Background
Method
Participants
Procedure
Results
Attempt survivors’ reasons for suicide | Relatives’ reasons for attempt survivor’s suicide |
---|---|
Similar reasons | |
My stepmum used to beat me and insult me. (SA, Female, 18 years) | Her stepmum was worrying her and wanted me to sack her from the house. (F, Male, 62 years). |
Then all of a sudden he packs his things and goes to stay with another woman (SA, Female, 28) | The man she wanted to be with did not work out too (F, Male, 50) |
I knew that so long as the money was missing, my life had ended (SA, Male, 27 years). | He said thieves had taken his money and he wanted to kill himself. (F, Male, 45 years). |
At home they trouble you and treat you as if you are nothing to them (SA, Male, 21 years). | My elder sister also doesn’t like him, she has been talking to him anyhow and insulting him (F, Male, 25 years). |
I was having arguments with him (her boyfriend) on this fateful day.. (SA, Female, 34 years). | I knew she was having problems with her boyfriend and his family.. (Female, 30 years). |
Different reasons | |
I was having a disagreement with my girlfriend over a trivial issue (SA, Male, 24 years). | When my husband and I have quarrels, I realized it affects him.. (Female, 56 years). |
My husband and I were not on good terms then (SA, Female, 34 years). | I spoke to some people a long time ago about it and told them I suspected my wife had a mental problem (F, Male, 44 years). |
My mum and I had a deal and she said she doesn’t have any money. I had put my hopes high (SA, Male, 20 years). | The other was that feeling that all was lost because of his school grades (F, Female, 30 years). |
I will call it depression and isolation (SA, Female, 24 years). | I don’t have any idea and to my best of knowledge there was nothing wrong with her (F, Female, 40 years). |
I think it was spiritual or something because I wasn’t having any problem with anyone (SA, Female, 21 years). | I knew that she didn’t have much friends, she was always alone. Am sure that caused it. She didn’t tell the truth. I don’t think it is spiritual (F, Female, 31 years). |
Attempters | N (%) | Family of attempters | N (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Males | 4 (40) | Male | 6 (60) |
Females | 6 (60) | Females | 4 (40 |
18–25 | 6 (60) | 25–45 | 5 (50) |
26–34 | 4 (40) | 46–62 | 5 (50) |
Student | 5 (50) | Civil servant | 5 (50) |
Courier service | 1 (10) | Artisans | 2 (20) |
Artisans | 3 (20) | Security officer | 2 (20) |
Courier service | 1(10) | ||
Poisonous substances | 8 (80) | ||
Rope | 1 (10) | ||
Slit wrist | 1 (10) |
Similar reasons
Domestic abuse
My stepmum used to beat me and insult me. When it happened, I run away to my grandparent’s house, so that my parents can have peace at home. My parents had travelled at the time I left. When they returned…and were asking of me, neighbors around told them they had not seen me. He called my phone but I refused to pick the call... However, I told my grandparents that am not going back to my dad because of the way the woman was treating me in the house. My granddad accompanied me back home and they talked about everything but still she did not change. The woman was always saying that the man am living with is not my dad so I shouldn’t say he is my dad...she kept insulting and saying bad things about my real mum so one day I took a disinfectant from another woman’s kitchen and drank it (SA, Female, 18 years).
I honestly do not have any idea why she did that because she is my daughter and I provide all her needs. So I don’t know why she attempted. I had travelled and was told when I returned that she run away. Her stepmum was worrying her and the step mum wanted me to sack her from the house but I objected. The stepmum rather left the house. We are divorced now (F, Male, 62 years).
