1. Workshop: SUICIDE Concept of “self-harming behavior” What’s happening to 15 to 24 year olds? Depression and medical intervention Survivors of Suicide: some DOs and DON’Ts for chaplains Theological perspective Spiritual Resources for Chaplains MACCM.Suicide.4/3/13 3:18 PM.RGP.v1 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

2. SELF-Harming Behaviour Suicides somehow manage to “override” the natural instinct for self-preservation –Best way to explain it is that there exists the exact opposite polarity of the will to survive in extremis. It is equally as powerful. –Medical science cannot explain suicide either by forensic physical investigation of the brain, or genetic studies, or behavioural studies 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

3. Self-harming behaviour continued Suicide attempts may be: –Intended or inadvertent Accidents without notes or other proof of intent are generally not counted as suicides. Hence the number is probably understated. –Successful or unsuccessful Males are more successful because they have access to the means and have the skill required Females try more often * Queensland Government identifies them carefully (independently), hence it looks like there are more suicides in Queensland 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

4. Depression & Interventions Not all suicides evince the classic symptoms of depression Depression, even acute depression, rarely leads to suicide –Suicidal ideation is normal. Planning is not. Some psychtoxic drugs used to treat depression are known to increase the risk of suicide and warrant close custody of users 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

5. Survivors of Suicide Grief is profound and complicated by: –Sense of rejection –Sense of failure (as a parent, sibling, spouse, friend, work colleague, team-mate, etc) –Not being able to make sense of it –Other people’s inability to cope with it –Long time needed to work through Stage 3 of the Grief process –Idiocy factor (viz., suicide talked about as “brave”, sick jokes, insensitive probing by strangers) 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

6. Theology Christian Churches do not now refuse funeral rites or burial rites Still seen as sinful if intended and pursued in full knowledge, but the language has changed to that of forgiveness of the desperate being possible right up to the last instant of death. Very comforting idea! 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

7. SPIRITUAL RESOURCES Christ’s sense of abandonment on the cross Book of Job (explicit metaphor of wanting to be pushed back into the womb and not not wanting to have been conceived) All Souls and The Communion of Saints Christ’s redemption of everybody Purgatory not Hell Does not qualify as a sin (informed consent) 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

8. DOs and DON’Ts Do: –Seek out (and not be deterred by first rebuff) –Be tactile and hug –Say as little as possible –Ask about the person not the circumstances –Offer to draft the Service –Suggest and help organise a proper Irish Wake –Help return all casserole dishes etc to the owners 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt

9. Dos & DON’Ts cont’d Don’t: –Talk about the victims to others (it always gets back to them somehow) –Try theological reassurance –Try reassurance about good parenting etc –Expect any early progress beyond shock and anger (with self and others) –Drop out of their life –Forget to call on the anniversary or birthday or Christmas Day just to see how they are travelling 4/3/13MACCM Ross Pitt