OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the association between religion and suicide either in terms of Durkheim’s social integration hypothesis or the hypothesis of the regulative benefits of religion. The relationship between religion and suicide attempts has received even less attention.
METHOD: Depressed inpatients (N=371) who reported belonging to one specific religion or described themselves as having no religious affiliation were compared in terms of their demographic and clinical characteristics.
RESULTS: Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found.
CONCLUSIONS: Religious affiliation is associated with less suicidal behavior in depressed inpatients. After other factors were controlled, it was found that greater moral objections to suicide and lower aggression level in religiously affiliated subjects may function as protective factors against suicide attempts. Further study about the influence of religious affiliation on aggressive behavior and how moral objections can reduce the probability of acting on suicidal thoughts may offer new therapeutic strategies in suicide prevention.http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.…
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Atheists, What Is Your Opinion On This Study?
Posted on April 27, 2013.
1) rather limited study. (Since these are just inpatients, so this would only apply to those getting inpatient therapy). Of course, you can not interview religious people who had a successful attempt, and there are plenty of those as well, sadly.
2) Family history might be skewed: Highly religious families in certain countries might not want to report and even actually cover up a suicide or attempt due to social stigma.
3) these are inpatients…does not cover religion based suicide bombings, attacks, etc. So, other than saying some people find comfort in a religion when institutionalized and the medical staff should support that, I am not sure what the point is.
4)self-reporting might be skewed: people with religious affiliations and moral objections to suicide night means they might not be fully self-reporting undocumented suicide attempts and thoughts (as opposed to people who have no moral objections to such behavior).
In conclusion, spiritual support to those who have a religion in a crisis situation might be comforting or might decrease the amount of REPORTED suicidal thoughts (does not mean they are not having them, just not reporting them due to fear, etc.). This is not a new thought, by the way…
However, trying to force a religion onto someone at that moment would not be appropriate or comforting if that is what you are getting at..
Both religious and nonreligious people get depressed. Some of the depressed atheists are more likely to commit suicide if they don’t find relief from it than the depressed religious people. So? I can’t see any legitimate argument for theism being true here or even that it is preferable. Anything beyond the facts is speculation but perhaps deeply miserable atheists have no reason to feel they must continue so whereas some equally deeply miserable theists feel they will go to hell or displease a god if they commit suicide? Was that supposed to be a ringing endorsement for religion?
So, I agree with the nonreligious participants – suicide is not morally wrong ;/
41% (the highest #) of the religious (already institutionalized btw) participants were catholic, so…does that mean catholicism is the correct sect of christianity? Ummm, interesting
People who have pets and love wildlife commit suicide even less than people with a specific religion.
So I think I found a better replacement, but thanks for your concern for me.
BTW, were any members of the People’s Temple included in that study?
I think the threat of eternal torture has an inhibiting effect on many who might otherwise want that way out. No, it doesn’t mean that the religious are more psychologically healthy, just more fearful of what might happen later.
“CONCLUSIONS: Religious affiliation is associated with less suicidal behavior in depressed inpatients.”
I guess they didn’t count all the gay kids who killed themselves after having been brainwashed by a blood cult.
I think the brainwashing was successful. Religious people have a moral objection to suicide – which obviously leads to fear of committing suicide.
Is call sense of spiritualism a well non subject in psychology the same “thrills” you feel at church other person can feel it with another object, place, action or anything
A biased study by a special interest group.
And yes, I would agree, sometimes religion can serve as a placebo.
CONCLUSION: Another lie disguised as a study.
Why am I not surprised.
There’s nothing new that hope is a positive thing for people, and religion provides hope.
That doesn’t make religion true, though.
After reading news about religious folks flying planes into buildings or strapping themselves with bombs yelling “God is Great”… I strongly disagree with that conclusion.
OK, religion is obviously a comfort mechanism. . .that does not change the reality of life on earth.
“Suicide is painless”
You wish… which makes you an ignorant of reality.
OK so…what? At best you’ve proven religion is a placebo.