Emotional pain with sense of loss
My uncle was trying to connect me with a white man so I marry him and leave Ghana with him. However because my husband (He was not my husband then) had helped me a lot and gives me money and feed’s me, I didn’t want to disappoint him by going to take another man. He also threatened me that I shouldn’t leave him because of all that he had done for me...Then all of a sudden he packs his things and goes to stay with another woman whiles we are living together. So, it was like he didn’t allow me to marry who my uncle was planning for me and on the other hand, he is chasing another woman so it was like I had lost both opportunities. It was during that time that I felt the pain and anguish, and we had disagreements most times... (SA, Female, 28)
Money got missing at home because thieves came to steal the money at home. The money belonged to me and someone else. I searched and searched for the money but couldn’t find it... The money was 5000 cedis ($1250). ..I knew that so long as the money was missing, my life had ended. I didn’t tell the person that this was what had happened (SA, Male, 27 years).
I was not around when it happened so I don’t know what really could have caused it, I was in Kumasi (capital town of Ashanti Region in Ghana). I was sad when I heard it. He said thieves had taken his money and he wanted to kill himself. I pray that something like this would not happen again (F, Male, 45 years).
Sense of worthlessness
...At home they trouble you and treat you as if you are nothing to them. They [family members he lives with] make you feel you are hopeless. They don’t respect you and anybody speaks anyhow to you. They took me for granted because they feed me at home, so they speak anyhow to me and want to tell me what to do. Because I don’t contribute anything at home, my friends can’t even visit me at home unless I visit them. My sister was also worrying me and insulting me all the time and speaks anyhow to me. The first thing that came to mind before I drank the disinfectant was that, I mean nothing to these people and they don’t appreciate anything I do for them (SA, Male, 21 years).
The reason was that he was not having a better job and also he was at home always. My elder sister also doesn’t like him, she has been talking to him anyhow and insulting him. As for my brother I know him very well, he feels pain in everything. She has been troubling him always. So I think it’s because of my sister that’s why he attempted (F, Male, 25 years).
Romantic tensions
I was in a relationship with a guy, and the rent of house I was living in with my children was due... we didn’t get any other place to rent so the guy I was dating took us to his house. Before I moved there, I was on good terms with the guy’s family. But just the day we moved in, the family fought with the guy and even when I greeted them, they didn’t respond well...The guy’s behavior later began to change. Sometimes he will frown at me and not talk to me for no reason...I was having arguments with him on this fateful day and that day too my daughter went to do something she shouldn’t have done so I was really angry and the insults were too much. (SA, Female, 34 years).
I don’t know why it happened but I knew she was having problems with her boyfriend and his family. Maybe that could have caused it. I was sad because she is the only sister I have and she wants to kill herself. (Female, 30 years).
Different reasons
Difficult romantic relationships versus difficult family relationships
I was having a disagreement with my girlfriend over a trivial issue, so I didn’t understand why the issue had become a problem. I just don’t like to have problems and is like if problems come I get all agitated, and ask myself why this is happening. So I really didn’t know what was happening… for a moment I didn’t know what I was doing. Okay! That was the trigger. Already I have a whole lot of back load things that has happened (SA, Male, 24 years).
...for my son I don’t know of any reason that could have caused it. When my husband and I have quarrels, I realized that it affects him. So maybe that could have caused it but am not sure (F, Female, 56 years).
Difficult family relationships versus mental illness
My husband and I were not on good terms then. My cousin came to stay with us to school and when she came, she was very disobedient. No one could control her...I was against some of the things she did but my husband supported her so she took me for granted...my cousin misbehaved and I called my brother to inform him that I want the girl (cousin) to leave our house. He advised against it and promised to talk to her to change. That evening I called my brother again and told him I didn’t see any change in her since that morning. Just then, my husband took the phone from me and told my brother that it’s not that the girl is not good but I am rather not the good person. Honestly, that statement worried me and before all this, I was not on good terms with my husband as I have already told you. So it made my brother believe what my husband told him. When I took back the phone my brother told me that if I don’t keep quiet and let the girl stay with us and finish her school, then he ceases to be my brother and I should not call him again. So because of what my brother said and when I look at the behavior of the girl who is going to live with us for three years before she completes school, I can’t stand it. And since my brother said if I do not allow her to stay, he ceases to be my brother I had to make a decision...i wanted to die (SA, Female, 34 years).
