1

CHAPTER-1

1.1 Introduction
Man is a social animal and he always live in society. An individual is a member of
society, so long as he engages in relationship with other member of society. It means that
individuals are in continuous interaction with other individuals in society. The limits of
society are marked by the limits of social interactions. Social interaction is made possible
because of mutual awareness. Every man of the society always tries to adjust themselves in
the society. He tries to create great happiness for great number of people in the society. To
live in society he has to face some problems.

Suicide is specially a problem of human beings. Any animal can die by disease or can be
killed by an outside agency. But only human being can kill themselves. Self destructive
behavior not associated with the idea of death is not suicide. So, suicide not only the act of
taking one’s own life but also one who dies from his own hand & one who attempts or has
a tendency to commit suicide. It refers to the behavior of individuals or groups which may
bring about their own destruction.

Suicide is an individual phenomenon in terms of processes occurring within the person.

It indicates a series of progressive changes from deep love life, to a desire to escape from
life and all that it implies. Suicide indicates that man is against himself in the society of his
own making. It may be noted that it is not simply a mild type of personal maladjustment,
but the “final and irreversible culmination of personal disorganization” (Elliott and Merrill,
1961:31). Suicide implies that the person has reached a stage where he is no longer able
to function adequately in the many interpersonal relationships of a normal human being,
and that the ties that bind the members of the organized group are broken.

Suicide (Latin suicidium, from sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of intentionally
terminating one's own life; many dictionaries also note the metaphorical sense of "willful
destruction of one's self-interest". Suicide may occur for a number of reasons, often related
to depression, shame, pain, financial difficulties or other undesirable situations.

Views on suicide have been influenced by cultural views on existential themes such as
religion, honor, and the meaning of life. Most Western and Asian religions—the
Abrahamic religions, Buddhism, Hinduism—consider suicide a dishonorable act; in the
West it was regarded as a serious crime and offense against God due to religious belief in
the sanctity of life. Japanese views on honor and religion led to seppuku being respected as
a means to atone for mistakes or failure during the samurai era; Japanese suicide rates
remain some of the developed worlds highest. In the 20th century suicide in the form of
self-immolation has been used as a form of protest, and in the form of kamikaze and
suicide bombing as a military or terrorist tactic. Sati was a Hindu funeral practice in which
the widow would immolate herself on her husband’s funeral pyre.
 2

There are many different types of “groups” that are at risk for the potential to commit
suicide. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all U.S. men, and men are four
times more likely to die from suicide than women. Suicide rates are highest among whites
and second highest among American Indian and Native Alaskan men. Among the 24,672
suicide deaths reported among men in 2001, 60% involved the use of a firearm.

Sometimes a depressed person plans a suicide in advance. Many times, though, suicide
attempts happen impulsively, in a moment of feeling desperately upset. A situation like a
breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended pregnancy, being outed by someone else,
or being victimized in any way can cause someone to feel desperately upset. Often, a
situation like this, on top of an existing depression, acts like the final straw.

Some people who attempt suicide mean to die and some don't. For some, a suicide
attempt is a way to express deep emotional pain. They can’t say how they feel, so, for
them, attempting suicide feels like the only way to get their message across. Sadly, even
when a suicide attempt is a cry for help and the person doesn’t mean to die, there’s no way
to control it. Many people who really didn’t mean to kill themselves end up dead or
critically ill.

Men aren’t the only people who are vulnerable to suicide. Women and youthful people
are also in danger of possibly committing suicide. In 2002, women reported attempting
suicide in their lifetime about three times as often as men. Rates of suicide among
teenagers and adolescents are unbelievably high, but the rates have been declining since
1992. Adolescents and young adults often experience stress, confusion, and depression
from situations occurring in their families, schools, and communities. These kinds of
feelings can overwhelm young people and lead them to consider suicide as a “solution.”
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages fifteen to twenty-four. In
2001, 3,971 suicides were reported in this group and 54% of youth suicides involved the
use of a firearm. Of the total number of suicides among ages fifteen to twenty-four in
2001, 86% were male and 14% were female.

Suicide, as the most extreme expression of grief and anxiety and individual turmoil, is
also an expression of despair and a cry for assistance. The sociology of death and suicide is
largely concerned with the examination and exploration of the phenomena of suicide
within a specific social context. This paper explains that the assumption that suicide is
linked to the disparity between the individual and society is also an implied comment and
critique of that society. Given this understanding this paper elucidates the meaning of
suicide as a break in the ties between the individual and society. This study also deals with
critiques of modern industrialized societies as the context of contemporary suicide -
especially with examples from relatively newly industrialized counties such as Japan.
 3

1.2 Historical Perspective of Suicide

Suicide or intentional Self-destruction by man is perhaps as old as human civilian. There
is no period in human history without records of suicide. The epic of Ramayana
(1600B.C.) depicts suicide by lord Rama, the great Hindu king of Ayodhya along with the
members of his family including his brothers and disciples who ended their lives by
plugging into river Sarju. Suicide by Greek Philosopher Socrates (399B.C.) by taking a
cup of hemlock is well as one of self immolation at the command and wishes of the then
Greek emperor.

In general the pagan world, both Roman and Greek, had a relaxed attitude towards the
whole concept of suicide, a practice that was only finally outlawed with the advent of the
Christians, who condemned it at the Council of Arles in 452 as the work of the Devil. In
the middle Ages, the church had drawn-out discussions on the edge where the search for
martyrdom was suicidal, as in the case of Martyrs of Cordoba. Despite these disputes and
occasional official rulings, Catholic doctrine was not entirely settled on the subject of
suicide until the later 17th century. For instance, John Donne's Thoughts on Emergent
Occasions is a long argument in favor of suicide as divinely appointed opportunity.

There is some echo of later Christian hostility in ancient Greek thinkers. Pythagoras, for
example, was against the act, though more on mathematical than moral grounds, believing
that there was only a finite number of souls for use in the world, and that the sudden and
unexpected departure of one upset a delicate balance. Aristotle also condemned suicide,
though for quite different, far more practical reasons, in that it robbed the community of
the services of one of its members. A reading of Phaedo suggests that Plato was also
against the practice, inasmuch as he allows Socrates to defend the teachings of the Orphics,
who believed that the human body was the property of God, and thus self-harm was a
direct offense against divine law. Yet, it's not quite so simple, because after Socrates says
than no man has a right to suicide, this is then qualified by the statement "...unless God
sends some necessity upon him, as has now been sent upon me."

In Rome suicide was never a general offense in law, though the whole approach to the
question was essentially pragmatic. This is illustrated by the example given by Titus Livy
of the colony of Massalia (the present day Marseilles), where those who wanted to kill
themselves merely applied to the Senate, and if their reasons were judged sound they were
then given hemlock free of charge. It was specifically forbidden in three cases: those
accused of capital crimes, soldiers and slaves. The reason behind all three was the same - it
was uneconomic for these people to die. If the accused killed themselves prior to trial and
conviction then the state lost the right to seize their property, a loophole that was only
closed by Domitian in the first century AD, who decreed that those who died prior to trial
were without legal heirs. The suicide of a soldier was treated on the same basis as
desertion. If a slave killed her or himself within six months of purchase, the master could
claim a full refund from the former owner.
 4

But the Romans fully approved of what might be termed "patriotic suicide"; death, in
other words, as an alternative to dishonor. For the Stoics, a philosophical sect which
originated in Greece, death was a guarantee of personal freedom, a way out of an
intolerable existence. And so it was for Cato the Younger, who killed himself after the
Pompeian cause was defeated at the Battle of Thapsus. This was a 'virtuous death', one
guided by reason and conscience. His example was later followed by Seneca, though under
somewhat more straightened circumstances. A very definite line was drawn by the Romans
between the virtuous suicide and suicide for entirely private reasons. They disapproved of
Mark Antony not because he killed himself, but that he killed himself for love.

