Citation

Holm S. Med. Humanit. 2004; 30(2): 83-84.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In summary I think the dialogue does shed light on the thought processes of some of the suicidal, and points to the very real dangers of labelling them all as mentally deranged. I am still, however, left with the thought that there are other kinds of suicides who, even without the mental anguish they experienced in the hours before their suicide, would have quite a different message to give to their old friends. My view on suicide has probably been shaped to a significant extent by one single episode I experienced as a young doctor in the accident and emergency department. A teenager was brought in after having tried to hang himself. He had called the police, telling them what he was going to do, and only jumped from the chair when the first policeman was through the door that the police had broken down. I leave it to the reader to consider to what extent this young man would have fitted the part of the ghost in the dialogue if he had succeeded in his suicide attempt.

Language: en

Keywords

human; suicide; anger; suicide attempt; experience; mental disease; physician; note; thinking