The Content of Suicide Notes: Does it Vary by Method of Suicide, sex or age?

A study of 40 suicide notes indicated that those written by those using violent methods contained less joy, less love for others, less humor/irony, & less thanks, suggesting a greater amount of alienation from significant others. Notes written by women were found to show less intrapersonal hostility, gave fewer instructions concerning final affairs, accepted less personal responsibility, & used fewer absolute terms than those written by men. A lone difference of more mention of ill-health was found in notes of older victims. (19 refs)