Suicide: Who is responsible? Individual/society

I'd invite members here to discuss and debate, who is responsible for suicide? The individual himself? Or the family/society which makes him/her vulnerable to commit suicide?/Compels him/her to contemplate taking this step?

What's the trigger, the cause of suicide? On whom does the onus primarily lie?Edited by Skepblun - 11 years ago

Suicides take place owing to a variety of reasons. Some of them may seem trivial to the casual onlooker. Some, on the other hand, may seem grave enough to justify the decision of self-destruction. There can't, however, be any agreement among individuals/communities as to what must qualify as definitively a reason to commit suicide. Some people are strong mentally and can withstand a lot. While even a relatively minor issue might provoke one to take their own life. The most deciding factor here is the coping power of the person concerned. So, IMO, it is the individual.

I feel like I should say society but the fact is that the individual is responsible for their own well being. Nobody cares. This is a fact taught to everyone by life. Life goes on as if nothing has happened because people don't care about your problems unless it happens to them. Im not saying neither is at fault. Just that the individual is responsible. If a person feels like might hurt themselves they should get help as soon as possible because when people face problems that are out of their hands (problems that society enforces upon them) they feel like suicide is their only choice. Regardless it is just a choice which means there are many others they could take. I am not saying that the problems they face are small, I am trying to say that suicide is not the choice individuals should make lest they regret it. But it will be too late for that. 

Thanks for responses.

But isn't society and family also at fault for leading people to believe that social approval or external achievements/factors are more important than the individual? The web of expectations and wants is fostered by society/family mainly. Doesn't it make individual feel he has less to value in himself alone and that his value depends on how he fares on scales of success/happiness as devised by society? Is an individual's life not spent adhering to social norms and living by what's culturally sanctioned?

Where does individual derive confidence from? Within himself or social reinforcement?

When a person commits suicide is he running away from himself or running from society?

The onus is primarily on family and then the society. 

It is unbelievable the dismal ratio of qualified psychologist to the population. 

Originally posted by: Skepblun

Thanks for responses.

But isn't society and family also at fault for leading people to believe that social approval or external achievements/factors are more important than the individual? The web of expectations and wants is fostered by society/family mainly. Doesn't it make individual feel he has less to value in himself alone and that his value depends on how he fares on scales of success/happiness as devised by society? Is an individual's life not spent adhering to social norms and living by what's culturally sanctioned?
It cannot be avoided. Social humans (in varying degrees) will always seek approval, acceptance, admiration from the people surrounding them. Society will always condition them into embracing certain beliefs/morals. And it is not always the feeling of shame or fear of social ostracism that leads one to commit suicide. The reasons behind suicides are myriad and diverse. Often it is caused by a state of dissociation induced by mental illness. What I am trying to say is that the personal factor is the most important in this regard. Every person has a limit upto which they can endure suffering. When that limit is crossed, anything can happen. Now, this limit is different for each one of us. We can have a separate discussion on why some people have more coping power than others.
Where does individual derive confidence from? Within himself or social reinforcement?
Ideally, confidence should come from within, rather than from what one's family or peers think/say about them. It would require super-human effort to achieve that in reality, IMHO.
When a person commits suicide is he running away from himself or running from society?

Depends on specific circumstances.

A very interesting take on suicides.

Whats responsible is That moment.