I was really confused and suspected it was a mental problem when it happened. I didn’t think she could go to that extreme to kill herself. I spoke to some people a long time ago about it and told them I suspected my wife had a mental problem. They didn’t believe me. I once suggested we go to see a psychiatrist and she got angry with me. She said am thinking she is mad. So when she attempted to kill herself, I told the people that my suspicions were right. Actually, I later noticed why she did it after doing some research and visiting some experts. She was mentally and emotionally not well. She was not able to regulate such emotions. So the emotions push her to do that. That time she was hopeless and thought she was rejected so it’s better she will not live. (F, Male, 44 years).
Family tensions versus underachievement
I had come home on that Wednesday evening…my mum and I had a deal that every week she would give me like 50 cedis ($15) for the week. Therefore, when I came home I was asking her about the money...and she said she doesn’t have any money... When she said that I was angry because I had put my hopes high...I was really upset when she said that. I told her that if she doesn’t have the money for me am going to burn her cloth as repayment... So I took a match and lighted it with a newspaper and took the cloth and threw it away. It was a new cloth... So that was when my uncle, the one am not close to came around...another uncle asked me whether I was the one burning my mum’s cloth and I said yeah and he slapped me and pushed me. Later he hit me again... so I was like okay, if I end my life I won’t be blamed for everything and no one can complain that I have done this or that. Everyone will have their peace of mind. So I just went to the kitchen and I saw a knife and took it and was slitting my wrist...My uncle had said some time ago that even if I was dying and he was there alone, he will never help me. So that was also another reason why I wanted to end it all...It’s like every time something comes up, [I] am the reason and everyone keeps talking about it. All these were part of the reasons why I wanted to kill myself. I also felt in a way that my sister had neglected me because we were not talking as much as we used to talk. She is married now and with her husband so right now her focus will be her husband (SA, Male, 20 years).
I strongly believe that one was the attention he was not getting. I believe he did not really want to die. The other was that feeling that all was lost because of his school grades and his friends were moving on and he was home (F, Female, 30 years).
Mental illness versus nothingness
I will call it depression and isolation. That’s the most general term I can give you. I had a series of things bothering me. Am all alone taking care of me and fending for myself. Nobody supports me no friend. The love from outsiders and activities just went off automatically. I didn’t have the zeal to move on again. I will scroll through my phone repeatedly and there was no one to talk with. Before it happened, I was complaining of insomnia. I was not sleeping and I come to school with heavy eyes. I was not sleeping for a very long time. It just happened... I wanted to die (SA, Female, 24 years).
I don’t really know what caused the attempt. She is in school and we were told what happened. She is provided with her needs. I don’t have any idea and to my best of knowledge there was nothing wrong with her (F, Female, 40 years).
Diabolism versus difficult relationships
I think it was spiritual or something because I wasn’t having any problem with anyone. Like my dad didn’t do anything to me and it was not like I was pregnant or what people normally do or broken hearted or something. Before that day, I was having series of nightmares and I saw my mother calling me to come to her although she was dead. But what really happened that day before I went to take in the medicine, I can’t tell...When I woke up after I was in the hospital... (SA, Female, 21 years).
I was not around when it happened and when I came and heard that this is what she had done, I tried asking her. She was like she will tell me what happened later, but I asked her other times and she didn’t tell me. Later I found out and she was telling the family that she did it because her mum who is dead was calling her to come. She saw her mum’s ghost or whatever calling her to come. But me when I heard that, I was like it’s not true. It could be that she was frustrated over something that caused it. Because I knew that she didn’t have much friends, she was always alone. Am sure that caused it. She didn’t tell the truth. I don’t think it is spiritual. (F, Female, 31 years).
Discussion
Suicide is not just determined by the present; it has a history. Regrettably, the clues to suicide are usually not seen, heard, or even responded to before the act. People—spouse, parents, teacher, siblings, elders, and so on—have not seen the history. (p. 222)