How do we talk about suicide?

Professionals can often appear to avoid talking about suicide.  In this lecture we will argue that we need to think about and talk about suicide, and ensure that it is open for discussion with our clients. We will set out an overview of suicide research from a historical perspective.  From Durkheim to Freud and then to the more recent developments in the field of suicidology.  We will consider the concept of psychological autopsy, that is to say, studying suicides to see if there are patterns that we can learn from. We will look at the impact of suicide on the practitioner.  We finish by looking at some of the current challenges in the UK and the increase in suicide among men in their 40s related to the impact of COVID19 and Brexit. 

Readings: 

Jonathan Scourfield, Ben Fincham, Susanne Langer, Michael Shiner.

Sociolgical autopsy: An integrated approach to the study of suicide in men // Social Science and Medicine.  № 74 (2012).

Barbara M. Richards. Impact upon therapy and the therapist when working with suicidal patients: Some transference and countertransference aspects //  British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, Vol. 28, № 3, 2000.

Jayne Cooper and others. Suicide After Deliberate Self-Harm: A 4-Year Cohort Study

óÓÙÌËÁ ÎÁ ÚÁÐÉÓØ ÐÅÒ×ÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ - https://youtu.be/ZFW3fnRdF_Y

ëÁË ÍÙ ÇÏ×ÏÒÉÍ Ï ÓÕÉÃÉÄÅ?

óÐÅÃÉÁÌÉÓÔÙ ÞÁÓÔÏ ÉÚÂÅÇÁÀÔ ÏÂÓÕÖÄÅÎÉÑ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁ. ÷ ÜÔÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ ÍÙ ÒÁÓÓÍÏÔÒÉÍ ÎÅÏÂÈÏÄÉÍÏÓÔØ ÒÁÚÍÙÛÌÅÎÉÊ É ÏÂÓÕÖÄÅÎÉÊ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×, Á ÔÁËÖÅ ÕÂÅÄÉÍÓÑ × ÎÅÏÂÈÏÄÉÍÏÓÔÉ ÏÔËÒÙÔÏÇÏ ÒÁÚÇÏ×ÏÒÁ Ï ÓÕÉÃÉÄÅ Ó ÎÁÛÉÍÉ ÐÁÃÉÅÎÔÁÍÉ. íÙ ÔÁËÖÅ ÐÒÏ×ÅÄ£Í ËÒÁÔËÉÊ ÏÂÚÏÒ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÏ×ÁÎÉÊ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁ × ÉÓÔÏÒÉÞÅÓËÏÊ ÐÅÒÓÐÅËÔÉ×Å, ÏÔ äÀÒËÇÅÊÍÁ É æÒÅÊÄÁ ÄÏ ÓÏ×ÒÅÍÅÎÎÙÈ ÄÏÓÔÉÖÅÎÉÊ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÏÌÏÇÉÉ. âÕÄÅÔ ÐÒÅÄÓÔÁ×ÌÅÎÁ ËÏÎÃÅÐÃÉÑ ÐÓÉÈÏÌÏÇÉÞÅÓËÏÊ ÁÕÔÏÐÓÉÉ, ÐÏÚ×ÏÌÑÀÝÁÑ ÉÚÕÞÁÔØ ÓÌÕÞÁÉ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ× × ÃÅÌÑÈ ÐÏÎÉÍÁÎÉÑ ÓÏÐÕÔÓÔ×ÕÀÝÉÈ ÆÁËÔÏÒÏ×, ËÏÔÏÒÙÅ ÐÏÍÏÇÁÀÔ ÎÁÍ ÏÓÕÝÅÓÔ×ÌÑÔØ ×ÍÅÛÁÔÅÌØÓÔ×Á. ëÒÏÍÅ ÔÏÇÏ ÍÙ ÒÁÓÓÍÏÔÒÉÍ ×ÌÉÑÎÉÅ, ËÏÔÏÒÏÅ ÚÁ×ÅÒÛ£ÎÎÙÊ ÓÌÕÞÁÊ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×Á ÏËÁÚÙ×ÁÅÔ ÎÁ ÐÒÁËÔÉËÕÀÝÅÇÏ ÓÐÅÃÉÁÌÉÓÔÁ. úÁ×ÅÒÛÉÔ ÌÅËÃÉÀ ÏÂÚÏÒ ÁËÔÕÁÌØÎÏÊ ÓÉÔÕÁÃÉÉ × ÷ÅÌÉËÏÂÒÉÔÁÎÉÉ: Õ×ÅÌÉÞÅÎÉÅ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ× ÓÒÅÄÉ ÍÕÖÞÉÎ × ×ÏÚÒÁÓÔÅ 40 ÌÅÔ, ÉÈ Ó×ÑÚØ Ó ÜÐÉÄÅÍÉÅÊ COVID19, ×ÙÈÏÄÏÍ âÒÉÔÁÎÉÉ ÉÚ å×ÒÏÓÏÀÚÁ.

