Resource Tag: ARTS

This is a handbook for the development of a Suicide Prevention Teen Team (SPTT). SPTT is based on the concept of “teens helping teens” in the area of suicide prevention/intervention. This manual details exactly what a SPTT is, if one is necessary in your community, how to set it up, how to recruit Teen Team […]

The high prevalence of mood disorders in a group of 15 mid-20th century artists of the New York School is documented. 2 committed suicide; 2 died in single-vehicle accidents while driving; & 2 others had fathers who killed themselves. A hypothesis is presented: depression inevitably leads to a turning inward & to a reexamination of […]

Attitudes toward suicide differ between societies, & also change with time. 104 items of ancient art from Greek, Roman & Estrucan societies that show suicide have been examined & catalogued. These icons, the most distinctive of which are discussed in this article, confirm the view suggested by literary sources that in the Graeco-Roman world self-killing […]

This videotape presentation showed a series of photographs taken during 3 walks after the suicide of the presenter’s daughter. The first was taken 3 weeks after the suicide & the third, a year later. The proceedings provide a transcript of the video. The narrative reflects on the daughter’s life, her struggle with schizophrenia, & her […]

This presentation examines the topic of creative people who have suffered affective illness & died by suicide. It includes findings of a study of American poets. A number of perspectives on excesses of creativity among those with affective illnesses are discussed. It notes the observed relationship between decreased serotonin levels & violent suicide/homicide may be […]

Movies may be a common pathway for a variety of aberrant behaviours for psychiatrically impaired adolescents. The effects of televised movies, but not theatrical films, on adolescent suicide have been explored. Gould & Shaffer found that the numbers of attempted & completed suicides were greater after 3 of 4 television films on adolescent suicide were […]

One of the literary documents that has survived from ancient Eygpt is Berlin Papyrus No. 3024, namely a discussion between a man & his soul on the topic of suicide. The present article includes the text of this document, in both hieroglyphics & English translation, as well as an extensive commentary on the translation.

Gates claims that Victorians seemed to have deeply feared suicide & tried to conceal it. Suicide law was significantly revised in 1823 & remained illegal in England until 1961. Folklore about suicide flourished alongside legal verdicts & medical knowledge. Open discussion of suicide was unusual except in the case of “the poor, the ill-famed, or […]

This book describes how to detect suicidal intention through adolescent poetry. First, the authors provide statistical data from around the world. Then, they detail the research findings of their comparison of the poetry of suicidal & non-sucidal youth. From this, an approach to prevention is developed & applied to high school classes. Theoretical information on […]

This article discusses the increase of suicide in England in the 19th century, possibly due to factors like terrible poverty & the erosion of the belief in God. Punishment was severe, with suicide victims buried in shallow graves at a crossroads with a stake driven through their hearts, & their goods forfeited to the court. […]

Discusses the high rate of depression in young adults, suggesting that it may relate to the transition from adolescence to adult life in contemporary society. Examples from movies & case histories are used to illustrate various aspects of this hypothesis. (9 ref)

Discusses the potential ramifications of publicly showing a controversial film about youth suicide. In spite of its technical merit, critics voice concern that it glamorizes death & could result in copycat suicides.

“The Solution”, a new play by Creative Ink, addesses teen depression and suicide in a multimedia theater production. “The Solution” helps the audience recognize the symptoms of depression and how to help a friend, family member or oneself. Information on depression is given to contact people on site, such as a school counsellor who can […]

Presents a brief review of a training film about adolescent suicide. The film is said to be both a powerful teaching tool & a work of art.

A script of a Collective Creation Play which examines issues relevant to adolescent suicide prevention. The play was presented at an Adolescent Suicide Prevention Seminar for Strathcona County “Peer Support” students & trainers. The Sherwood Park RCMP Crime Prevention/Police Community Relations Unit & a number of community agencies conducted the seminar. (CM)

Henry Murray compares the state of “affectlessness” found in Herman Melville’s writings to the withdrawal of affect found among a sample of 220 former mental patients who had commited suicide. The behavior of these patients was characterized by crying spells, fist fights & violent episodes, severe depression, periods of mutism & withdrawal, & periodic escape […]

The author relates the life & death by suicide of Paul Celan, a German Jew whom Felstiner claims was the voice that had the courage to speak about the Jewish catastrophe of World War II. Writings from different periods of his life are quoted & discussed, & the personal discord that lead to his suicide […]

By the end of the 18th century, suicide had emerged as a major theme in literature. By the 20th century it had become a common reality; neither a noble alternative, as it had been regarded in the days of Roman Empire, nor a mortal sin. The effect upon both art & artist is discussed. The […]

The use of the Draw a Person Test in assessing suicide potential is discussed. (NBB)

The authors found only 200 songs out of thousands of folk songs published from 1889-1963 that made reference to self-destruction. These songs are therefore a rare phenomenon in Bulgarian culture. Themes of these folk songs include love, incest, impasse, serious illness, insult, loss of property, self-punishment, incitement to suicide, melancholia, & sex. (NBB)

The author examined imitative suicide in relation to a taxonomy of celebrities. A taxonomy is described as are the means of compiling publicised celebrity suicides for each category. The amount of publicity given to suicides was positively correlated to the monthly incidence of suicide, but problems common to the celebrities & the suicidal population were […]

The author examines the status of the suicidal writer in modern Japanese literary history. The apparent complicity between suicidal alienation and the literary paradigm of the non-conformist autobiographical writer is explored.(NBB)

The Gestalt mode of perception reveals the organically bound inter-relationship between the perceiver and his/her Umwelt. As a model for consciousness, it gives a unique illustration of the suicide and his/her survivor(s) in Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, August Strindberg’s Miss Julie and Henrik Ibsen’s Master Builder. By a close textual analysis, the impaired consciousness of […]