Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Suicide is among the top ten leading causes of death. Over 30,000 Americans take their own lives each year: about 85 per day. Further, there are an estimated 250,000–600,000 suicide attempts each year. There are at least 5 million living Americans who have attempted suicide in the past. While Americans fear being murdered more than dying by their own hand, the suicide rate is currently double the murder rate. The dominant mode of analysis of suicide has stressed Durkheim's (1966) concept of social integration – bonds between the individual and society. Subordination of the individual to society is thought to provide meaning and prevent selfishness or “egoism.” Groups lacking in ties to society, such as widowers, the divorced, atheists, the unemployed, and non-church members, are at higher than average risk of suicide. According to Durkheim, the greater the number of religious beliefs and practices shared with co-religionists, the lower the suicide rate of a group. Historically, Catholics were more integrated (e.g., meatless Fridays, confession, weekly church attendance) than Protestants, and had lower suicide rates. In modern times, Islam is a religion with a high level of integration (e.g., prayer is expected multiple times a day). Research finds that the higher the proportion of Muslims in a nation, the lower the nation's suicide rate. Marriage and parenting are seen as providing ... log in or subscribe to read full text