The Evaluation of Suicide Letters in Turkey From a Cognitive Perspective

Abstract

These negative cognitions should be taken into consideration when therapeutic interventions are planned on individuals with suicidal thoughts.

Last Words: Are There Differences in Psychosocial and Clinical Antecedents Among Suicide Decedents Who Leave E‐Notes, Paper Notes, or No Note?

“…Conversely, most decedents who used suffocation as the mechanism for their death left an E-note. This is supported by other studies that hypothesized that the more opportunistic forms of suicide are less likely to result in leaving behind a suicide note (Heim & Lester, 1990;Ho et al, 1998;Kuwabara et al, 2006) as they required less planning.…”

“…Studies that included in their analyses psychiatric histories and psychiatric hospitalizations reported contradictory findings. Several international studies reported that suicide decedents who had known mental health issues such as mental disorder, history of self-harm, or recent or prior psychiatric hospitalization were less likely to leave behind a note (Carpenter et al, 2016;Chia, Chia, & Tai, 2008;Demirel, Akar, Sayin, Candansayar, & Leenaars, 2008;Ho et al, 1998;Howard & Surtees, 2016;Kuwabara et al, 2006;Paraschakis et al, 2012;Salib et al, 2002;Wong, Yeung, Chan, Yip, & Tang, 2009). Stack and Rockett (2016), in their analysis of US data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, found that those with current mental health issues or depression were more likely to have left a suicide note (OR = 1.11 & OR = 1.22, respectively); however, those with current mental health treatment and alcohol abuse-related problems (15% and 24%, respectively) were less likely to have left a note.…”

“…Despite some of their limitations, suicide notes are considered integral to understanding suicidal behavior as they provide a unique opportunity to examine an unsolicited account of the decedent's thoughts and emotions immediately prior to the self‐destructive act (Callanan & Davis, ; Carpenter, Bond, Tait, Wilson, & White, ; Cherry, Mohammad, & De Bruijn, ; Namratha, Kishor, Sathyanarayana Rao, & Raman, ; Rogers & Lester, ). Studies of suicide notes have been an important focus for suicide research over the past six decades, and much of the research examined patterns in the texts of the notes themselves (Cherry et al., ; Freuchen & Grøholt, ; Kurtaş et al., ; Namratha et al., ; Shneidman & Farberow, ) or was limited to comparisons of socio‐demographic characteristics and few mental and physical conditions (Callanan & Davis, ; Howard & Surtees, ; Karbeyaz, Akkaya, Balci, & Urazel, ; Stack & Rockett, ; Tewksbury, Suresh, & Holmes, ).…”

Sex-related differences in methods of and reasons for suicide in Turkey between 1990 and 2010

“…According to another study from Turkey that evaluated suicide notes, economic problems and relationship problems were the most common reason for suicide in males and females, respectively. 40,41 Oner et al 1 reported that the main reason for suicide in males between 1990 and 2000 was illness; in the present study, economic problems was the reason for suicide that showed the greatest significant between-sex difference. Previous studies have suggested that having a job can help alleviate the risk of suicide, especially for young males.…”

Gender differences in socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and psychiatric diagnosis in/of suicide attempters in a Mexican population

“…We also suggest that alcohol may influence the act of leaving a suicide note in males since it may be part of the process of suicidality. Nevertheless, other variables may also have a direct influence on this act such as personality features (41), specific cognitive distortions about the self, the world and the future each subject experienced during the suicidal process (50); these variables were not assessed in the present study and should be included in future studies.…”