From the archives: Suicide

Here are our past articles, interviews, reviews and more on the topic of suicide…

Suicide prevention, and understanding moments of crisis

- Evaluating 'Suicide Surveillance Technologies' at high-risk locations: Dr Bethany Cliffe, Dr Laura Joyner, Professor Lisa Marzano, Dr Jay-Marie Mackenzie and Dr Ian Marsh write on World Suicide Prevention Day.

- How can we understand the suicidal mind in the moment of crisis? Ella Rhodes speaks to three psychologists. And how do you get someone in crisis to choose life?

- 'Even the bleakest moments are not permanent' Our editor Jon Sutton interviews Professor Rory O'Connor. We also heard from Rory about his involvement in a BBC1 programme starting a national conversation about suicide, and had A review of 'Suicide and me', his programme with musician Professor Green. We also interviewed Rory first here in 2013.

- A role for pharmacists in suicide prevention?

- What do you say? Karen Wetherall watches I Made This For You.

- New initiatives for working with suicide and self-harm; plus lessons from Japanese suicide prevention efforts.

- We interview Siobhan O'Neill, around her policy work on suicide and self-harm.

- 'Suicide isn't an inevitable outcome of suicidal thoughts'.

Prisoners and offending

- We report on the recent Harris Review on self-inflicted deaths amongst young people in custody, and Graham Towl and Tammi Walker consider prisoner suicide in this online-first publication, with contributions from a prison warden and the prison and probation ombudsman (and their book reviewed here).

- Murder-suicide: are we up to the challenge?

Families, gender and more

- Striking similarities in personal stories: Kate Johnstone watches two documentaries on suicide.

- 'We need a rethink, to support young families'
Psychologist Mary Barker with a personal reflection on the death of her adopted daughter Ruby by suicide. Plus we reported on rising rates of child suicide, and reviewed a play on mothers' suicide.

- From 2008, a look at masculinities and suicide; plus hormones and suicide risk.

- Psychologist suicide: Practising what we preach. How many psychologists or therapists do you know, or have you heard of, who have taken their own lives?

The media

- What role does news reporting play in suicide? Plus the psychology of suicide bombing, and the role of the media.

The research

On our Research Digest, we've looked for clues around suicide in the notes left by children and teens; in writing more broadly; and in social media posts. We've looked at research into what's different about those who attempt suicide rather than just thinking about it; into Emo and Goth subculture; and asked whether certain groups are more likely to leave a note. We've covered the importance of responsible reporting; considered people's moral reactions to suicide; and admitted that Psychology is still poor at predicting suicidal behaviour. Studies have also looked at links with perfectionism; asked whether treating depression also treats suicidality; and revealed links between occupation and suicide risk.

Towards hope, and more

We'll end this round-up with a window of opportunity at a dark time; messages of hope and determination.; and some sage life advice in an interview with Matt Haig: 'It's about editing your life so it makes sense again'.

There's much more on suicide and self-harm across The Psychologist and Research Digest archive.

For help, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on 116 123.