Citation

Dinkelaar BM. BJPsych Adv. 2020; 26(4): 229-235.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Royal College of Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.1192/bja.2020.2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide is a complex issue that is sparking increasingly more debate in contemporary society. There is need for an open discussion on the concept of rational suicide, specifically in relation to psychiatric disorders, so as to resolve the conflict between the duty of care of psychiatrists and the autonomy of patients. To be able to conduct such a discussion in an objective manner, we must first be made aware of the potential prejudices that we harbour on the topic of suicide as a result of our societal and historical background. A historical and philosophical approach to the topic, through careful examination of the topic of suicide in the texts of Plato, helps create such an awareness. Copyright © The Author 2020.

Language: en

Keywords

crime; human; mental health; suicide; preventive medicine; psychiatry; philosophy; mental health care; medical society; history of medicine; Article; Socrates; patient autonomy; Plato; Rational suicide; modern times; psychiatric care