Citation

Iliffe S, Manthorpe J. Br. Med. J. BMJ 2005; 330(7481): 43.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.330.7481.43

PMID

15626813

PMCID

PMC539857

Abstract

Letter: O'Connell et al are wise to warn against a reductionist approach to the complex topic of suicide in older people since an epidemiological perspective makes older people who commit suicide into objects of disease processes rather than subjects struggling to control their lives. They also prescribe vigorous screening and aggressive treatment despite the difficulties in reaching the highest risk group, reluctance to accept stigmatising labels, and the limited efficacy of available interventions.

Much seems to depend on the meaning of problems for individual people. Proud but rather rigid people who would rather not live if unable to do so with their normal vigour may opt for suicide, especially if depressed mood alters their judgment about their illness or disability.