Risk of suicide in twins: Suicide has social side

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.1168-c

BMJ 2003;327:1168-1169 (15 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.1168-c

Letter

Risk of suicide in twins

Suicide has social side

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The article by Tomassini et al and the responsesto it all show an unexpected degree of social naivety in thatthe analysis of European suicide is not mentioned or the analysisof Scandinavian suicide by Retterstol.^1-4

There seems to be an overemphasis verging on theoretical pathology,on the psychological factors involved in suicide, and a commensurateignoring of the sociological factors. As Durkheim himself notedover a century ago, there is an explanatory problem with postfacto psychological explanations of behaviour whose remarkableregularity over time strongly imply that factors external tothe individual are operating.

If this is so, sociological factors seem to be primary, andpsychological factors important with regard to the timing ofthe suicide: they are a contributory, but not a sufficient,cause. The sufficient cause seems to be the social relationshipsin which individuals are involved. The more intense and thewider . . . [Full text of this article]

Gerald D Sack, lecturer in social anthropology

Safed Regional Academic College, Jezre'el Valley Regional Academic College, Mitzpe Amoka, Doar Na Merom Hagalil, Israel 13802 sack@netvision.net.il

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