Suicide Emile Durkheim Blog

 In 1897, sociologist Emile Durkheim published a book on suicide titled Le Suicide. The book discusses the possible social causes of suicide. At the time, it was one of the first texts to discuss suicide as a social issue that had causes and effects instead of a black and white issue. He analyzed suicide among different groups, primarily religions. He found that suicide rates were higher among Protestants than Catholics. He theorizes that among groups with higher community mindsets and social control, suicide rates are lower. He also found that men were more likely to commit suicide than women. Durkheim categorized suicide into having 4 main causes. These causes are described as Anomic, Egoistic, Fatalistic, and Altruistic. Anomic suicide happens when someone experiences Anomie. Anomie is a feeling of a huge disconnect from society as a whole. This can happen during major social change and societal upheaval. Egoistic suicide is described as a suicide that happens when one is wholly disconnected from the entirety of society. This is different from Anomic suicide because it isn't caused by a particularly traumatic event, rather a state of a person's existence in which they feel that they are connected to nothing. Thus, this type is more common among elderly retired people and those who don't have jobs. Fatalistic suicide is suicide that is caused by extremely oppressive conditions. This happens when someone would rather be dead than continue to endure their current conditions. Altruistic suicide is the belief that one's death will have a net benefit on a cause that one wholly believes in. For example, suicides that are committed to advance the war effort on their countries' side are considered Altruistic suicide. Basically, anything that causes a massive amount of emotional trauma or emotional pressure is something that Durkheim theorizes can be a cause of suicide. 

https://www.thoughtco.com/study-of-suicide-by-emile-durkheim-3026758