10ofRods
Verified Anthropologist
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2019
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My own curiosity is about how LE (in any case but especially this one) can rule out self-harm or suicide.
They don't know her, and suicidal people often take others by surprise. Sometimes, their mood and activity level improves right before they commit the act, as they are relieved to have finally decided a way out of an intolerable, painful situation (mental pain is real, depression is real).
Does anyone know how LE find themselves expert in such a matter or what kinds of clues they'd take as indicating "not a suicide"? I'm guessing it's totally circumstantial and practical - they didn't find her in the river or the reservoir, which would be obvious places for such an act.
But do they know everything about Suzanne? I don't see how they can. I've worked in a lot of psychiatric settings over the years (as a researcher), and suicides take even the most involved psychiatrists by surprise. People can be talking constantly about suicide and never do it, and someone else never mentions is and then does it. When it happens, everyone, even professionals, wrack their brains for clues. From that, there have been studies and publications about how an improvement in mood, giving things away, increased cheerfulness, reaching out to old friends and having a last conversation with each family member (all while being cheerful or at least not depressed-sounding) have emerged as prior "clues."
Given all that, why would LE be so certain it's not suicide? Just curious about your thoughts.
They don't know her, and suicidal people often take others by surprise. Sometimes, their mood and activity level improves right before they commit the act, as they are relieved to have finally decided a way out of an intolerable, painful situation (mental pain is real, depression is real).
Does anyone know how LE find themselves expert in such a matter or what kinds of clues they'd take as indicating "not a suicide"? I'm guessing it's totally circumstantial and practical - they didn't find her in the river or the reservoir, which would be obvious places for such an act.
But do they know everything about Suzanne? I don't see how they can. I've worked in a lot of psychiatric settings over the years (as a researcher), and suicides take even the most involved psychiatrists by surprise. People can be talking constantly about suicide and never do it, and someone else never mentions is and then does it. When it happens, everyone, even professionals, wrack their brains for clues. From that, there have been studies and publications about how an improvement in mood, giving things away, increased cheerfulness, reaching out to old friends and having a last conversation with each family member (all while being cheerful or at least not depressed-sounding) have emerged as prior "clues."
Given all that, why would LE be so certain it's not suicide? Just curious about your thoughts.