îÁÕÞÎÙÅ ÒÁÂÏÔÙ: 

Jonathan Scourfield, Ben Fincham, Susanne Langer, Michael Shiner.

óÏÃÉÏÌÏÇÉÞÅÓËÁÑ ÁÕÔÏÐÓÉÑ: ÉÎÔÅÇÒÉÇÏ×ÁÎÎÙÊ ÐÏÄÈÏÄ Ë ÐÏÓÍÅÒÔÎÏÍÕ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÏ×ÁÎÉÀ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ× Õ ÍÕÖÞÉÎ.

âÁÒÂÁÒÁ í. òÉÞÁÒÄÓ. ÷ÌÉÑÎÉÅ ÎÁ ÔÅÒÁÐÉÀ É ÔÅÒÁÐÅ×ÔÁ ÐÒÉ ÒÁÂÏÔÅ Ó ÓÕÉÃÉÄÎÙÍÉ ÐÁÃÉÅÎÔÁÍÉ: ÎÅËÏÔÏÒÙÅ ÁÓÐÅËÔÙ ÐÅÒÅÎÏÓÁ É ËÏÎÔÒÐÅÒÅÎÏÓÁ.

äÖÅÊÎ ëÕÐÅÒ É ÄÒÕÇÉÅ. óÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×Ï ÐÏÓÌÅ ÕÍÙÛÌÅÎÎÏÇÏ ÓÁÍÏÐÏ×ÒÅÖÄÅÎÉÑ: 4-ÌÅÔÎÅÅ ËÏÇÏÒÔÎÏÅ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÏ×ÁÎÉÅ

ìÅËÃÉÑ 2 - úÁ×ÉÓÉÍÏÓÔØ ÏÔ ×ÌÅÞÅÎÉÑ Ë ÓÍÅÒÔÉ

Addicted to the Death Instinct

   
Drawing from case histories we will examine some of the dynamic theories that seek to describe the psychological processes in suicide and suicide ideation.  We will look at Freud’s idea of the death instinct, and position this in relation to suicide and repetition-compulsion.  We will also examine the phenomenon of suicide contagion effect and seek to explain the phenomenon of suicide clusters, that is to say where we see a spike in suicides in local communities over a short period of time.  We will give examples of suicide clusters and examine how they can appear and then disappear.  

Readings: 

Betty Joseph. Addiction to Near-Death // International Journal of Psycho-Analysis. 1982. № 63.

T. J. Taiminen. Projective identification and suicide contagion //Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1992. № 85

G. Winship. The pleasure paradox: nirvana and death dependency //G. Winship. Addictive Personalities and Why People Take Drugs : The Spike and the Moon. 2011.