During World War II, Japanese units would often fight to the last man rather than
surrender. Towards the end of the war, the Japanese navy sent kamikaze pilots to attack
Allied ships. These tactics reflect the influence of the samurai warrior culture, where
seppuku was often required after a loss of honor. It is also suggested that the Japanese
treated Allied POWs harshly because, in Japanese eyes, by surrendering rather than
fighting to the last man, these soldiers showed they were not worthy of honorable
treatment. In fact, the Japanese unit in Singapore sentenced an Australian bombing unit to
death in admiration for their bravery.

The Kaiowas tribe in the South American rainforest committed a mass suicide to attract
attention to their claim that their government was taking away their land. Their efforts
successfully attracted massive international and national attention to their cause.

In the 1960s, Buddhist monks, most notably Thích Quảng Đức, in South Vietnam gained
Western praise in their protests against President Ngô Đình Diệm by burning themselves to
death. Similar events were reported in Eastern Europe, such as Jan Palach following the
Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. In 1970 Greek Geology student Kostas Georgakis
burned himself to death in Genoa, Italy to protest against the Greek military junta of 1967-
1974.

During the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), numerous publicly-known figures,

especially intellectuals and writers, are reported to have committed suicide, typically to
escape persecution, typically at the hands of the Red Guards. Some, or perhaps many, of
these reported suicides are suspected by many observers to have, in fact, not been
voluntary but instead the result of mistreatment. Some reported suicides include famed
writer Lao She, among the best-known 20th century Chinese writers, and journalist Fan
Changjiang.
 5

1.3 Statement of the problem

Man by nature is a fighting animal. He always wants to survive in the empirical world.
Psychologically, he wants to make his life long time. But only suicide can destroy his long
life. Suicide is specially a problem of human beings. It also true that man can be death by
disease, accident or can be killed by an outside agency. Any animal can die by disease or
can be killed by an outside agency. But only human being can kill themselves. Self
destructive behavior not associated with the idea of death is not suicide. So, suicide not
only the act of taking one’s own life but also on.

Truly speaking there is no society without the problem of suicide. Suicide has almost
become a universal problem is most of the countries including Bangladesh. It is emerging
as a major social problem in Bangladesh. With the changing attitude of the world it is
imperative to study why the individual deviate from psychological, legal & social norms,
why they attempt to suicide and which factor is mainly liable for suicide.

"The idea that suicide results from or is caused by a dislocation between the ties that
should exist between an individual and his or her society implies that suicide must be
understood as being more than a personal or psychological issue. This view of suicide is
essentially sociological in nature. Furthermore, a critical analysis of this understanding of
suicide also requires that the type and context of society must be taken into account. A
society that is cohesive and supportive, with networks to deal with personal and social
issues, is likely to have a very low suicide rate. Suicide in this social context would usually
be more of a psychological than a social issue."

So, I have to study about various factors of suicide and which factor is more liable for
suicide. My study mainly concerned with the causes of suicide.
 6

1.4 Objectives of the Study

Throughout the ages the problem of suicide was there in the society & this was pondered
by priests, poets & philosophers but to day it is a subject matter of scientific study. Though
out the act of suicide is personal but the act of an individual can not be understood in total
isolation from his social matrix.

The main concern of this study is to know the socio-economic and psychological causes
of suicide. Activities in the light of those studies several objectives were taken for this
study. Earlier studies show that, various socio-economic and psychological factors are
directly or indirectly caused for suicide. The problem of suicide deserves in-depth study.

The specific objectives of the present study are as follows-

 To identify the causes of suicide in Tangail city.

 To find the psychological impact on suicide.

 To collect information about the family structure and family disorganization,

family conflict, social tension etc.

 To study socio-economic conditions, employment pattern and sources of

income of the families of the suicide victims.

 To investigate into the family relationships; and

 To find the policy issues for taking preventive measures for suicide.
 7

CHAPTER-2

2.1 Literature Review

Among the Sociologists two major theoretical positions are currently popular-the
psychoanalytic & Durkheim’s sociological theory .Freud, an exponent of psychoanalytic
theory if suicide proposed two major hypothesis to account for suicide- one is an
expression of his theory of depression & the other theory postulates that death instinc can
turn inward & make the person looses someone who he has loved and hated & if these
murderous feelings are strong enough, the person will commit suicide.

Emile Durkheim’s monograph ‘Le suicide’ published in 1897 and translated into English
in 1952 is the pioneering and the most important sociological contribution to the problem
of suicide. Durkeim after analyzing the records of different countries distinguished three
types of suicide namely, egoistic, altruistic & anomic. Egoistic suicide is committed when
a person helps to few ties to his society and community. It is the effect of the individual
lack for concern for the community and his inadequate involvement with it. This includes
most suicides to physical and mental illness as well the suicides of the deprived. Altruistic
suicide includes the suicides of the old & the sick who want to relieve the society and this
includes the Hindu women who used to sacrifice their lives with the death their husbands,
the sacrifice of the martyrs as well as the “Hara-kiri” of Japanese officers. This type of
suicide inspires people’s respect and admiration. This was common in primitive than in
highly developed societies. This sort of suicide takes place for the sake of a noble cause or
a larger social unity.

Anomic suicide is the type that follows catastrophic social changes. Life is adjudged to
be not worth continuing. When the society fails to control and regulate the behavior f
individuals, when religious beliefs decline & when there is excessive relaxation of
professional and marital codes- a State which Durkheim calls anomie, the incidence of
suicide becomes frequent. Suicide results from loneliness and from the feeling that nobody
cares for him. It may also result from excess individualism.

According to Durkheim serious faults in social structure leads to an increase in the

suicide rates. According to him heredity is not a sufficient explanation of suicide climatic
factors and waves of imitation are also insufficient and inadequate explanations.
Durkheim repudiated most of the accepted theories of suicide. His theory takes little care
of psychological factors. He gives emphasis on group cohesion. Mintz has summarized the
following motivations for suicide: aggression turned inward; retaliation by inducing guilt
in others; efforts to make amends for perceived past wrongs; the desire for reincarnation,
the desire to rejoin a dead loved one & the desire or need to escape from stress, deformity,
pain or emotional vacuum.
 8

Some see suicide as a legitimate matter of personal choice and a human right
(colloquially known as the right to die movement), and maintain that no one should be
forced to suffer against their will, particularly from conditions such as incurable disease,
mental illness, and old age that have no possibility of improvement. Proponents of this
view reject the belief that suicide is always irrational, arguing instead that it can be a valid
last resort for those enduring major pain or trauma. This perspective is most popular in
continental Europe, where euthanasia and other such topics are commonly discussed in
parliament, although it has a good deal of support in the United States as well.

A narrower segment of this group considers suicide something between a grave but
condonable choice in some circumstances and a sacrosanct right for anyone (even a young
and healthy person) who believes they have rationally and conscientiously come to the
decision to end their own lives. Notable supporters of this school of thought include
German pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, and Scottish empiricist David Hume.
Adherents of this view often advocate the abrogation of statutes that restrict the liberties of
people known to be suicidal, such as laws permitting their involuntary commitment to
mental hospitals. Critics may argue that suicidal impulses are often products of mental
illness rather than rational self-interest, and that because of the gravity and irreversibility of
the decision to take one's life it is more prudent for society to err on the side of caution and
at least delay the suicidal act.
 9

2.2 Theoretical Framework of the Study

One of Durkheim's most influential books is a detailed study of suicide. When it was
published in 1897, Le Suicide not only changed the way in which suicide was understood,
it fundamentally transformed the way sociological research was subsequently conducted.
In that work, Durkheim created what became the standard structure for sociological
research. On the first page of the book's introduction, he began defining the central term
under discussion and proceeded to sketch out the tentative outlines of an explanation for
suicide that would be informed by social science, replete with tables of suicide statistics.

