What other reasons can make a woman want to end her life

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Trauma: Another reason why many women do wish to end their lives, is because they suffered a negative life event and do not know how to deal with it. .Trauma is a happening or happenings that can cause immense physical and/or mental stress to a person, making it difficult to cope with and leaving lasting damage.

Some of the most common kinds of trauma are violence at home, rape, war, torture, and natural disasters. Other negative life events that can also cause trauma to a woman are the loss and/or death of someone or something important (for example: parental loss, death of husband or a child, loss of jobs or homes), chronic physical illness and development of a disability. Some women feel so overwhelmed by grief, shame or fear in these situations, that to them suicide appears to be the only way out of it.

Depression or anxiety: It does not always take a negative life event or trauma to plunge women into despair. The constant, high level of stress most women experience in their daily life can cause them either depression or anxiety, or even both.

Depression is a state of low mood or a feeling of aversion to activity that can affect a person’s behaviour, thoughts, feelings and well-being over a long period of time. Depressive disorder, as it is called by those in the medical field, also causes a ‘heaviness of heart’ or ‘loss of spirit and soul’.

Anxiety disorder on the other hand is a feeling of nervousness, worry and general unease over a long period of time. Other terms often used in relation with anxiety disorder are: ‘nerves’, ‘nervous attack’ and ‘mental distresses. When a woman faces a lot of stress every day and for a long time, she may begin to feel overwhelmed and become unable to cope with all the tasks and problems she is facing (e.g.: too much work, lack of money or food, family or marital problems, etc.).

Both depression and anxiety can lead to suicidal behavior, if the affected woman does not get help and support. The problem may be made worse if she has (like most women in general) been taught to take care of others first and neglects her own needs. Due to the lack of mental health assistance in most of the developing countries, mental problems and illnesses like depression, anxiety or trauma are often neither diagnosed nor treated sufficiently, even when the woman seeks help and professional assistance.


Sources
  • Felicitas Heyne, Psychologist
  • Audiopedia ID: en020907