You touch on the exact point that I feel has not been addressed in
the literature about suicide. The extant models of suicide focus on
hopelessness, poor coping or poor problem solving in terms of
resolution, but there has not been anything written about issues
related to problems that have no (or at least no perceived)
solutions, yielding an unresolvable situation. Take for example the
adolescent homosexual who knows what their sexual orientation is but
also "knows" that they cannot be accepted for who they are by either
peers or family. To them, there is an unresolvable discrepancy
between their construct system and the demands of the outside world.
The literature is clear on this; the rates of adolescent suicide are
three times higher for gay adolescents when compared to heterosexual
adolescents. Another example might be a rape victim who has been
forced to actively engage in the coercive sex. How might s/he feel
about themself knowing "this is what I did" versus "this is who I
want to be".
I want to thank Bob Neimeyer; I got your post via snail mail, thanks
the literature is going to be very helpful.
Also, Amy Moes, have you posted a reply to my last message? If you
have, I've lost it, if not, I look forward to hearing from you.
A.J. Zolten
Univ. of Central AR
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