In critically reviewing the existing suicide literature, which largely viewed acts of self-
destruction as having physiological or psychological origins, Durkheim wondered why
people from similar genetic origins did not have similar rates of suicide. Why did rates
vary within one region over time? If it was related to weakness of character, why was it
unrelated to levels of alcoholism? Utilizing logic and statistics, Durkheim challenged both
popular and academic explanations. In doing so, he indicated that the tentative sociological
approach he had begun to develop in the book's introduction offered greater explanatory
power. The majority of the book lays out what became a classic sociological explanation
for suicide. There are four major types, all related to group cohesion or solidarity.

Egoistic suicide, Durkheim argued, was most common among groups of individuals with
few connections to social groupings of any kind. Thus, loosely bound liberal Protestant
groups had higher suicide rates than Catholics and Jews, for whom regular religious
participation was expected; married people committed suicide at lower rates than singles;
and nations undergoing political crises experienced lower rates because competing
interests and parties became tightly integrated under stress.

While egoistic suicide made sense to most readers, Durkheim's second category, that of
altruistic suicide, was more controversial. Durkheim argued that certain types of suicide
occurred among tightly knit groups when they came under severe threat and their members
were prepared to die in the group's defense. Because suicide was widely understood as the
act of sick or disturbed individuals, Durkheim's argument that soldiers who knowingly
gave up their lives for their country were committing suicide appeared to diminish the
valor of those actions. Durkheim delineated three types of altruistic suicide, based largely
on a group's expectations that its members would undertake self-destruction in its defense.

The third type of suicide, anomic, was identified with an abrupt shift in an individual's
circumstances, shifts that removed him or her from membership in what had been a well-
integrated group. Durkheim showed that nations where divorce was common experienced
higher suicide rates than nations where the practice was illegal. Similarly, economic crisis
could lead to personal crises for individuals who once thought of themselves as important
providers for their families, but when confronted with persisting unemployment found
themselves evicted from their homes, their credit rejected, and prospects for improvement
dim. If these individuals and their friends were accustomed to thinking of poor people as
responsible for their circumstances, then they found themselves condemned by their own
 10

categories of thought. Faced with humiliation and a lack of connection with groups who
might ease their self-doubts, such individuals might commit anomic suicide.

Durkheim's final category of suicide, fatalistic, is relegated to a footnote. This type of

suicide occurred within tightly knit groups whose members sought, but could not attain,
escape, whose "futures are pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by oppressive
discipline" (Durkheim 1951, p. 276). Prisoners of war or slaves who were bound into
distinct groups dominated by other groups might commit suicide in order to escape group
membership or to demonstrate control over their lives.

Suicide concludes by moving from what had been taxonomy of suicide types toward an
explanation of how social, political, and economic forces produced those types. For
instance, Durkheim explored links between suicide and urbanization, developing how
cities atomize individuals, producing egoistic suicides.

Sociologists admire Durkheim's book for a variety of reasons. Not only does the work
present a clear understanding of what a sociological perspective was and how it differed
from the perspectives offered by other emerging academic disciplines, it provides a clear
and well-documented argument advocating the practical value of that discipline's
perspective. Durkheim's reliance on statistics for calculating and comparing suicide rates
was innovative for the time, as was his realization that the effects of some variables had to
be controlled. Although he recognized problems in the comparability of data drawn from
different regions or within one region in different periods, his work contributed to an
emerging body of scholarship in comparative historical sociology.

Several sociological studies have been conducted in the century since Suicide's original
publication, and while some have qualified Durkheim's observations, none has seriously
challenged his overall approach or conclusions. While his earlier work contains some
optimism about the potentially liberating effects of industrialization and urbanization, it
also reveals concerns for disruptions caused by change that occurs too rapidly.

According to Durkheim serious faults in social structure leads to an increase in the

suicide rates. According to him heredity is not a sufficient explanation of suicide climatic
factors and waves of imitation are also insufficient and inadequate explanations.
Durkheim repudiated most of the accepted theories of suicide. His theory takes little care
of psychological factors. He give emphasis on group cohesion. Mintz has summarized the
following motivations for suicide: aggression turned inward; retaliation by inducing guilt
in others; efforts to make amends for perceived past wrongs; the desire for reincarnation,
the desire to rejoin a dead loved one & the desire or need to escape from stress, deformity,
pain or emotional vacuum.

Some see suicide as a legitimate matter of personal choice and a human right
(colloquially known as the right to die movement), and maintain that no one should be
forced to suffer against their will, particularly from conditions such as incurable disease,
mental illness, and old age that have no possibility of improvement. Proponents of this
view reject the belief that suicide is always irrational, arguing instead that it can be a valid
 11

last resort for those enduring major pain or trauma. This perspective is most popular in
continental Europe, where euthanasia and other such topics are commonly discussed in
parliament, although it has a good deal of support in the United States as well-

A narrower segment of this group considers suicide something between a grave but
condonable choice in some circumstances and a sacrosanct right for anyone (even a young
and healthy person) who believes they have rationally and conscientiously come to the
decision to end their own lives. Notable supporters of this school of thought include
German pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, and Scottish empiricist David Hume.
Adherents of this view often advocate the abrogation of statutes that restrict the liberties of
people known to be suicidal, such as laws permitting their involuntary commitment to
mental hospitals. Critics may argue that suicidal impulses are often products of mental
illness rather than rational self-interest, and that because of the gravity and irreversibility of
the decision to take one's life it is more prudent for society to err on the side of caution and
at least delay the suicidal act.

Durkheim’s study and classification of types of suicide provide insight into suicide
terrorism, but there are important differences between “ordinary” suicide and suicide
terrorism. Despite these differences, when Durkheim’s principles are applied to the
phenomenon of suicide terrorism, it suggests that suicide terrorism will flourish in highly
integrated and highly regulated social environments. Scholars often note Emile Durkheim
as one of the founders of modern sociology. In his writing, Durkheim investigated the
effects of modern society on the individual.

His seminal work, Suicide: A Study in Sociology (1979), provides insights about the
societal conditions that contribute to increased rates of suicide within different countries.

One precondition that contributes to increased suicide rates is integration, which is the
extent to which an individual is part of a society. Durkheim argues that individuals who are
either extremely under-integrated into society or over-integrated into society are the most
likely to commit suicide. Durkheim defines suicide resulting from extremely weak
integration as egoistic suicide. One type of weak integrated individual is the unmarried
male. Marriage—more generally, family life—has the ability to “[neutralize] the suicidal
tendency or [prevent] its outburst,” (Durkheim, 1979, 180). Therefore, unmarried men are
more likely to commit suicide than married men. Educated people are also weakly
integrated into society. Durkheim relates education to class, believing that the higher
classes tend to pursue knowledge and have the “most active intellectual life,” (Durkheim,
1979, 165). He concludes that well-to-do classes exhibit higher suicide rates and, more
importantly, that “suicide increases with knowledge,” (Durkheim, 1979, 168).

However, Durkheim (1979) notes that education does not cause the destruction of societal
ties, but rather, education are pursued because societal ties have already fallen apart.
 12

Therefore, education can serve as an indicator of weak societal bonds.On the other end of
the integration spectrum, suicide that results from an individual being over-integrated is
altruistic suicide, Durkheim states that:

[W]hen a person kills himself…it is not because he assumes the right to

do so but, on the contrary, because it is his duty. If he fails in this
obligation, he is dishonored and also punished, usually, by religious
sanctions…Now, we have seen that if such a person insists on living he
loses public respect; in one case the usual funeral honors are denied, in
another a life of horror is supposed to await him beyond the grave. The
weight of society is thus brought to bear on him to lead him to destroy
himself. (Durkheim, 1979, 219)

The individual that is highly integrated into society commits suicide when society’s
needs and opinions dictate that the person should commit suicide. Since the society or
group is important to the person, s/he is willing to commit suicide for the society.

