Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
50 used & new from $3.50

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Tell a Friend
The Suicidal Mind
 
 
Are You an Author or Publisher?
Find out how to publish your own Kindle Books
 
  

The Suicidal Mind (Paperback)

by Edwin S. Shneidman (Author) "Suicide haunts our literature and our culture..." (more)
Key Phrases: suicidal mind, suicidal person, suicidal people, Ariel Wilson, Beatrice Bessen, Castro Reyes (more...)
4.6 out of 5 stars  (18 customer reviews)

List Price: $19.95
Price: $14.96 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.99 (25%)
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Monday, July 28? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. See details

50 used & new available from $3.50
Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (1) 23 used & new from $1.98
 
   

Better Together

Buy this book with Autopsy of a Suicidal Mind by Edwin S. Shneidman today!

The Suicidal Mind Autopsy of a Suicidal Mind
Buy Together Today: $28.53

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide

Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide by Kay Redfield Jamison

4.4 out of 5 stars (73)  $10.17
Why People Die by Suicide

Why People Die by Suicide by Thomas Joiner

4.2 out of 5 stars (11)  $10.85
November of the Soul: The Enigma of Suicide

November of the Soul: The Enigma of Suicide by George Howe Colt

5.0 out of 5 stars (5)  $15.00
Why Suicide?: Answers to 200 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions about Suicide, Attempted S

Why Suicide?: Answers to 200 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions about Suicide, Attempted S by Eric Marcus

4.0 out of 5 stars (4)  $11.21
No Time to Say Goodbye: Surviving The Suicide Of A Loved One

No Time to Say Goodbye: Surviving The Suicide Of A Loved One by Carla Fine

4.7 out of 5 stars (57)  $10.17
Explore similar items : Books (84) Movies & TV (1)

Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Three case studies from the files of a UCLA thanatologist demonstrate in chilling detail that killing oneself is no easy matter. Shneidman, who limits his comments to cultures with a Judeo- Christian tradition, proposes the not especially novel idea that psychological pain, or ``psychache,'' is the primary cause of suicide. Using a form adapted from Henry A. Murray's Explorations in Personality to rate the psychological needs of individuals, he concludes that most suicides fall into five need clusters. (There is at this point a gratuitous insertion of so-called experts' assessments of the needs of Hitler, Martha Graham, Marilyn Monroe, Captain Ahab, and others.) His case studies demonstrate three of these clusters: the need to be loved, the need to strike first, and the need to belong. The first case study consists mostly of transcribed audiotapes from Ariel (pseudonyms are used throughtout), who chose self-immolation but survived with horrible burns over most of her body. Beatrice, the second case, wrote out her life story while she was Shneidman's patient; her choice was knives and starvation, and it is unclear whether her attempts at suicide have ceased. Castro, the third case, was unable to speak to Shneidman, having blown away most of his face while trying to blow his brains out, but he wrote out for him a long account of the episode, as well as many notes and letters. Shneidman sums up with a list of ten psychological commonalities of suicide--the common emotion is hopelessness/helplessness, the common action is escape, etc.--and a list of 24 psychotherapeutic maneuvers that he deems appropriate in treating potential suicides. Though providing few fresh insights, this succeeds on another level: By revealing the possible ghastly consequences of failed attempts, perhaps it may help deter some from trying to take their own lives. (4 photos, 1 linecut, not seen) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Anyone seeking a basic introduction about the motivation of people driven to destroy themselves can confidently turn to Edwin Schneidman's simple, short, and sympathetic book."--New Scientist


See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details
  • Paperback: 187 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 23, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0195118014
  • ISBN-13: 978-0195118018
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: