide
- Dentists
, - Police officers
Autocide - ANSWER - Use of a vehicle to commit suicide
Suicide by cop - ANSWER - A method of suicide in which a person intentionally engages
in life-threatening behaviour to induce a police officer to shoot them
What is Suttee/Sati or 'Widow burning' - ANSWER - A formerly common suicidal method
in India where a recently widowed woman burns herself to death on the funeral pyre of
her husband
What is Seppuku or 'Harikari' - ANSWER - An old Japanese ritualistic suicide by
disembowelment on a sword
- Was considered an honourable death
What are the most common suicide methods in North America? - ANSWER - Firearms,
especially handguns (most common method) (More than 90% of gun attempts result in
death)
- Drug or alcohol overdose (About 2% of overdose attempts result in death, less often
b/c will throw up/pass out and more time for help to arrive)
- Mixing over-the-counter medications with alcohol or illegal drugs
- Hanging
- Poisoning (e.g., inhaling high levels of carbon monoxide)
- Cutting and stabbing
- Jumping from high places (e.g., tall buildings or bridges)
- Drowning
What are the gender differences in methods of suicide? - ANSWER - Males more likely to
use firearms in their suicide attempts
- Females are more likely to use drugs
What causes a person to commit suicide? - ANSWER - No single underlying cause has
been discovered, rather it is a mix of multiple risk factors
What are the risk factors for suicide? - ANSWER 1. Mental health disorder
2. Personality factors
3. Cognitive factors
4. Environmental factors
5. Alcohol and drug use
Exam Latest Update
How many people who eventually commit suicide give some detectable hint? - ANSWER
Up to three quarters of people
How many people die by suicide every year? - ANSWER - More than 700,000 die by
suicide every year globally (WHO)
- One in every 1000 deaths is a death by suicide
Definition of suicide - ANSWER - The intentional act of killing oneself (or self-murder)
- Intentionally (purposely) causing one's own death
What is passive suicide? - ANSWER - Not making the effort to stay alive or letting oneself
be killed
Relationship between gender and suicide - ANSWER - Women attempt suicide 2-3x more
often than men
- Women tend to report higher rates of depression than men
- Men die by suicide at a rate of 3-4x that of women
Possible explanations for gender differences in death rates by suicide - ANSWER -
Women are more likely than men to seek help when in a crisis
- Women are more likely than men to see a doctor
- Women tend to use less lethal means of killing themselves compared to men
The relationship between marital status and suicide - ANSWER - Suicide rate is lower for
people who are married than for those who never married (Marriage provides social
support, emotional stability, and reduces social isolation)
- Marriage brings increased feelings of responsibility
- Individuals with children commit suicide less than childless individuals
Occupations with the highest suicide rates - ANSWER - Medical doctors: between 2-4%
of all physicians take their own lives each year (Doctors know lethal doses, have greater
access to meds)
- No gender differences in doctors who die by suicide
- Dentists
, - Police officers
Autocide - ANSWER - Use of a vehicle to commit suicide
Suicide by cop - ANSWER - A method of suicide in which a person intentionally engages
in life-threatening behaviour to induce a police officer to shoot them
What is Suttee/Sati or 'Widow burning' - ANSWER - A formerly common suicidal method
in India where a recently widowed woman burns herself to death on the funeral pyre of
her husband
What is Seppuku or 'Harikari' - ANSWER - An old Japanese ritualistic suicide by
disembowelment on a sword
- Was considered an honourable death
What are the most common suicide methods in North America? - ANSWER - Firearms,
especially handguns (most common method) (More than 90% of gun attempts result in
death)
- Drug or alcohol overdose (About 2% of overdose attempts result in death, less often
b/c will throw up/pass out and more time for help to arrive)
- Mixing over-the-counter medications with alcohol or illegal drugs
- Hanging
- Poisoning (e.g., inhaling high levels of carbon monoxide)
- Cutting and stabbing
- Jumping from high places (e.g., tall buildings or bridges)
- Drowning
What are the gender differences in methods of suicide? - ANSWER - Males more likely to
use firearms in their suicide attempts
- Females are more likely to use drugs
What causes a person to commit suicide? - ANSWER - No single underlying cause has
been discovered, rather it is a mix of multiple risk factors
What are the risk factors for suicide? - ANSWER 1. Mental health disorder
2. Personality factors
3. Cognitive factors
4. Environmental factors
5. Alcohol and drug use