The other societal factor that fosters suicide Durkheim investigates is regulation.
Regulation is the extent to which society controls the actions and desires of an individual.
Similar to integration, extreme levels of regulation—either excessive or insufficient— tend
to increase suicide rates. Durkheim refers to suicide resulting from low levels of regulation
as anomic suicide. Crises—positive or negative—result in low levels of regulation, which
interrupt the social order, thus disturbing individual identities (Durkheim, 1979). The
disturbance of social order removes restrictions on individual desires. Individual desires
need to exist in equilibrium with the means to fulfill those desires, or an individual may be
unhappy and be more inclined to commit suicide.

Individuals that are highly regulated by society are more inclined to commit suicide. This
type of suicide is referred to as “fatalistic suicide”. Durkheim mentions fatalistic suicide as
a footnote in his overall study, briefly describing it as “the suicide deriving from excessive
regulation, that of persons with futures pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by
oppressive discipline,” (Durkheim, 1979, 276). An example of someone that fits this
example is a slave, because a slave’s actions — from the most complex actions to the most
mundane — are regulated by his or her owner. The two scales (regulation and integration)
work independently in equilibrium. It is not sufficient to keep the levels high or low, since
a drastic calibration in either direction is likely contribute to the increased prevalence of
suicide. If integration is too low, individuals are more inclined toward egoistic suicide; if
integration is too high, individuals are more inclined toward altruistic suicide.

Furthermore, if regulation is too low, individuals are more inclined toward anomic
suicide; if regulation is too high, individuals are more inclined toward fatalistic suicide.
 13

2.3 Conceptual Framework of the Study

The present study intends mainly to investigate the causes of suicide by the
psychological, social and economical factors. Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill
oneself) is the act of willfully ending one's own life. Suicide can also refer to the individual
who has committed or attempted the act.

Suicide, said Goeth, “is an incident in human life which, however, disputed and
discussed, demands the sympathy of everyman”.

Emile Durkheim assumed that the most common definition of suicide is that of death
caused by an action initiated by the actor with the intention of causing his own death.

Morselli had considered society and in particular the morals of a society to be the most
important cause a given suicide rate. According to Jacobziner, suicide is a sudden
precipitous reaction to a stressful situation resulting from frustration, depression, overt or
masked anger or a rebellious act against a restraining figure, a loved one.

It is often intend to frighten & to cause the restraining persons in to a change of attitude
or behavior towards the victim. It is also intended as a warning to parents or loved ones as
an expression of dissatisfaction or displeasure with existing unpleasant situations as a plan
for improved relationships.

Suicide is a depressive emotional illness which produces feelings of helplessness and

worthlessness as well as a less interest in food, work, friends and everything that make life
worth living. It is a type of mental illness. According to Freud in every individual there is a
desire to survive & there is also the desire to die. So, the desire to commit suicide is there
in the subconscious mind of every human being.

In some jurisdictions, an act or failed act of suicide is considered to be a crime. Some

places consider failure to be attempted murder, with the victim being oneself, and will
prosecute such offenders for attempted murder. More commonly, a surviving party member
who assisted in the suicide attempt will face criminal charges. In Brazil, suicide is not a
crime, but it is the instigation or help to commit it. If the help is directed to a minor, the
crime is homicide. According to Islam it treated as a homicide.

There are some other concept about suicide related .Here some are given bellow-

Self harm:- Self-harm has traditionally been known as self-injury (SI), self-inflicted
violence (SIV), self-injurious behavior (SIB), and self-mutilation, although this last term
has connotations that some people find worrisome, inaccurate, or offensive. A broader
definition can also include the phenomenon of those who inflict harm on their bodies by
means of disordered eating, or compulsive tattooing or body piercing.
 14

Suicide Note:-A written message left by someone who attempts or commits suicide is
known as a suicide note. The practice is fairly common, occurring in approximately one
out of three suicides. Motivations for leaving one range from seeking closure with loved
ones to exacting revenge against others by blaming them for the decision.

Assisted Suicide:- A suicidal individual who lacks the physical capacity to take their own
life may enlist someone else to carry out the act on their behalf, frequently a family
member or physician. This may or may not be considered a form of suicide according to
different moral views of the practice, with opponents regarding it instead as akin to murder.
Assisted suicide is a contentious moral and political issue in many countries.

Suicide Attack:- A suicide attack is an attack in which the attacker (attacker being either
an individual or a group) intends to kill others and intends to die in the process of doing so
. In a suicide attack in the strict sense the attacker dies by the attack itself, for example in
an explosion or crash caused by the attacker. The term is sometimes loosely applied to an
incident in which the intention of the attacker is not clear though he is almost sure to die by
the defense or retaliation of the attacked party.

Para suicide:- A suicidal act that does not end in death is commonly called a "suicide
attempt" or a "suicidal gesture." In the technical literature people prefer the use of the
neologism parasuicide. Many suicidal people participate in suicidal activities which do
not result in death. These activities fall under the designation attempted suicide or Para
suicide. Those with a history of such attempts are almost 23 times more likely to
eventually end their own lives than those who don't participate in such activities.
 15

Conceptual Framework:

Causes of Suicide

Economical factor Psychological factor

Social factor

Marriage
Income Frustration
p

Expenditure Public attitude

Less self
confidence

Family
Savings
p condition
Less self-esteem

Acceptability in family

Fear of attack
Education

Economical Status Frustration

Shock
Social Opposition
/Social Shock
Dis-Satisfaction
about Life

Leads a Human being to Suicide

Figure 1: Conceptual Model of the Study

 16

Operational Framework

Economical shock
Leads to a human being to
suicide

Societal opposition

Social shock

Psychological hampered

Mental deficiency

Dis–satisfaction about life

Causes of suicide

Figure 2: Operational Framework of the Study

 17

CHAPTER-3

Research Methodology
Here I use both qualitative methods and tried to examine the causes of suicide by
collecting and gathering information to follows several steps are given bellow-

1. Area selection

2. Population

3. Sample selection

4. Data collection methods & techniques.

5. Data Processing.

6. Data Analyzing

3.1: Area selection

The first step in the study is to collect preliminary information to know the number of
suicide cases in Tangail district. The records of suicide cases in Tangail Sadar Upazila &
Nagarpur Upazilla for the period 2000-2007 are collected from the police stations &
Tangail General Hospital.

The research design consisted of drafting, pre-testing and reviews of questionnaire, and
selection of families. Data about income, employment pattern, sources of income, family
size, level of education of the victim etc. shall be collected.

3.2: Population
It is fact that, there is no any sponsor and there is no so much time. So it is not possible to
study a large number of people at a short time. So, we have to study about some case as it
is possible for this study.

3.3: Sample selection

In this research the population is unknown. After selecting area or field, we can not define
fixed population. So that non-probability sampling method can be applied for unselecting
sample. For non-probability sampling we use Purposive or Judgmental sampling.
 18

3.4: Data collection methods & techniques

In case of suicide respondent does not want to give the data. They are afraid for various
factors. I collect data from both primary and secondary source. I collect my data by using
case study method. I also collect my data by using an interview schedule through
questionnaire. We have to use Case Study method for collecting data. The methods of data
collection-

i) Near relations and in the case of married female victims, near relations from
husband and father’s side of suicide victims, local leaders , neighbors, police authority etc.
are interviewed and consulted; and

ii) Observation by the investigators and the researcher are recorded.

3.5. Data Processing:

After the collection of data I edit the data. In the time of data collection I use matrix
questionnaire in interview schedule questionnaire. After collection the data, all finding data
convert to coding. And through this coding I make this questionnaire as close-ended
questionnaire.

