Commentary: Religion, religious attitudes and suicide

ago; there is also a higher risk of suicide amongst men with no religious affiliation compared with men with a religious affiliation. These data suggest, whether one believes or not in a particular religious teaching, that religious people do think differently about the meaning of life and tend to be more reluctant to consider suicide (assisted or not) as an option. Secondly, consistent with previous research, these effects are more powerful among the elderly, in whom there is a higher risk of suicide; and among women compared with men. Thirdly, the study included those taking their lives through assisted suicide. This is especially important, as it shows that trends found for unassisted suicide are also found in assisted suicide. The constraints affecting decisions to take one’s life in both situations may actually reflect individual and group predispositions for suicide including beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life; individual and group resiliency factors including religiosity; and styles of thinking that conclude suicide is a logical and rational option or not an option. This is where religious beliefs and practices, cultural beliefs and practices, individual and group processes emerge as relevant and influential factors. This study therefore suggests that the constraints and risk factors in assisted suicide are not that different from the unassisted suicide population. 9 We need to understand the cultural underpinnings of suicidal behaviour and thinking, attitudes to the meaning of life and what value we place on life and at what cost. The role of age, gender, religious affiliations and practice show consistent and strong associations with suicide. Investigations of environmental, personality and biological vulnerabilities should take place alongside investigations of resiliency factors. Research can then inform social policy, clinical practice and legal decisions. Research on this can also guide preventive actions, if we can disentangle the critical factors that either reduce risk or protect against suicide. Conflict of interest: None declared.