óÓÙÌËÁ ÎÁ ÚÁÐÉÓØ ×ÔÏÒÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ - https://youtu.be/53git8bpzSk

úÁ×ÉÓÉÍÏÓÔØ ÏÔ ×ÌÅÞÅÎÉÑ Ë ÓÍÅÒÔÉ

ïÐÉÒÁÑÓØ ÎÁ ÓÌÕÞÁÉ ÉÚ ËÌÉÎÉÞÅÓËÏÊ ÐÒÁËÔÉËÉ, ÍÙ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÕÅÍ ÒÁÚ×ÉÔÉÅ ÔÅÏÒÅÔÉÞÅÓËÉÈ ÐÏÄÈÏÄÏ×, ÏÐÉÓÙ×ÁÀÝÉÈ ÐÓÉÈÏÌÏÇÉÞÅÓËÉÅ ÐÒÏÃÅÓÓÙ ÐÒÉ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁÌØÎÏÊ ÉÄÅÁÃÉÉ É ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁÌØÎÏÍ ÐÏ×ÅÄÅÎÉÉ. âÕÄÕÔ ÒÁÓÓÍÁÔÒÉ×ÁÔØÓÑ ÉÄÅÉ æÒÅÊÄÁ Ï ×ÌÅÞÅÎÉÉ Ë ÓÍÅÒÔÉ, ÉÈ Ó×ÑÚØ Ó ÎÁ×ÑÚÞÉ×ÙÍ ÓÁÍÏÄÅÓÔÒÕËÔÉ×ÎÙÍ ÐÏ×ÅÄÅÎÉÅÍ. ëÒÏÍÅ ÔÏÇÏ ÍÙ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÕÅÍ Ñ×ÌÅÎÉÅ «ÚÁÒÁÖÅÎÉÑ» É ÐÏÐÙÔÁÅÍÓÑ ÎÁÊÔÉ ÏÂßÑÓÎÅÎÉÅ ÇÒÕÐÐÏ×ÙÍ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×ÁÍ. ðÒÉ ÜÔÏÍ ÍÙ Õ×ÉÄÉÍ, ÞÔÏ × ÌÏËÁÌØÎÙÈ ÓÏÃÉÁÌØÎÙÈ ÇÒÕÐÐÁÈ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÙ ÍÏÇÕÔ ÓÏ×ÅÒÛÁÔØÓÑ ÐÏ ÔÉÐÕ ×ÓÐÙÛÅË ÚÁ ËÏÒÏÔËÉÊ ÐÒÏÍÅÖÕÔÏË ×ÒÅÍÅÎÉ. âÕÄÕÔ ÐÒÅÄÓÔÁ×ÌÅÎÙ ÐÒÉÍÅÒÙ ÔÁËÉÈ ×ÓÐÙÛÅË, ÎÁ ÏÓÎÏ×ÁÎÉÉ ËÏÔÏÒÙÈ ÍÙ ÐÏÊÍ£Í, ËÁË ÏÎÉ ×ÏÚÎÉËÁÀÔ É ËÁË ÒÁÚÒÅÛÁÀÔÓÑ.

ìÅËÃÉÑ 3 - óÌÕÞÁÊ óÉÌØ×ÉÉ ðÌÁÔ

A Case Study of Sylvia Plath   

   
In this lecture we will look closely at the life and death of the America poet Sylvia Plath.  Perhaps more than any other suicide, Plath’s study has been examined and re-examined, we might think of it as ‘Plathology’ (sic).  In this lecture we will draw from Plath’s own words, and students will hear sound recordings of Plath reading some of her key poems.  We will also consider the role that her husband Ted Hughes plays in her suicide.  Ted Hughes was also a poet, and he went on to become the Poet Laureate in the UK.  The story of Plath and Hughes relationship, and her subsequent suicide will provide a detailed case example of the aetiology of suicide. A reading pack will be circulated in advance to accompany this lecture.  Students will have the opportunity in break out groups to discuss the case, and consider how Plath’s suicide might have been prevented.

Readings: 

G. Winship. A psychoanalytic study of suicide with particular reference to the poet Sylvia Plath 

Bonnie MacDonald-Winship. Sylvia Plath is undeniably known as a great feminist writer, but to what extent do you agree that the poems in the collection Ariel are solely an attack on the oppressive patriarchal society at the time? 