3.6. Data Analysis:

I analyze my data through SPSS Program in computer. Here at first I did analysis my data
by frequency distribution. To test the data I use Chi-squire test, and Cross tabulation.
 19

Chapter-4
Research Findings
(Uni-variate Analysis)
Here table-1 shows the frequency of age of the respondents

Table-1:-Age of the Respondent

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
15 2 11.1 11.1 11.1
16 1 5.6 5.6 16.7
17 3 16.7 16.7 33.3
18 1 5.6 5.6 38.9
22 1 5.6 5.6 44.4
23 2 11.1 11.1 55.6
27 1 5.6 5.6 61.1
29 1 5.6 5.6 66.7
30 1 5.6 5.6 72.2
31 1 5.6 5.6 77.8
32 1 5.6 5.6 83.3
33 1 5.6 5.6 88.9
56 1 5.6 5.6 94.4
71 1 5.6 5.6 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Here also described the Bar Chart about age of the respondent-
Series1

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
15-25 26-40 41-above

Figure-4.1:- Age of the Respondent

 20

This table & Bar Chart shows that most of suicide victims are young and it most of them
are 15 to 30 years old. So by this frequency we can make also a decision that young people
are more vulnerable for committing suicide.
Table-2:- Sex of suicide victims

Valid
Frequency Percent Percent Cumulative Percent
Male 8 44.4 44.4 44.4
Female 10 55.6 55.6 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

12

10

6 Series1

0
Male Female

Figure-4.2:- Sex of the suicide Victims

From this statistics we see that, female are more committing suicide rather than male.

Table-3:- Marital Status of suicide victims

Percen Valid
Frequency t Percent Cumulative Percent
Married 7 38.9 38.9 38.9
Unmarried 8 44.4 44.4 83.3
Divorce 1 5.6 5.6 88.9
Widowed 2 11.1 11.1 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Married
Unmarried
Divorce
Widowed

Figure-4.3:- Marital Status of suicide victims.

 21

This frequency refers that there is no relation of suicide with marital status. Because in this
research we see that the married & unmarried victims are probably same.
Table-4:- Occupation of suicide victim
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Student 6 33.3 33.3 33.3
Employee 1 5.6 5.6 38.9
Businessma
1 5.6 5.6 44.4
n
Housewife 5 27.8 27.8 72.2
Unemploye
5 27.8 27.8 100.0
d
Total 18 100.0 100.0

5
Student
4 Employee
Businessmen
3
Housewife
Unemployed
2

0
Frequency

Figure- 4.4:- Occupation of suicide victims.

From this table & Bar Chart we see that Students are more prone to committing suicide.
Because they are showed more love of adventure. If they fail this adventure of love they
think that they also lost his inspiration of life. They also don’t know bout the reality of life.

Table-5:- Income of respondent

Frequenc Valid
y Percent Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid 0 15 83.3 83.3 83.3
18000 1 5.6 5.6 88.9
3500 1 5.6 5.6 94.4
9000 1 5.6 5.6 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

If we explain this table we found that most of suicide victims are not able to earn money.
They also suffer for money. So we can say that economical factors are also liable for
 22

pushing a person to suicide. More over those people who are not earn money; they have
found lot of time to thinking about unraveling matter.

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000 Series1

6000

4000

2000

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17

Figure-4.5:- Respondent Expenditure

From this Frequency we see that the average Expenditure of suicide victims is also same
like ordinary people. It also to be said that there is no relation suicide with respondent
victims.

Table-6:- Educational Qualification of the Respondent

Educational Qualification Frequency
Primary level 8
Secondary Level 6
Higher Secondary level 4

Frequency

8
7
6
5 Primary level
4
3 Secondary Level
2
1 Higher Secondary
level
0
Primary Higher
level Secondary
level

Figure-4.6:- Educational Qualifications of suicide Victims.

Suicide chance is closely related to educational qualification. Here we see that those
people whoa are low educated they are more prone to commit suicide. Because they have
 23

low intelligence to thinking about their life & fact. From this Statistics we see that 8 people
out of 18 are low educated.

8
7
6
5
4
Series1
3
2
1
0
0-10000 10001- 20001-
20000 above

Figure-4.7:- Family income of respondents family

Here we can say that low family income people are also chance to commit suicide. But it
would not be said that those family whose income level is high they are not prone to
suicide.

Table-7:- Family types of suicide victims

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Nuclear 13 72.2 72.2 72.2
Joint 2 11.1 11.1 83.3
Extended 3 16.7 16.7 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Frequency

14

12

10

8
Frequency
6

0
Nuclear Joint Extended

Figure-4.8:- Family types of suicide respondents

From this table and chart we se that, nuclear Family are also push to a person to suicide.
Those people who are belongs in to nuclear family, most of time they are not open
 24

minded and they can’t share his thinking like with his/her grandfather, grandmother or
uncle. So it also to be said that suicide rate is high in nuclear family.
Frequency

12
10
8
6
4
Frequency
2
0
Frequency
Paka
Semi-
Kacha
paka

Figure- 4.9:- Housing condition of suicide victims.

From this frequency we can say that most of suicide victims are belongs in semi-paka
house. It is generally middle class people are live inn semi-paka house. So middle class are
more prone to commit suicide.

Table-8:- Sociability of victims

Valid
Frequency Percent Percent Cumulative Percent
Sociable 5 27.8 27.8 27.8
Open minded 2 11.1 11.1 38.9
Enjoy to
11 61.1 61.1 100.0
gossiping
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Frequency

Sociable
Open Minded
Enjoy to Gossiping

Figure-4.10:-Sociability of victims

In the sociable point of we see that most of suicide victims are enjoy to gossiping. So
those people who are not mixing with others they are not suicide victim. Actually suicide is
 25

not depending on sociability. Generally it seems that those people are not mixing with
others are chance to commit suicide. But it is not true.
Table- 9:- Used to get pleasure in mixing with
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Friends 13 72.22222 72.22222 72.22222
Relatives 1 5.555556 5.555556 77.77778
Known
Person 1 5.555556 5.555556 83.33333
Neighbors 3 16.66667 16.66667 100
Total 18 100 100

Frequency

Friends
Relatives
Known Person
Neighbors

Figure-4.11:- Used to get pleasure in mixing with

From this table we see that suicide victims are more like to mixing with friends. About
72.22% respondents are more preferable to mixing with friends.

Table-10 Love affairs of suicide victims

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Yes 11 61.1 61.1 61.1
No 7 38.9 38.9 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Yes
No

Figure- 4.12:- - Love affairs of suicide victims

 26

From this frequency & Chart we see that most of suicide victims have love affairs with
others, it about 62% respondents are experienced about love. So it would be said that, fall
in love also liable to suicide occurring.
Table- 11:- Feeling of the victim before committing suicide
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
1 Nobody bothered for him 1 5.6 5.6 5.6
2 Nobody had affection or kindness for him 7 38.9 38.9 44.4
3 Nobody had any responsibility for him 3 16.7 16.7 61.1
4 Every body though him as liable 3 16.7 16.7 77.8
5 He had no identity in society 4 22.2 22.2 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Before committing suicide most of suicide victims are feel that, nobody had affection or
kindness for him. Some of them are suffered to his identity in society. Actually it is true
that suicide victims are psychologically suffer to as emotional problem.

Table -12:- Abnormal types of behavior showed by victims before committing

suicide.
Frequency Percent Cumulative Percent
Quarreling on trifling matter 2 11.1 11.1
Not taking meal out of anger 3 16.7 27.8
Indifference 7 38.9 66.7
Stopping talking with others 6 33.3 100.0
Total 18 100.0

Suicide is sort time thinking. So before committing suicide sometimes suicide victim
showed some abnormal behavior. Sometimes they stop to talking with others sometimes
not taking meal out of anger.

