Suicide - a Desperate Solution or the Only Solution

There is an estimated number of over 800,000 people who die each year by suicide. Many of these cases go unanswered, and families are left in pain and agony. Unfortunately, suicide has been for many years linked to being a health problem, and despite the intense research by medical practitioners, the stigma still surrounds us. Suicide is preventable however, there are some scholars, for example, Szasz who insist that when one makes a decision to commit suicide, it should be his /her right. He observes that preventing suicide is denying people their rights (Szasz 2011).

Suicides do occur in all regions of the world, but the there are three categories of people who are most affected. The young people (15-29 years of age), the elderly of 70 years and above and middle-aged people. Suicide rates decline at the middle age group because they have family obligations and are busy pursuing better career prospects. However, in all the categories, men are affected the most. They are many major risks factors. They include difficulties in accessing health care, access to means of committing suicide, pressure to become successful in life and finally, the stigma associated with seeking help for the mental problems or substance abuse.

Drugs are also a major cause of suicide among the youths. The elderly resort to suicide due to chronic illnesses and depression. To reduce the death rates, youths should have mentors and the elder people to discuss their problems. The youth should also avoid drugs. The society should give more love and care to the elderly. Their illnesses should be treated promptly.

Thomas Szasz observes that suicide should be looked at as a problem, not a disease. Szasz argument against detaining a person for a suicidal attempt is rather interesting. He indicates that people should not be dissuaded to commit suicide coercively and medics should not be given the responsibility to watch over the suicide victims. This is because it contradicts with the medics professional responsibility. The suicide victim should be held responsible over his or her action. I do agree with Szasz that when a person commits suicide under the care of a medic, the medic should be blamed for professional negligence. Rather, the victim should be accountable for their action. It is an act of moral agent.

The tone of Untitled Black on Grey reflects the state of mind of an individual contemplating sucide. While on the outside it seems to be only two shades, the artist has combined intricate shades of different coulurs that contribute t the overall effect. Like a persons state of mind prior to suicide, many factors contribute to the overall desire to harm as opposed to being a matter in black and white.

References

Dickinson, E. (1896). I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain. In Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/45706.

Szasz, J. S. (2011). Suicide Prohibition: The Shame of Medicine. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press.