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Stigma, suicide and religion

Department of Psychiatry, University College of Medical Sciences, Dilshad Garden, Delhi — 110095, India

EDITED BY MATTHEW HOTOPF

A comment by Tadros & Jolly (2001) that ‘Hinduism and Buddhism, among other Eastern religions, have not had a traditionally negative view of suicide’ is not totally correct. According to Hinduism, ‘The law of action is inexorable and inescapable. It is not bound by the chain of time. If you commit suicide now, you may get the circumstances in the next birth which are worse than those at the present’ (Bhatia, 1991). Sikhism propagates, ‘Suicide in the face of misery and misfortune implies lack of faith in the goodness and righteousness of God’ (Bhatia, 1985). Jainism advocates that the killing of any living being is unethical and a sin (Bhatia, 1991). The view of Islam about suicide is ‘Do not commit suicide and make your hands the instrument of your destruction’ (Bhatia, 1991). Aristotle, Pythagoras, St Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine, Jesus Christ, Guru Nanak and Socrates also considered suicide as unlawful and a sin.

Because of the stigma attached to suicide, the practice of Sati (a custom practised by Hindu women after the death of their husbands in which they used to burn themselves on their husband's pyre) has been discarded by society and is now regarded as a crime (Chadda et al, 1991). Religiosity in India bears a negative correlation with suicide rate and is, in fact, a preventive factor against suicide (Bhatia, 2000). It is appropriate to suggest that scientific approaches and spiritual approaches can work together to eliminate the stigma attached to communication of suicidal ideas and attempts and to encourage timely professional help-seeking.

REFERENCES

Bhatia, M. S. (1985) Infidelity to Faith. Kampur: Ellora Printers.

Bhatia, M. S. (1991) On Way to Friendship. Delhi: Manhak Publishers.

Bhatia, M. S. (2000) Essentials of Psychiatry. Delhi: CBS Publishers and Distributors.

Chadda, R. K., Shome, S. & Bhatia, M. S. (1991) Suicide in Indian women (letter). British Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 434.

Tadros, G. & Jolly, D. (2001) The stigma of suicide (letter). British Journal of Psychiatry, 179, 178.[Free Full Text]

This Article Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bhatia, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bhatia, M. S.