Table -13:- Types of shock received by the victims before committing suicide

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Loose character of husband/wife 3 16.7 16.7 16.7
Illicit sex relation 5 27.8 27.8 44.4
Conflict over property &
2 11.1 11.1 55.6
financial Matter
Serious physical illness 2 11.1 11.1 66.7
Failure in love 6 33.3 33.3 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0
 27

We can explain this table as most of suicide victims is gets shock by failing of love
affairs. So we can say that the concept of love is highly vulnerable phenomena in life or
in suicide causation. Illicit sex relation is also liable to push a person to commit suicide.
Table -14:- Types of Despair the victims suffered from before committing suicide

Frequency Percent Cumulative Percent

Physical illness 2 11.1 11.1
Raped by her husband of sister-in-
1 5.6 16.7
law
Illicit sex relation 2 11.1 27.8
Conflict with husband 2 11.1 38.9
Illegitimate pregnancy 1 5.6 44.5
Miserable economic condition 3 16.7 61.2
Failure in love 6 33.3 88.9
Loose character of husband /wife 2 11.1 100.0
Total 18 100.0

The table shown before states that most of suicide victims are despair of fail in love.
Actually these people are ancient brain oriented and they want to acquire one thing though
he is not ready to survive.

Table -15:-Methods of committing suicide

Frequenc
y Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Taking Pesticide 5 27.77778 27.77778 27.77778
Hanging with rope 5 27.77778 27.77778 55.55556
Taking Overdose of Sleeping
Pills 3 16.66667 16.66667 72.22222
Taking Nitric Acid 1 5.555556 5.555556 77.77778
Jumping from High Place 4 22.22222 22.22222 100
Total 18 100 100

Frequency

6
5 Taking Pesticide

4
Hanging with rope
3
2 Taking Overdose of
Sleeping Pills
1 Taking Nitric Acid
0
Overdose

from High
Pesticide

with rope

Taking

Jumping
Hanging

Jumping from High

Nitric
Taking

Taking

Place

Figure-4.13:- Methods of committing suicide

 28

If we see the method of committing suicide we see that Taking pesticide or poison &
Hanging with rope are the mo0st popular method of suicide. Choice of one method also
depends on sex. Most male victims are choice to taking poison to suicide and other side
female are choose to jumping from high place to execute suicide.

Table -16:- Days of committing suicide

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Saturday 8 44.4 44.4 44.4
Sunday 1 5.6 5.6 50.0
Monday 5 27.8 27.8 77.8
Wednesday 2 11.1 11.1 88.9
Friday 2 11.1 11.1 100.0
Total 18 100.0 100.0

Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Wednesday
Friday

Figure-4.14 :- Days of committing suicide

In this table we see that, most of suicide occurs in Saturday. The main cause is that,
Friday is government holiday in Bangladesh. So people are get time to thinking about
himself and frustrated for which not can get himself. So for his thinking he can be making
decision to commit suicide. By this thinking or dead stimulus thinking he takes to commit
suicide in Saturday.

Table - 17:- Time of committing suicide by victims

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

11.00am 2 11.1 11.1 11.1
11.00pm 1 5.6 5.6 16.7
11.30pm 2 11.1 11.1 27.8
11.40am 1 5.6 5.6 33.3
4.30am 1 5.6 5.6 38.9
5.00am 2 11.1 11.1 50.0
5.30am 2 11.1 11.1 61.1
6.00am 2 11.1 11.1 72.2
6.30am 1 5.6 5.6 77.8
6.33am 1 5.6 5.6 83.3
7.00am 3 16.7 16.7 100.0
 29

Total 18 100.0 100.0

12

10

8 Before 7.00am

6 7.00am to
12.00am
4
Night
2

0
Before 7.00am to Night
7.00am 12.00am

Figure -4.15:- Time of committing suicide by victims

Time is important phenomenon in case of suicide. In this study we see that most of
suicide occurs in morning. Here about 12 cases are occurring in morning out of 18 cases.
We know suicide is not log process thinking decision but it also sort process thinking
phenomena. This thinking most time occurs in night and result menu face in morning.

Table-18:- Number of attempted to commit suicide

Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Did not Attempt Earlier 13 72.22222 72.22222 72.22222
One Attempt 4 22.22222 22.22222 94.44444
More than One attempt 1 5.555556 5.555556 100
Total 18 100 100

14

12

10 Did not Attempt

Earliar
8
One Attempt made
Earliar
6
More than one
4 Attempt

0
1

Figure-4.16:-Number of attempted to commit suicide

 30

By these case studies, we see that, generally suicide is rehab table. Because from this
table we can explain that most of victim is not make of suicide attempt earlier. Actually it
is true that, a person who attempt one time i. e. after attempt he want to try to live in the
world. These live instincts make a fence to rapid this attempt.
Table-19:- Reasons for committing suicide as seen by near relations of the
suicide victims
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Miserable economic Condition 1 5.555556 5.555556 5.555556
Love affair without consent of
Parent 1 5.555556 5.555556 11.11111
Failure of Love 7 38.88889 38.88889 50
Absence of good relationship
between husband & wife 1 5.555556 5.555556 55.55556
Decay of social value system 5 27.77778 27.77778 83.33333
Family Trouble 2 11.11111 11.11111 94.44444
Lack of Proper socialization 1 5.555556 5.555556 100
Total 18 100 100

Frequency

8
7
6
5
4 Frequency
3
2
1
0
Love affair

social value
Failure of
Miserable

economic

Lack og
Trouble
Absence of

Family

Proper
Decay of
without

Love

good

Figure-4.17:- Reasons for committing suicide

This is the opinion of reasons for committing suicide as seen by near relations of the
suicide victims. It may not be fully true in all cases. But it is also true reason for
committing suicide if a victims. From this table we see that, most of suicide victims are
attempt it because they fail to interact with his partner as it is also called failure of love and
for this suicide most time occurs. It is the effect of Industrialization & Urbanization. By
Industrialization & Urbanization there broke down social norms and order. There also
broke down social stratification. In modern’s times according to emerging of science it also
emerges the movies and all movies shown the love of adventure and those activities which
 31

decays social value system though these are not fact. Some people try to adjust these
activities in empirical world and fall in love like Paner Dokander. They not only fall in
love they sometimes break social value system. In the table we see that, the most causes of
suicide are failure in love and decay of social value system.
Table-20:- Measures suggested for reducing the incidence of suicide
Valid Cumulative
Frequency Percent Percent Percent
Improvement of socio-economic
system 1 5.555556 5.555556 5.555556
Peace & tranquility in family life 5 27.77778 27.77778 33.33333
Developing love & affection between
husband & wife 3 16.66667 16.66667 50
Proper socialization of children 4 22.22222 22.22222 72.22222
Have to consent of parents about love 2 11.11111 11.11111 83.33333
Have to Regulate social order 3 16.66667 16.66667 100
Total 18 100 100

Improvement of
socio-economic
5 system
4.5 Peace &
4 transquility in
3.5 family life

3 Developing love &

affection betwwen
2.5 husband & wife
2
Proper
1.5 socialization of
1 children
0.5 Have to consent of
0 parents about love

Have to Regulate
social order
Figure- 4.18:- Measures suggested for reducing the incidence of suicide.

There are various opinion of taken to reduce suicide from general people. They emphasis
on peace & tranquility in family life. They also emphasis on proper socialization of
children.
 32

Bivariate Analysis
Cross Tabulation-1

Occupation of the respondent and expenditure of the respondent cross tabulation

Occupation Total
Student Employee Business Housewife Unemployed
Respondent 1000
0 0 0 1 1 2
Expenditure
12000 0 0 1 0 0 1
1300 0 0 0 0 1 1
1500 1 0 0 0 1 2
15000 0 1 0 0 0 1
1800 0 0 0 0 1 1
2000 1 0 0 0 0 1
2500 0 0 0 2 0 2
2800 1 0 0 0 0 1
3000 3 0 0 1 0 4
4,000 0 0 0 0 1 1
4000 0 0 0 1 0 1
Total 6 1 1 5 5 18

From this cross tabulation we say that respondent expenditure depends on their occupation.

