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Suicide in classical mythology: cues for prevention.

Preti A, Miotto P

Department of Psychology, University of Cagliari, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare well established antecedents and correlates of completed suicide with the motives and the mechanics reported in Greek mythology. METHOD: A well-known collection of Greek myths, the Book of fables by Hyginus, was explored to investigate the mechanics driving an individual to imagine, design and carry out a suicide attempt. RESULTS: Females outnumber males in the mythographer's list, their favourite methods to die being drowning, hanging, self-burning and throwing themselves down from on high. Some kind of familial recurrence of suicide was accounted for, and a large percentage of these suicides was connected to incest. Shame, sense of guilt and grief for the death of a loved one are the most frequently reported psychological correlates of the act, whereas defeat, failure or a catastrophic change in living conditions and, among females, an unfortunate love affair figure as the main antecedents of suicide. CONCLUSION: Negative life events and emotional reactions to the severing of social ties frequently occur as antecedents of suicide in Greek mythology.

Published 11 April 2005 in Acta Psychiatr Scand, 111(5): 384-91.
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