The interpersonal psychological theory of suicidal behavior.

This theory establishes three elements that explain the appearance of the will to die.

To think about whether or not something can be prevented, we must first understand its meaning. Suicide is not equivalent to a wish to die, but to a deep desire to abandon a life that is considered difficult or impossible to cope with.

Dr. Thomas Joiner, creator of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicidal behavior, proposes through his research that suicide is not a wish to die, but a profound desire to abandon a life that is considered difficult or impossible to live.proposes through his research that an individual will not die by suicide unless he or she has the desire to die by suicide and possesses the capacity to carry out his or her desire, based on problems in connecting with others. Next we will see what this theory consists of.

The interpersonal psychological theory of suicidal behavior.

The theoretical basis of this approach has three main components.

Frustrated sense of entitlement

The first element of the theory is a frustrated sense of belonging; evidence indicates that, when people die by suicide, they mostly feel disconnected from others, giving rise to an idea and feeling on the part of the individuals that no one really cares about themAlternatively, it may reflect the feeling that, while "some may care," no one can relate to them and understand their situation.

Both sensations leave deep feelings of loneliness, the person feels isolated and clearly helpless.This idea contradicts a different reality many times as people who die by suicide rarely, if ever, lack others who care about them, but dysfunctional automatic thoughts are capable of skewing individuals' perceptions of the world around them.

Furthermore, even if there are people who care about them, they cannot relate to their lived experience in the case of people who have gone through a trauma or unpleasant experience, so people may feel alienated from others who did not experience the same overwhelming events, regardless of how much knowledge others possess about the event.

2. Perceived burden

The second component is perceived burden, which, like frustrated belongingness, generally is driven by distorted, automatic thoughts.and it is these two components that make up the "desire for suicide".

People who experience elevations in this variable have the feeling that they do not make valuable contributions to the world around them. They may be plagued by thoughts of worthlessness and worthlessness, consequently becoming certain that the lives of others would improve if they disappeared or that it would make no difference to their own existence.

Again, such beliefs, if not true, are a common cognitive tendency on the part of individuals after experiencing particular types of events. Losing a job, losing a promotion, moving into retirement, and failing an exam are several examples of types of experiences that can generate a sense of distress. In the case of thoughts intervened by comments followed by constant emotional abuse, they only come to reaffirm the constant self-disqualification that an individual already possesses.

3. Acquired capacity

The third element, the acquired capacity, revalidates the process that occurs when the brain centers responsible for motivation and learning interact and the mood changes the perceived intensity of pain. This is how physical Pain becomes less pronounced over time as the body becomes accustomed to the experience.

Thus, people who self-injure develop courage in the face of pain and injury, and who, according to the theory, acquire this readiness through a process of repeatedly experiencing painful events. These experiences often include previous self-injury, but may also include other experiences, such as repeated accidental injuries; numerous physical fights; and occupations such as that of a physician or front-line soldier in which exposure to pain and injury, either directly or indirectly, have become common.

Any attempt to die must be considered a serious act, because many people repeat their actions. People who do anything to ensure that their intent to die is seen. It is their own indirect way of asking for help, the situation they are living in is one of great distress, and what they are asking for is to be saved.

So, can theory prevent suicide?

The interpersonal psychological theory of suicidal behavior emphasizes the importance of specialists being aware of their patients' levels of belongingness, perceived burden, and acquired capacity (especially if there is a history of previous suicide attempts), as this knowledge can help in the task of suicide risk assessment and in the therapeutic process, the and in the therapeutic process, accurate intervention knowing these variables and being able to address in time these cognitive distortions are able to give them a twist to the cognitions that affect us.

Some techniques to use are the cognitive restructuring proposed by Aaron T. Beck; this tool is recognized worldwide as very effective to eliminate/treat anxiety, depression and stress. The idea is to address cognitive patterns, dysfunctional beliefs to try to modify or weaken them.

Bibliographical references:

• Thomas Joiner, PhD. (June de 2009). American Psychological Association APA. Obtenido de The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior: Current Empirical Status: http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2009/06/sci-brief.aspx