Cross Tabulation-2
Housing condition, Family income Cross tabulation
Family Income Total
6
4 5 6 5 8 9
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
11000 12000 18000 19,000 20000 25000 3500 0 0 0 0 0 0
H Paka
ousi
ng
0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4
C
ond
itio
n
Semi-
1 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 2 11
paka
Kacha 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 3
Total 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 18
 33

From this cross tabulation we can say that Housing condition depends on family income.

Cross Tabulation-3

Love affairs, Illicit sex relation Cross tabulation

Illicit sex relation Total

yes no
Love Yes 6 5 11
Affairs No 0 7 7
Total 6 12 18

From this cross tabulation we see that illicit sex relation is closely related to love affairs. It
means those suicide victims have love affairs they have chance to involve illicit sex
relation with his couple.

Cross Tabulation-4
Method of committing suicide and sex of the suicide respondent Cross tabulation

Sex of the respondent Total

Male Female
Method of Taking pesticides
3 0 3
committing suicide
Hanging with rope 3 3 6
Taking sleeping pills 2 0 2
Taking nitric acid 0 1 1
Jumping from high
0 6 6
place
Total 8 10 18

Actually it is true that, choice of method of suicide is closely related to sex of the
respondent. From this cross tabulation we see that, male respondents are more prone to
taking pesticides, poison and sleeping pills to commit suicide. On the other hand, female
are choose jumping from high place.
 34

CHAPTER-5

Case Studies
(The names of the respondent are not used here to avoid any problem in her life.)

Case Study-1:- A Youngman of 22 Years of age had a love affair with a girl but could not
marry her as his guardian got him married elsewhere. But he developed extra-marital sex
relation with the girl & in course of time she became pregnant. Again he wanted to marry
her but his guardians opposed it vehemently. When the girl came to know that marriage
with that man was not at all possible she committed suicide by hanging on the rope. On
hearing the death news of girl he also committed suicide.

Case Study-2:-A young married girl of 18 years was living with her husband in her
father’s house along with her mother and a younger brother. Her younger sister was
married to the younger brother of her husband. Her husband developed illicit sex relation
with her mother and when she sense it she tried her best to refrain her husband from such a
heinous thing but her husband did not listen to her and threaten to marry for the second
time. Her mother also gave her pressure to leave the house and go to her husband’s house
and live separately. Ultimately, she committed suicide. It may be mentioned that her father
& Uncle also committed suicide a few years ago.

Case Study-3:- A boy of 15 years of a very well-do-family consisting of father, 2 brothers

& 2 sisters committed suicide by taking pesticide. The family income was Tk.12, 000/=
and the family had 50 bighas of land plus some houses in the town. The boy did not keep
good relationship with his sisters. Though a house tutor was engaged for him but he was
not very interested in his studies. He used to quarrel off and on with his sisters. One day his
sister beat him & he committed suicide.

Case Study-4:- A married girl of 29 years was very healthy and beautiful. He falls in love
and committed love marriage few years ago. Her husband’s brother had a wife but no
children. They used to live together. Within few months of her marriage her husband began
to doubt her that she had special attraction for his brother and they had illicit sex relation.
She tried to convince her husband that she was a good and on honest girl but her husband
was not convinced. She also narrated the whole thing to her father and her father wanted
to get her divorce but she did not like the idea of having divorce from her husband as she
was very faithful and true to her husband. But ultimately she want to her father’s house and
committed suicide.
 35

CHAPTER-6
6.1: Summary
Suicide is highly vulnerable phenomena for any human being. Suicide is specially a
problem of human beings. Any animal can die by disease or can be killed by an outside
agency. But only human being can kill themselves. Self destructive behavior not associated
with the idea of death is not suicide. So, suicide not only the act of taking one’s own life
but also one who dies from his own hand & one who attempts or has a tendency to commit
suicide. It refers to the behavior of individuals or groups which may bring about their own
destruction.

From this study we see that, those three factors are liable for suicide, but psychological
factors are more important to commit a suicide. If we study these 18 cases, economical
factors are low in related to suicide. Social factors are also liable to attempt suicide.
Actually, there are high social on an individual. But all of these psychological factors are
most emphasis on human minds and leads them to suicide. Actually suicide is a result of
psychological depression. Here economical and social factors are emphasis on
psychological factors. It is time that psychological factors are main point of the suicide. If
we see the case studies of these 18 cases we can find that all of these are psychologically
inferior or deficient. So when he found any economical or social pressure then they turn
into suicide.

Here the relation of these three factors are- economical status of one individual based of
his social position and attribution. And this social status is earned by an individual by his
psychological status. On the other side, an individual acquire his social status by his
psychological attribution and by this social status in one society he can earn his economical
comfort ability.

Here we can identify the three factors which lead an individual to commit suicide. These
can be explained by three ball theory of this study.

After a long term research about suicide we found some general and unique Causes of
suicide. If we discuss about causes of suicide, we found that there is no single causes of
suicide more than it is a combination of some causes which push a person to commit
suicide. The findings of this research about suicide are Explained bellow by points:

 Suicide Is Not Always Planned

Suicide is not planed as long time. A person can not made a planed from long time as
like one years. Suicide is a causes of depression and it is not belongs as long time because
human thinking is changeable. Sometimes a depressed person plans a suicide in advance.
Many times, though, suicide attempts happen impulsively, in a moment of feeling
desperately upset. A situation like a breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended
pregnancy, being touted by someone else, or being victimized in any way can cause
 36

someone to feel desperately upset. Often, a situation like this, on top of an existing
depression, acts like the final straw.

Some people who attempt suicide mean to die and some don't. For some, a suicide
attempt is a way to express deep emotional pain. They can’t say how they feel, so, for
them, attempting suicide feels like the only way to get their message across. Sadly, even
when a suicide attempt is a cry for help and the person doesn’t mean to die, there’s no way
to control it. Many people who really didn’t mean to kill themselves end up dead or
critically ill.

 Why Do Teens Try to Kill Themselves?

Most teens interviewed after making a suicide attempt say that they did it because they
were trying to escape from a situation that seemed impossible to deal with or to get relief
from really bad thoughts or feelings. Like Ethan, they didn’t want to die as much as they
wanted to escape from what was going on. And at that particular moment dying seemed
like the only way out. Some people who end their lives or attempt suicide might be trying
to escape feelings of rejection, hurt, or loss. Others might be angry, ashamed, or guilty
about something. Some people may be worried about disappointing friends or family
members. And some may feel unwanted, unloved, victimized, or like they’re a burden to
others.

We all feel overwhelmed by difficult emotions or situations sometimes. But most people
get through it or can put their problems in perspective and find a way to carry on with
determination and hope. So why does one person try suicide when another person in the
same tough situation does not? What makes some people more resilient (better able to deal
with life’s setbacks and difficulties) than others? What makes a person unable to see
another way out of a bad situation besides ending his or her life? The answer to those
questions lies in the fact that most people who commit suicide have depression.

