Aphorisms of Suicide and Some Implications for Psychotherapy

An aphorism is a pithy short statement stating a general truth. This article presents twenty aphorisms about suicide. One example: "There are many pointless deaths, but never a needless suicide." What is implied is that every suicide is an effort to redress certain unfulfilled, thwarted or frustrated psychological needs. (These include the needs for affiliation, avoidance of pain, succorance--among some twenty psychological needs that have been identified.) The psychotherapeutic implication of this particular aphorism is fairly obvious: Reduce the sense of frustration or effect some satisfaction of the frustrated needs of the suicidal individual and the elevated level of perturbation will be mollified sufficiently so as to drop below the lethal threshold of suicidal action. For the twenty aphorisms about suicide, some implications for response and the management of suicidal persons are suggested in order to prevent suicide. In addition a few general suggestions are offered for the management of suicidal persons.