In Why People Die by Suicide

In Why People Die by Suicide, Dr. Joiner posits a three-part explanation of suicide which focuses on ability and desire. The desire to commit suicide comes from a sense of disconnection from others and lack of belonging, combined with a belief that one is a burden on others. The ability to commit suicide comes from a gradual desensitization to violence and a decreased fear of pain, combined with technical competence in one or more suicide methods. Under this model, a combination of desire and ability will precede most serious suicide attempts.[

1] When people see themselves as effective—as providers for their families, resources for their friends, contributors to the world—they maintain the will to live. When they lose that view of themselves, when it curdles into a feeling of liability, the desire to die takes root. We need each other, but if we feel we are failing those we need, the choice is clear. We’d rather be dead. Athletes, doctors, prostitutes, and bulimics all share a heightened risk of suicide. All have a history of tamping down the instinct to scream.