The Ethics of Suicide (IN: Psychiatric Ethics, edited by S Bloch and P Chodoff Second Edition)

The authors argue that suicide is perhaps the most dramatic and demanding clinical situation psychiatrists have to face, because it is unlike any other clinical circumstances that involve ethical dilemmas. They suggest that the difficulties in refuting the “rationality” of suicide are considerable, but nevertheless leave room for a significant measure of justifiable intervention. Some major views concerning suicide in the history of western thought are examined, and the contemporary clinical scene is discussed. The final section explores in detail the ethical basis of an intervention policy. (41 refs)