Daniel Durkheim 's Suicide As A Social Matter, Rather Than As An Individual Act

Feelings of isolation have been linked to higher suicide rates. Durkheim’s study on suicide during the industrial revolution supports this theory as he states that, “people were increasingly disconnected from their communities and that this social upheaval had a greater effect on suicide rates than other factors like wealth” (Winner & Collishaw, 2011). Interestingly enough, despite the increase of media attention on suicide, no studies have been published that explain why suicide rates vary among different groups. However, various factors are involved in the decision to commit suicide. As a result, suicide rates vary according to race, gender and age.

An article from the New York Times written by Dave Phillips sheds light on the growing issue of suicide rates amongst military veterans. Dave Phillips does this by telling the story of fellow military men, through the eyes of one marine- gunner name Manny Bojorquez. Bojorquez, joined the marines at a young age of 19, one of the militaries most prestige combat forces. In 2008, the second Battalion, seventh marine regiment -also known as the 2/7- deployed to a mid-swath of Helnend providence. Bojorquez remembers this combat as one of the worst and most traumatizing combats of many marines’ lives. After experiencing these traumatic events, the agonies of war,

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is presently known as post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS), is a disorder diagnosed by feelings of anxiety, depression, suicidal attempt or thoughts, repeated nightmares, and unexpected surges of violence. Many veterans are suffering from PTSD. “It has been estimated that between 500,000 and 700,000 Vietnam veterans, about one-fourth of all who served, suffer from PTSD.” (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Veterans with PTSD have an unbelievably strong link to both suicide attempts and thinking about suicide. Military veterans are exceedingly susceptible to suicide in contrast to citizens. This is caused by the guilt they acquired from action in combat. There is a prevalent cause-and-effect relationship between military service and an unusual risk of suicide. There are studies showing that Vietnam veterans have a higher risk than veterans from our more recent wars. ''I think it demonstrates the experience of being drafted during the Vietnam era had profound, long- term psychological effects on people.” (Likelihood of suicide found unusually high for Vietnam veterans). Vietnam veterans are approximately twice as probable to die by suicide as men in the same age group who evaded the war. There were many men drafted who had to experience things that they were not prepared for, nor did they sign up for. This set them up to be easily affected by the war. Even veterans who signed up for the military are also strongly affected by the outcomes of war. Society doesn’t understand the suffering veterans go through when they have PTSD. It was not always taken so seriously and it wasn’t understood until recently. “In World War I, PTSD was called shell-shock, in World War II, combat fatigue.” (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Our society needs to realize the effect of the war on our veterans. Society can no longer be so blind to these

Durkheim’s theories and work on suicide classified the phenomenon into four types; Egoistic, Altruistic, Anomic and Fatalistic (Ritzer Pg 200-202). Durkheim’s concept of social integration ties into egoistic suicide as it

Another article I read about suicide was “Predictive Modeling and Concentration of the Risk of Suicide: Implications for Preventive Interventions in the US Department of Veterans Affairs”. In this article it talks about how veterans have a high chance of suicide, because of mental or physical illness like cancer. The most common among the elderly veterans is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many older veterans have become single because their spouse has passed away or left them, additionally many have low income. The theory that would best describe the suicides is a modern Durkhemian theory. Andrew H. and James S. believed that the less interaction a person has with others and no spouse, low income and major health issues is a predictive indicator of suicide. These traits are common among many veterans. Since researcher how proven suicide is high

According to recent data, suicide is in on the top ten causes of death in the United States. As the staggering number of suicides increases to over 36,000 a year, and more than a 100 each day. (O’Neil 1) When looking at the data for military veterans, the numbers are even more alarming, as the increasing number, is caused for a national concern. In the past decade the demographics for veterans that committed suicide was predominantly was white male and in the age range of 18 years to 25 years old. Many of the reasons found for their suicide was mostly related to job satisfaction, money problems, or relationship issues. However, since the military has been engaged in war after September 11th, the demographics have changed. No longer is the demographic profile predominantly white, but now it involves several races, as well as age ranges that extend up to 44 years of age. The issues that have been found includes the stress of deployment, knowing when the time is up, the stress of leaving their families, the stress of possible dying, and other added stressors. As McCarl (2012) points out, “For these service members to survive the battlefield only to return home and commit suicide is a notion that reeks of depressing irony.” (McCarl 398) Suicides by Veterans have become a growing health concern, as many have come back from war, trying to adjust to civilian life. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the growing rates of suicide by war veterans. Examining the causes,

With the growing number of veteran related suicides, there is a cause for concern on what may be the contributing factor or factors to yield such outcome. The current rate of suicide for veterans in the United States 18 to 22 incidences daily, which is higher than ordinary non veteran citizens (1).

