Suicide Bias

Suicide bias

There are many prejudices about suicide in public opinion that are misleading and false. These myths make the already stressful situation difficult for those affected and their relatives. In the following, a few selected examples are given, in which the prejudices are refuted.

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Prejudice 1

Wrong: Anyone who talks about suicide does not commit suicide.

Correct: Most suicides are announced - directly (eg “I will kill myself”) or indirectly (eg “I don't want any more”). Every statement about suicide is a sign of an emergency and should therefore always be taken seriously and the person concerned should be addressed.

Prejudice 2

Wrong: responding to suicidal thoughts is dangerous.

Correct: Do you really get a person to take their own life when you raise suicidal thoughts? This fear is unfounded. Nobody takes their own life because they have been asked about thoughts of suicide. On the contrary: people usually react with relief when they can talk to someone about these feelings and thoughts without being judged. Ask if you have the impression that someone is trying to take their own life!

Prejudice 3

Wrong: If you really want to take your own life, you can't stop.

Correct: Suicidal people go through a phase of ambivalence (conflict) and are therefore usually torn between life and death. In this phase in particular, those affected are more accessible for help. If the decision is made to commit suicide, it is more difficult to prevent the person concerned from doing what they are trying to do. In this phase, only indirect announcements are made. Nevertheless, it is still possible to prevent suicide or attempted suicide by addressing suicidal thoughts and mobilizing offers of help.

Prejudice 4

Wrong: Anyone who thinks of suicide is not "normal".

Correct: Most people find themselves in a crisis at some point in their life in which they think it is better not to live anymore. Often you get into a situation that is unmanageable and seems hopeless. Thinking of suicide in such situations can be common. If these thoughts persist for a long time, or if a suicide is planned, professional help is important.

Prejudice 5

Wrong: Anyone who survives a suicide attempt will certainly never do it again.

Correct: After a suicide attempt there is an increased risk of becoming suicidal again. It is therefore important to continue to ask about thoughts or feelings in difficult life situations even after an attempted suicide.

Prejudice 6

Wrong: Most suicides occur around Christmas or gray November.

Correct: Most suicides in Austria usually occur in spring, while the number is rather low at Christmas / New Year.

Prejudice 7

Wrong: Suicides occur mainly in the city, not in the country.

Correct: There are large regional differences in the number of suicides within a country, with the suicide rate usually higher in rural areas than in large cities. The reason for this could be the higher density of psychosocial care in cities.

Prejudice 8

Wrong: If you have thoughts of suicide, you will think about them all your life.

Right: Thoughts of suicide often arise in crisis situations. If the crisis is overcome or how to deal with the new life situation is learned, the thoughts of suicide usually also disappear.

Prejudice 9

Wrong: A suicide attempt is just blackmail.

Correct: Suicide announcements and attempts are an expression of the distress of those affected and their need to communicate them. Professional help can relieve both the person concerned and the people in his / her immediate environment. Support through professional help is also possible for relatives.

Tip On the website http://bittelebe.at/#videotipps you can watch an interesting video on suicide prejudices under “Common prejudices”.