 Causes of suicide
No single factor has gained acceptance as a universal cause of suicide. However,
depression is a common phenomenon amongst those who commit suicide. Other factors
that may be related are as follows (Note that this is not meant as a comprehensive list, but
rather as a summary of notable causes):
 Pain (e.g. physical or emotional agony that is not correctable)
 Stress (e.g. Grief after a death)
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 Crime (e.g. escaping judicial punishment and dehumanization, boredom of

incarceration)
 Mental illness and disability (e.g. depression, bipolar disorder, trauma, and
schizophrenia)
 Catastrophic Injury (e.g. paralysis, disfigurement, loss of limb)
 Substance abuse
 Adverse environment (e.g. sexual abuse, poverty, homelessness, discrimination,
bullying, fear of murder and/or torture)
 Financial loss (e.g. gambling addiction, loss of job/assets, stock market crash,
debts)
 Unresolved sexual issues (e.g. sexual orientation[3], unrequited love, aftermath of a
break up)
 To avoid shame or dishonor (e.g. Under the Bushido ideal, if a samurai failed to
uphold his honor he could regain it by performing seppuku.)
 Curiosity (e.g. the need to know what comes after life.)
 Boredom (e.g. The dissatisfaction with life has resulted in more calculated and
planned suicides)
 Terrorism can also be a motive for suicide, especially when related to the
following:
o Religion (e.g., suicide bombings, Heaven's Gate)
o Extreme nationalism (e.g., the Kamikaze, Selbstopfer, and Kaiten suicide
weapons)

6.2 Explanation about Causes of suicide

The individual was surrounded by all of his relatives and this larger family
determined his career and his ambitions. His principal satisfactions were found in
co-operation with that group, which was considered as extending beyond his own life
into the distant future. Within this group he had perfect individual security, for the
group cared for him in case of sickness, accident, old age, insanity, or any other
emergency. Such charity involves no sigma or disgraces what so ever. This large family,
more ever, was supported by the surrounding community, which also harmonious in its
traditional culture. The social organization provided few opportunities for
‘individualism’ in behavior. In contemporary urban society, a child is confronted with
various ways of behaving even with in his own home, for no parents can act
consistently in modern life; the parent himself is the recipient of many alternative
roles and behavior patterns. Similarly, groups outside the home have standards of
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conduct which often are extremely different from those within the home. A great deal
of behavior is in the nature of the role-playing, and when roles are conflicting or
ambiguous the behavior is inconsistent. Sellin has described the conflicts within
contemporary communities thus.
An individual try to acquire some status in the society by his Psychological, Social and
Economical attribution. These three attributions may lead a person to commit suicide. This
suicide causation can be explained by these three factors as ‘Three Balls Theory’

Three Balls Theory

Three balls Theory is based on assumption that human life is complex and this complex
life is depends on three factors e.g. economical social and psychological factors. In this
theory these three factors assume as three ball and these are essential elements of life to
live in society, like in Atom there are three elements proton, neutron, and electron.

An individual stay in his society with some social, economical & psychological
attribution which also indicates his social status in the society. This Psycho-socio-
economical attribution also can be indicating by value as binary digit. For example – an
individual psychologically fit, mixing with society and not any economical power in the
society, then his value belongs =110.

Now the main fact is that suicide is a result of spin of these three balls. If we think these
three factors as three balls then we can easily explain the causes of suicide as simply. We
know these three factors are running with our life. In this running there are possible to
make spin of these ball. There are three possibilities in this spin-
1. Clock wise
2. Anti-clock wise
3. There is no make any spin

The value system for clockwise spin is 1, anti-clockwise spin is -1 and when there is no
make any spin then the value is 0.

Here described various factors spin:-

Psychological Factors:- Psychological factors are important for human being. Here the
clock wise spin means positive spin and it is refers as ‘life instinct’ of human being. Anti-
clock wise spin means negative spin it is refers as ‘Death instinct” of human being. When
there is no any instinct are not work then it means stable.

Social Factors: - Here the clock wise spin means positive spin and it is refers as ‘Social
support’ of human being. Anti-clock wise spin means negative spin it is refers as ‘ Social
opposition” of human being. When there is no any instinct are not work then it means
stable.
 39

Economical Factors:- Here the clock wise spin means positive spin and it is refers as ‘
economical comfortable’ of human being. Anti-clock wise spin means negative spin it is
refers as ‘economical shock” of human being. When there is no any instinct are not work
then it means stable.

There is possible value of these three factors

Psychological Social factors Economical
factors factors
Positive spin 1 1 1
Stable 0 0 0
Negative spin -1 -1 -1

Here by using this measuring system we can identify ones psycho-socio-economical

attribution. This value also is defined as Suicidal probability value. In this theory the
main point is that, when this binary numerical value belongs below 0 then he would
commit suicide.

Psycho Social Economic

1
2
4

Figure:- Factors of causing suicide

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6.3 Recommendation
Suicide is a destructive phenomenon for any society. It is highly rapid in result of
industrialization and urbanization. Actually it is rapid for modernization and for this
modernization family kinship system is broken down. So it growth as rapidly. It is very
essential to prevent this suicide. To prevent this suicide there are many measure should be
prescribed to prevent suicide. The measures are given bellow:-
1. It is need to maintain law and order in the society.
2. Loneliness is main factor s for commit suicide. So, there should be need well
psychological treatment for depressed people.
3. Family kinship system has to growth.
4. Husband wife relation should be as like friend and have to good understanding
among them.
5. There need to control love of adventure among young people.
6. There should be warning advertised before movies shown that, it is not related with
fact or empirical world.

6.4 Limitations of the study

This Research faces many more limitations of the study as it is not fulfilled in every side.
Because of some limitations, which are as followed-
1. The major problem was the respondents’ response as they are not keen enough about
giving real data.
2. Area was limited in the sphere of suicide. As it is in different places.
3. Data was not sufficient in the number of sample.
4. Fund was very limited
5. Experience seemed as a very greater problem. Because, the researcher is new and not
skilled in social research.
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6.5 Glossary
Bar chart: A graphic device used for displaying nominal or ordinal data.

Case studies: Observational studies of a single environment (an organization, a neighbor

hood, a public place). Field research is often based on a single case study.
Chi-Square test (x ): An inferential statistics testing the null hypotheses of independence
2

between two variables.

Cross tabulation: A table showing the relationship between two or more variables by
presenting all combinations of categories of variables.

Degrees of freedom (df): A characteristic of the sample statistics that determines the
appropriate sampling distribution.
Dependent variable: the variable that the researcher wishes to explain.

Family: A group organized around ties of kinship.

Face to face interview: A method of administering a survey in which an interviewer
questions an interviewee using a structured set of questions.

Histogram: A graphic device used to display frequency distributions of interval and ratio
level data.
Hypothesis: A proportion tentatively assumed to be valid until disproved.

Independent variable: The variable, in an experiment or survey that exercise an effect

on a dependent variable

Pie chart: A graphic device used to show differences in frequencies or percentage among
the categories of nominal variables.
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6.6 Bibliography

Atran, S. (2004). Mishandling suicide terrorism. The Washington Quarterly, 27:3,

67-90.

Durkheim’s monograph,’le suicide’ pubmished in 1897 and translated ito English.

Atran, S. (2006). The moral logic and growth of suicide terrorism. The Washington
Quarterly, 29:2, 127-147.

Morgan, King. Introduction to Psychology Tata Mcgraw hill ,1985.

Durkheim, E. (1979). Suicide: A study in sociology. New York City: The Free Press.

Shaffer, D.J. (September 1988). "The Epidemiology of Teen Suicide: An Examination of

Risk Factors". Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 49 (supp.): 36–41. PMID 3047106. Retrieved
on 2006-04-12.

Khan, A., Warner, H. A., & Brown, W. A. (2000) Symptom reduction and suicide risk in
patients treated with placebo in antidepressant clinical trials. Archives of General
Psychiatry, 57, 311-317.

Cantor CH. Suicide in the Western World. In: Hawton K, van Heering K, eds.
International handbook of suicide and attempted suicide. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons,
2000: 9-28.

La Vecchia, C., Lucchini, F., & Levi, F. (1994) Worldwide trends in suicide mortality,
1955-1989. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 90, 53-64.; Lester, Patterns, 1996, pp. 28-30.

Baldessarini, R. J., & Jamison, K. R. (1999) Effects of medical interventions on suicidal

behavior. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60 (Suppl. 2), 117-122.