"BECAUSE LIFE IS SHITTY”: RECONSIDERING SUICIDAL DISTRESS AND IMAGINING HUMANIZING RESPONSES

Abstract

Background: Current social service prevention and interventions in suicidal distress follow a biomedical logic. Recently, critical suicidology and mad studies frameworks have criticized this single-fold approach for limiting the capacity of suicide prevention/intervention to respond to the range of human needs. Aims: The aim of this study was to uncover how people with history of suicidal distress understood their experience of distress, in particular the responses they find helpful and unhelpful. Methods: 4 participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews themed for conceptions of suicidal distress, the experience of ‘reaching out’, and mental health systems change. Results: The findings concluded that participants’ conception of suicidal distress differs from biomedical model paradigms. While practitioner’s responses rely on a notion of suicidal distress as discreet and de-contextual, participants explained suicidal distress as ongoing and based in life circumstances, advocating for a model of suicidal prevention/intervention highlighting the importance of relationships and empathy.