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Suicide as a Distorted Goal-Directed Process: Wanting to Die, Killing, and Being Killed
Ladislav Valach1, Konrad Michel, Richard A Young
1*Private practice, Lindenstrasse, Bremgarten; †University Psychiatric Services (UPD), Murtenstrasse, Bern, Switzerland; and ‡Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract:
It has been suggested that suicidal persons engage in distorted thinking. We propose that suicide can be understood as a distorted goal-directed action. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the specific distortions in the goal-directed processes of suicide as indicated in suicide narratives of 40 persons after a suicide attempt. The findings indicate action distortions such as the disconnect between the wish to die, the action of killing oneself, and the experience of being killed. Furthermore, we found a lack of long-term nonsuicidal pursuits, missing or incomplete action monitoring, and control and regulation processes. The implications for suicide prevention are discussed, and the procedure of self-confrontation interview is suggested as a helpful intervention.
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