Some Facts and Fables of Suicide (IN: The Psychology of Suicide: a Clinician’s Guide to Evaluation and Treatment, edited by E S Shneidman, N L Farberow & R E Litman)

This chapter is a general discussion of suicide in the United States. A profile of a typical American suicide is given. Durkheim’s theory is used to outline some of the reasons why people may kill themselves. A discussion of suicide notes, historical & modern attitudes toward suicide, clues which may indicate that a person is thinking of suicide, the suicidal crisis, & community service planning concludes this chapter.