Poems S.Plat

Edge

Nick and the Candlestick

óÓÙÌËÁ ÎÁ ÚÁÐÉÓØ ÔÒÅÔØÅÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ - 

https://youtu.be/NVJBoSCakNc 

óÌÕÞÁÊ óÉÌØ×ÉÉ ðÌÁÔ

    
îÁ ÜÔÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ ÍÙ ×ÎÉÍÁÔÅÌØÎÏ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÕÅÍ ÖÉÚÎÅÎÎÙÊ ÐÕÔØ É ÏÂÓÔÏÑÔÅÌØÓÔ×Á ÓÍÅÒÔÉ ÁÍÅÒÉËÁÎÓËÏÊ ÐÏÜÔÅÓÓÙ óÉÌØ×ÉÉ ðÌÁÔ. ÷ÏÚÍÏÖÎÏ, ÜÔÏÔ ÓÌÕÞÁÊ ÂÙÌ ÉÓÓÌÅÄÏ×ÁÎ ÇÏÒÁÚÄÏ ÐÏÄÒÏÂÎÅÅ ×ÓÅÈ ÏÓÔÁÌØÎÙÈ, ÞÔÏ ÄÁ£Ô ÏÓÎÏ×ÁÎÉÑ ÇÏ×ÏÒÉÔØ Ï «ðÌÁÔÏÌÏÇÉÉ». íÙ ÕÓÌÙÛÉÍ ×Ó£ ÉÚ ÓÏÂÓÔ×ÅÎÎÙÈ ÕÓÔ ÐÏÜÔÅÓÓÙ, ÐÏÓÌÕÛÁ×, ËÁË ÏÎÁ ÞÉÔÁÅÔ Ó×ÏÉ ËÌÀÞÅ×ÙÅ ÐÒÏÉÚ×ÅÄÅÎÉÑ. âÕÄÅÔ ÒÁÓÓÍÁÔÒÉ×ÁÔØÓÑ ÒÏÌØ, ËÏÔÏÒÕÀ ÓÙÇÒÁÌ × ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×Å óÉÌØ×ÉÉ Å£ ÍÕÖ, ôÜÄ èØÀÚ. ïÎ ÔÁËÖÅ ÂÙÌ ÐÏÜÔÏÍ É ÓÔÁÌ ÌÁÕÒÅÁÔÏÍ ÐÒÅÓÔÉÖÎÏÊ ÐÒÅÍÉÉ × ÷ÅÌÉËÏÂÒÉÔÁÎÉÉ. éÓÔÏÒÉÑ ÉÈ ×ÚÁÉÍÏÏÔÎÏÛÅÎÉÊ Ó ÐÏÓÌÅÄÕÀÝÉÍ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×ÏÍ óÉÌØ×ÉÉ ÓÔÁÎÅÔ ÐÏÄÒÏÂÎÏÊ ÉÌÌÀÓÔÒÁÃÉÅÊ ÜÔÉÏÌÏÇÉÉ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÏ×. äÏ ÎÁÞÁÌÁ ÌÅËÃÉÉ ÓÌÕÛÁÔÅÌÑÍ ÂÕÄÅÔ ÐÒÅÄÏÓÔÁ×ÌÅÎÁ ÌÉÔÅÒÁÔÕÒÁ ÄÌÑ ÓÁÍÏÓÔÏÑÔÅÌØÎÏÇÏ ÉÚÕÞÅÎÉÑ. óÔÕÄÅÎÔÁÍ ÂÕÄÅÔ ÐÒÅÄÏÓÔÁ×ÌÅÎÁ ×ÏÚÍÏÖÎÏÓÔØ ÏÂÓÕÄÉÔØ × ÎÅÂÏÌØÛÉÈ ÇÒÕÐÐÁÈ ÜÔÏÔ ÓÌÕÞÁÊ, ÞÔÏÂÙ ×ÙÒÁÂÏÔÁÔØ ×ÏÚÍÏÖÎÙÅ ÓÐÏÓÏÂÙ ÐÒÅÄÏÔ×ÒÁÝÅÎÉÑ ÜÔÏÇÏ ÔÒÁÇÉÞÎÏÇÏ ÆÉÎÁÌÁ.

