The book Myths About Suicide by Thomas Joiner gives examples of many myths prevalent in society, and these myths prevent helping people who need support. In general, most of the myths were not new to me as I had already heard about these erroneous ideas. However, the fact that it is physically difficult to commit suicide surprised me, and the idea that people who are one step before suicide are often difficult to distinguish made me think.
One of the first chapters of Joiner’s book discusses the myth that suicide is an easy way out, and only cowards choose it. I disagreed even with the title as I believe that suicide takes much courage and has many reasons. However, the descriptions of all the suicide attempts demonstrated that it is difficult to commit since the body struggles for life. Films and books often describe suicide scenes as a step into the abyss that takes only a few minutes; however, it is usually a struggle with pain and despair that ends with rescue or death. The second fact that impressed but not surprised me is that often the person who chooses to commit suicide shows no signs (Joiner, 2010). Earlier I believed that people are not attentive to their loved ones and missed all the warnings; however, now I understand that the situation can be much more complicated. However, suicide is still not an impulsive decision, and therefore people have a chance to see the problem long before the attempt if they pay attention.
In conclusion, Joiner’s book allowed me to dispel some of the myths that influenced my understanding of suicide. While most of the book’s ideas weren’t new to me, the multiple examples showed me some of the questions from a different perspective. Thus, I better understand the feelings and behavior of people who choose or think about suicide by discovering the truth.
Reference
Joiner, T. (2010), Myths about suicide. Harvard University Press.