In this blog post, we’ll examine the causes of suicide and the question of responsibility from both individual and societal perspectives, while exploring solutions for prevention.
Suicide literally means the act of taking one’s own life. The meaning becomes clearer when we factor in the concept of “free will.” In other words, even if an act appears to be suicide on the surface, whether it is truly suicide is determined by the presence or absence of free will. For example, consider the case of a palace maid during the Joseon Dynasty who was forced to drink poison after committing a grave crime. Although the palace maid herself drank the poison, this was a punishment imposed by coercion rather than free will, and therefore cannot be considered suicide.
The causes of suicide can be broadly divided into social and personal factors. Social factors include alienation from society or overly close social relationships, while personal factors include financial hardship, psychological stress, and depression. The important point is that social and personal factors are not completely separate.
For example, in the case of a celebrity who chose death after being tormented by malicious online comments, it was society that caused them to feel alienated, but ultimately, it was the individual themselves who chose death due to psychological stress. Similarly, this applies to a student who was contemplating suicide due to college entrance exam stress and chose death after being swept up in a social atmosphere known as the “Werther effect.” Although society created the atmosphere that led to the decision to commit suicide, it was the student himself who chose death due to the pressure of the college entrance exam. As such, while social factors influence suicide in various ways, the individual is ultimately the one who chooses to take their own life. In other words, suicide results from the complex interplay of social and personal factors. Therefore, to prevent suicide, efforts must be balanced between the social and personal spheres. This is because suicide cannot be effectively prevented by focusing on only one aspect.
First, to prevent suicide from a societal perspective, society as a whole must foster an atmosphere that does not devalue life and must widely publicize the gravity and injustice of suicide. For example, when a celebrity commits suicide, the media floods the public with unfiltered reports ranging from the causes of the suicide to the means and methods used. Since these articles are written without considering their impact on society, they can have serious consequences, such as leading to copycat suicides. Therefore, the media must exercise caution when reporting on suicide. While paying respects to the deceased, they must clearly state that suicide is a wrongful act that fails to value life and cannot serve as a fundamental solution to real-world problems.
Furthermore, society must establish an effective suicide prevention system. To achieve this, practical policies—rather than abstract ones—must be put in place. The suicide prevention structure installed on Dongjak Bridge several years ago is a case in point. As the number of people climbing onto the steel framework on Dongjak Bridge to attempt suicide increased, oil was applied to the structure to prevent people from climbing it, thereby preventing suicides.
Meanwhile, from a personal perspective, preventing suicide requires, above all, a mindset that values the life one has been given. Life is unique and irreplaceable. Therefore, one must recognize that suicide is an unethical act and understand that taking one’s own life can cause great pain not only to family members but also to those around them.
Furthermore, no matter how difficult the situation, one must maintain a positive attitude and strive to find solutions. The temptation to commit suicide begins with the feeling that there is no hope left. At such times, positive thinking can transform a pessimistic attitude and guide one toward living an optimistic life. One must firmly remind oneself that suicide can never be a fundamental solution under any circumstances. Finally, when suffering from mental illnesses such as depression or bipolar disorder, one must not be concerned about what others think but must definitely ask those around them for help to resist the temptation of suicide.