There is an epidemic running rampant throughout the ranks of veterans and current active duty military within the United States. Even if we try to turn a blind eye or ignore the problem, the fact is that roughly an average of twenty-two veterans commit suicide each and every day across America. Some would say this is due in part to the service members experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), others would say this is due to service members participating in multiple deployments. While these both increase risk factors for suicide, they in and of themselves are not the root cause of suicide amongst our veterans. So if these are not the sole contributors to veteran suicide, what is

2015Across the US, it is estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide a day. This is a shocking and disturbing number. And what is even more alarming is that this statistic doesn’t include active-duty members. Between January and March of this year 75 active-duty Soldiers have taken their own life. These numbers are from the Pentagon’s quarterly Suicide Event Report. Veterans are returning from an active combat theater and taking their own lives at an alarming rate.

Suicide is usually perceived as an individualistic act, enacted by an individual who has experienced immense trauma to their psyche. A recent report on the suicide rate within a specific Marine battalion challenges this notion. The veterans in this battalion are an outlier in regards to veteran suicide; however psychology is at work in attempting to explain the reasoning behind these suicides. The devastation the Marines face from the deaths of comrades, as well as the trauma they face in their day to day lives after their tour of Afghanistan, are forces that work against them. The assumption that the suicides is a result of psychological trauma is valid, however the impact

Durkheim does not see egoism, altruism, anomie and fatalism as types of suicide, but types of social structure that highlight the presence or lack of integration and regulation. It must be stressed that this excess/lack of integration and regulation are not seen as direct causes of suicide, rather Durkheim sees a number of voluntary deaths in society as inevitable; integration and regulation are merely prophylactic to suicidal impulses, which when taken to excess or dramatically reduced, fail to act as a preventative, and so suicides occur. This clarification is an important strength of Durkheim’s theory: it allows the biography of the individuals who kill themselves to vary, while still explaining underlying pressures/lack of to explain their deaths, and the varying suicide rates between groups.

In the article, members of the Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment are interviewed, in an attempt to interpret such high volumes of suicides amongst the members of this unit. According to Phillips (2015), many of the suicides were results of the difficulty from these members to reintegrate into civilian society, after their experiences in Afghanistan. The veterans discuss how they must normalize killing others to ensure the safety of their fellow comrades. For example, Mr. Havniear talks about an incident where he shot an elderly woman because she was running towards him and his group with an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher), and continues to say that it’s difficult to leave those memories behind (Phillips 2015). It is that mentality of ‘you or me’, that keeps these military members safe at war, but when they come home they have to abide by a complete new set of rules that require the member to relinquish an identity of instinct and solidarity to one of individualization to fit into civilian society. Moreover, organizations such as the VA (Veteran Affairs) that are meant to ease the process of integration fail to meet the needs of the individuals returning home. As a result, many of the veterans feel abandoned by the very society that they selflessly vowed to protect. Accordingly, the veterans become isolated and feel

Sociologist Emile Durkheim believes that “the bond between one’s self and his or her country are crucial factors in suicide.” Others sociologist believe people commit suicide to escape from intolerable pain, feelings of hopelessness or depression and other mental disorders. After studies were completed, it was concluded that most people who think about committing suicide never actually try to kill themselves. Studies show that for every one person who attempts suicide, three consider it, but never act upon it. Soldiers kill themselves because military training following by combat, makes them sensitive to pain and finality. From 2009-2012, military suicides have increased from 18.5 to 22.7 out 100,000 active-duty service members. But, in 2013,

According to Durkheim’s theory, society can play a part in suicide rates due to strenuous social change which lead to unclear norms in a community. When this emotional strain leads to suicide, Durkheim would explain this as anomic suicide. First Nation groups experienced this during the time of residential schools. Aboriginal people were forced to rapidly change their ways

Suicide, to Durkheim, is “an exaggerated form of ordinary practices,” and they arise from “comparable states of mind” in people, with the only difference between daily and suicidal behavior being the “chance of death” (Durkheim 20-21). Durkheim spends the majority of the work dissecting the “apparent motives” for suicide (Durkheim 151) and observing the varieties of suicide, a feat made difficult by the inaccurate reporting and misunderstandings of investigators. Thus, to understand the types of suicide, we must “reverse the order of our research” for “There can only be as many different types of suicide as there are differences in the causes from which they derive,” (Durkheim 149). He says “if they were all found to have the same essential characteristics, they would be grouped in one class” but “observations that we would need to have are more or less impossible obtain” (Durkheim