[Suicide prevention - current practice and theory]

The present situation of suicide prevention is portrayed by an historical outline, and the description of the practice and the theoretical foundations. It is established that suicide prevention was intensified after 1948 through the fundamental practical and theoretical works of Erwin Ringel. The present situation is characterized by the fact that after the initial recovery of desperate persons as patients for medicine, the defamation of the suicidal act by society could be avoided in another manner than by merely classifying it as a sickness. Increasing interest is being granted to political and other suicides who depict suicide as a possibility of mankind. The practical application of suicide prevention consists in the organization of rest-centres, the interdisciplinary participation of various professional groups and the application of various medical, psychological and social therapies. The theoretical foundation includes the theories of early and present psychoanalysis, social science and theoretical learn-oriented psychology. This formation and this global view of suicide prevention-practice and theory today, allow us to draw the conclusion that every physician, psychologist, social worker or other human being who comes into contact with desperate persons applies the most effective suicide prevention when he behaves in a straight forward manner, and is interested unreservedly in a candid, unforced way in the psychic and social conflict situation of the other, allthewhile respecting that person's freedom.