îÁÕÞÎÙÅ ÒÁÂÏÔÙ:

ç. ÷ÉÎÛÉÐ. ðÓÉÈÏÁÎÁÌÉÔÉÞÅÓËÏÅ ÉÚÕÞÅÎÉÅ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×Á ÎÁ ÐÒÉÍÅÒÅ ÐÏÜÔÅÓÓÙ óÉÌØ×ÉÉ ðÌÁÔ

âÏÎÎÉ íÁËäÏÎÁÌÄ-÷ÉÎÛÉÐ. óÉÌØ×ÉÑ ðÌÁÔ, ÎÅÓÏÍÎÅÎÎÏ, ÉÚ×ÅÓÔÎÁ ËÁË ×ÅÌÉËÁÑ ÐÉÓÁÔÅÌØÎÉÃÁ-ÆÅÍÉÎÉÓÔËÁ, ÎÏ × ËÁËÏÊ ÓÔÅÐÅÎÉ ×Ù ÓÏÇÌÁÓÎÙ Ó ÔÅÍ, ÞÔÏ ÓÔÉÈÉ × ÓÂÏÒÎÉËÅ "áÒÉÜÌØ" Ñ×ÌÑÀÔÓÑ ÉÓËÌÀÞÉÔÅÌØÎÏ ÎÁÐÁÄÅÎÉÅÍ ÎÁ ÄÅÓÐÏÔÉÞÎÏÅ ÐÁÔÒÉÁÒÈÁÌØÎÏÅ ÏÂÝÅÓÔ×Ï ÔÏÇÏ ×ÒÅÍÅÎÉ?

 óÔÉÈÉ S.Plat

ëÒÁÊ

îÉË É ÐÏÄÓ×ÅÞÎÉË

ìÅËÃÉÑ 4 - îÁÄÅÖÄÁ É ÓÕÉÃÉÄ

Hope and Suicide. 

   
Suicide is often considered as emerging from the obliteration of hope.  But is hope a viable concept?  My aim in this lecture is to problematize the concept of hope and trace the history of hope in psychotherapy from the miserabilism of psychoanalysis through to more optimistic conceptualisations and claims of positive psychology. Using the myth of Pandora I aim to deepen the concept of hope.  I will argue that there is no such thing as ‘individual hope’, but rather hope is a co-constructed transformative experience. I will develop a new classification pertaining to the way in which hope features in the process of psychotherapy, and in doing so I will make a case for thinking about hope not just as a concept, but also as a method that might be helpful in lifting people out of suicide.

Readings:

óÓÙÌËÁ ÎÁ ÚÁÐÉÓØ ÞÅÔ×ÅÒÔÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ - 

https://youtu.be/fNWbElMi0Nc

îÁÄÅÖÄÁ É ÓÕÉÃÉÄ.

