In the modern world, the causes of suicide cannot be confined to a single category.

Intertwined Realities: Exploring the Deep Motivations Behind Suicide

In the modern world, the causes of suicide cannot be confined to a single category. This complex subject goes beyond simple explanations and represents a combination of deep personal suffering, identity crises, and changes in social structures. An introduction to the psychology of suicide shows that the root of such actions often lies in a feeling of inner isolation and confinement, when all the joys of life are replaced by pain and despair. A person, trapped by their inner torment, loses connection with the surrounding world, which gradually leads to the loss of life’s meaning.

A philosophical perspective on the issue adds an even deeper existential nuance: suicide becomes a conscious choice, an attempt to return to a higher power and to cease perceiving the world as a gift that is no longer able to enrich one’s inner life. This decision, made on the borderline between existence and its renunciation, demonstrates just how complex the motivations behind each tragic act can be.

Moreover, one cannot ignore the influence of social factors. Many studies indicate that external conditions—such as economic instability, the breakdown of family relationships, and the weakening of collective norms—only indirectly reflect the true state of an individual. A profound moral and social crisis that destroys the bonds within society becomes one of the unseen yet powerful impulses driving a person to deprive themselves of life.

Thus, suicide emerges as the result of an intertwining of personal tragedy and social processes. Inner hopelessness, philosophical reflections on the essence of life, and the disintegration of social institutions create a dangerous cocktail that demands our careful attention and support. This comprehensive view underlines the necessity not only for psychological corrective measures but also for active social policies aimed at restoring human connections and spiritual balance.

What are the main motivations behind committing suicide, and what is their meaning from the perspectives of psychology and philosophy?

The primary motivations for suicide cannot be reduced to a single simple cause—they represent a complex combination of deep internal experiences, an identity crisis, and even societal processes.

From a psychological standpoint, suicide is often described as a state of inner isolation and hopelessness. For example, one author notes:
"The psychology of suicide is the psychology of a person locking themselves inside their own self, in their own darkness. It could even be said that when a person is in an egocentric state, focused solely on themselves, on their suffering and torment, and when its genuine relationship with others and the external world is lost, they are always in darkness, in a dark pit that turns out to be bottomless." (source: link txt)

This “hopelessness” boils down to a narrowing of consciousness, where all the richness of life loses its allure, leaving only pain and suffering. Another author emphasizes this point as follows:
"The psychology of suicide is, above all, the psychology of hopelessness. Hopelessness is indeed a terrible narrowing of consciousness, the dimming of all the richness of God’s world, when the sun does not shine and the stars are not visible, and life is confined to a single dark point, making it impossible to break free, to emerge into God’s world." (source: link txt)

The philosophical perspective adds yet another level of understanding. Here, suicide is interpreted as a conscious rejection of life—a choice that carries profound existential significance. One source states:
"The meaning of suicide may lie in a conscious return of life to God, a renunciation of the gift of life, and an independent choice of death." (source: link txt)

This assertion suggests that suicide should be seen not only as the result of personal pain but also as a meaningful step in which an individual, confronted with an existential crisis, decides to end their life narrative.

Additionally, the social context, which often plays a key role, cannot be overlooked. Another study’s author stresses that the commonly assumed motivations (such as poverty, family issues, or mental disorders) often merely represent a superficial expression of deeper societal processes. According to him:
"Analyzing suicide statistics, he concludes that the generally accepted supposed motivations for suicide (poverty, family grief, jealousy, drunkenness, physical suffering, mental disorders, disgust for life, etc.) that are attributed to suicide ‘are actually not its real causes.’ The true causes that turn a person into the prey of the suicide monster, according to Durkheim, are the very specific characteristics of society, namely: a state of moral decay, disorganization, the weakening of social bonds among people, and the dissolution of a collective state of consciousness." (source: link txt)

Thus, the question of the motivations behind suicide covers both a personal crisis marked by hopelessness, self-confinement, and an inability to see the light in life, as well as deep philosophical reflections on the meaning of life and its renunciation. Moreover, the social dimension—the disintegration of collective bonds and moral decay—suggests that suicide may be a response not only to the internal world of the individual but also to society’s inability to support them in moments of despair.

Supporting citation(s):
"The psychology of suicide is the psychology of a person locking themselves in their own self, in their own darkness. It could even be said that when a person is in an egocentric state, focused solely on themselves, on their suffering and torment, when their genuine relationship with others and the external world is lost, they are always in darkness, in a dark pit that turns out to be bottomless." (source: link txt)
"The meaning of suicide may lie in a conscious return of life to God, a renunciation of the gift of life, and an independent choice of death." (source: link txt)
"Analyzing suicide statistics, he concludes that the generally accepted supposed motivations for suicide (poverty, family grief, jealousy, drunkenness, physical suffering, mental disorders, disgust for life, etc.) attributed to suicide ‘are actually not its real causes.’ The true causes that turn a person into the prey of the suicide monster, according to Durkheim, are the very specific characteristics of society, namely: a state of moral decay, disorganization, the weakening of social bonds among people, and the dissolution of a collective state of consciousness." (source: link txt)