Rational Suicide? Implications for Mental Health Professionals

Cover......Page 1
Half Title......Page 2
Title Page......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Table of Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 10
Foreword......Page 12
Preface......Page 14
1 Introduction to Rational Suicide......Page 18
Mental Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward Suicide......Page 19
Standards of Care......Page 22
Recent Views of Rational Suicide......Page 23
Additional Considerations......Page 25
Conclusion......Page 26
2 The History of Suicide......Page 28
Ancient Views of Suicide......Page 29
Religion Enters......Page 31
The Renaissance Brings Change......Page 33
Suicide and the Sciences......Page 35
Conclusion......Page 41
Religion-Based Arguments......Page 42
Mental Health-Based Arguments......Page 44
Societal-Based Arguments......Page 51
Conclusion......Page 54
Acceptance of Suicide......Page 56
Recent Empirical Research......Page 58
Comparisons of Studies......Page 68
Conclusion......Page 70
5 Criteria for Rational Suicide......Page 72
Empirically Based Criteria......Page 74
Comparison of Empirically Based Criteria......Page 79
Additional Scenarios......Page 87
Final Considerations......Page 95
Directions for Future Research......Page 98
The Potential Impact of Prejudice and Discrimination......Page 99
The Role of Values......Page 102
Conclusion......Page 105
Currently Articulated Standards of Care......Page 106
Bases of Beliefs About Acceptance of a Decision to Suicide and Action Taken to Prevent a Suicide......Page 120
Implications of Research on Attitudes About Rational Suicide......Page 123
Conclusion......Page 126
A Revised Approach......Page 128
What is the Professional's Appropriate Role?......Page 130
A Final Note......Page 133
Suicide in Old Age......Page 136
Questions and Activities for Discussion......Page 138
References......Page 142
Index......Page 164