þÁÓÔÏ ÐÒÏÉÓÈÏÖÄÅÎÉÅ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁ Ó×ÑÚÙ×ÁÀÔ Ó ÕÔÒÁÔÏÊ ÎÁÄÅÖÄÙ. íÏÖÅÍ ÌÉ ÍÙ ÓÞÉÔÁÔØ ÞÕ×ÓÔ×Ï ÎÁÄÅÖÄÙ ÖÉÚÎÅÓÐÏÓÏÂÎÏÊ ËÏÎÃÅÐÃÉÅÊ? ÷ ÄÁÎÎÏÊ ÌÅËÃÉÉ ÍÏÑ ÃÅÌØ ÚÁËÌÀÞÁÅÔÓÑ × ÐÒÅÄÓÔÁ×ÌÅÎÉÉ ËÏÎÃÅÐÃÉÉ ÎÁÄÅÖÄÙ É ÐÒÏÓÌÅÖÉ×ÁÎÉÉ ÉÓÔÏÒÉÉ ÆÏÒÍÉÒÏ×ÁÎÉÑ ÜÔÏÇÏ ÐÏÎÑÔÉÑ × ÐÓÉÈÏÔÅÒÁÐÉÉ: ÏÔ ÏÔÒÉÃÁÎÉÑ × ÐÓÉÈÏÁÎÁÌÉÚÅ ÞÅÒÅÚ ÂÏÌÅÅ ÏÐÔÉÍÉÓÔÉÞÎÏÅ ÐÏÎÉÍÁÎÉÅ É ÕÔ×ÅÒÖÄÅÎÉÅ × ÐÏÚÉÔÉ×ÎÏÊ ÐÓÉÈÏÌÏÇÉÉ. éÓÐÏÌØÚÕÑ ÍÉÆ Ï ðÁÎÄÏÒÅ É ÐÌÁÎÉÒÕÀ ÕÇÌÕÂÉÔØ ËÏÎÃÅÐÃÉÀ ÎÁÄÅÖÄÙ. ñ ÂÕÄÕ ÕÔ×ÅÒÖÄÁÔØ, ÞÔÏ ÎÅ ÓÕÝÅÓÔ×ÕÅÔ "ÉÎÄÉ×ÉÄÕÁÌØÎÏÊ ÎÁÄÅÖÄÙ". ïÎÁ ÓËÏÒÅÅ ÓÏÚÄÁ£ÔÓÑ É ÔÒÁÎÓÆÏÒÍÉÒÕÅÔÓÑ ÐÒÉ ÓÏ×ÍÅÓÔÎÏÍ ÐÅÒÅÖÉ×ÁÎÉÉ. ñ ÐÒÅÄÓÔÁ×ÌÀ ÎÏ×ÕÀ ËÌÁÓÓÉÆÉËÁÃÉÀ, ÏÔÒÁÖÁÀÝÕÀ, ËÁË ÎÁÄÅÖÄÁ ÆÏÒÍÉÒÕÅÔÓÑ × ÐÒÏÃÅÓÓÅ ÐÓÉÈÏÔÅÒÁÐÉÉ,  Á ÔÁËÖÅ ÐÒÅÄÓÔÁ×ÌÀ ÓÌÕÞÁÊ É Ó×ÏÅÊ ÐÒÁËÔÉËÉ, ÉÌÌÀÓÔÒÉÒÕÀÝÉÊ, ÞÔÏ ÎÁÄÅÖÄÁ - ÜÔÏ ÎÅ ÐÒÏÓÔÏ ÔÅÏÒÅÔÉÞÅÓËÁÑ ËÏÎÃÅÐÃÉÑ, ÎÏ ÔÁËÖÅ Ñ×ÌÑÅÔÓÑ ÍÅÔÏÄÏÍ, ËÏÔÏÒÙÊ ÍÏÖÅÔ ÐÏÍÏÞØ ÐÒÉ ÐÒÅÄÏÔ×ÒÁÝÅÎÉÉ ÓÁÍÏÕÂÉÊÓÔ×.

îÁÕÞÎÙÅ ÒÁÂÏÔÙ:

ðÒÁËÔÉÞÅÓËÏÅ ÒÕËÏ×ÏÄÓÔ×Ï ÐÏ ÓÏÚÄÁÎÉÀ É ÐÏÄÄÅÒÖËÅ ÓÉÓÔÅÍ ÜÐÉÄÎÁÄÚÏÒÁ

× ÏÔÎÏÛÅÎÉÉ ÓÕÉÃÉÄÁÌØÎÙÈ ÐÏÐÙÔÏË É ÁËÔÏ× ÓÁÍÏÐÏ×ÒÅÖÄÅÎÉÑ