Essay About Ill Patients Attempt And Suicide Attempt

Suicide
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Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United
States.(1) Based on the assumption that suicide is not a rational
choice, society has long sought to prevent or discourage the
practice. In fact, society has generally regarded a suicide attempt
as a plea for help or an indication of a need for psychiatric
treatment. The debate about legalizing assisted suicide and
euthanasia has challenged these assumptions, suggesting that for at
least some individuals, society should shift from prevention to
toleration or assistance.
Central to the current discussion of assisted suicide and
euthanasia is a need to understand the nature of suicide, the
motivation of individuals who commit suicide, and the specific risk
factors. Suicide outside the context of terminal or chronic illness
has been the subject of extensive study by sociologists,
psychiatrists, and epidemiologists. Their findings shed light on
the phenomenon of suicide overall, and on the motivations of those
who request suicide when facing a terminal or severe illness.
According to available data, only a small percentage of terminally
ill or severely ill patients attempt or commit suicide. What
distinguishes their life circumstances, medical conditions, or
outlook from those who are also severely ill and do not attempt
suicide? What do they have in common with individuals who do not