Throughout history, suicide has not only been seen as a sin, a crime, and more recent, as a result of a disease (Lecture 4/6/16). Nonetheless, there is more to just committing such act, because behind every suicide there are personal, environmental, and social factors to name a few, that influence and push individuals to take their lives. Jack D. Douglas (1967) in The Social Meanings of Suicide focuses on the meanings of suicide through a study of the life of the deceased. Douglas examined patterns and connects those patterns to cultural values and institutional practices (Timmermans, 2006, 78). Therefore, Douglas seeks to study human actions and their “meanings,” as patterns that carry the meanings of their statements and behavior (256). In
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The case study revolves around Diane, a patient who is diagnosed with acute melanocytic leukemia. Her doctor, Dr. Quill suggest possible treatments but makes it clear that there is no way out. The main idea of the case study is that Diane chose not to receive treatment, rather wants to be in control of her death. Therefore, she reaches out to Dr. Quinn, with the intentions of committing suicide monitored by a physician. Dr. Quinn gave her a prescription and it was through that method that died from suicide. Nonetheless, this is not have the typical suicide death, rather Diane as a way to avoid the loss of dignity and discomfort decided to commit suicide, assisted by a physician. That not only allowed her to leave the say good-bye to her loved one, but also gave her a dignified death. Analyzing this kind of suicide through the lenses of Douglas, we are able to tell that Diane was able to transform her self, she didn’t want to be seen on a bed suffering from her disease, and rather she committed suicide as a way to encourage others to think of her differently. Diane was able to select the day and time of her death, and that really adds to the meaning of her suicide. Her act indicated that she would rather die than live through the sufferings. This provides us with an analysis of what kind of person she was and how she took her
The case study revolves around Diane, a patient who is diagnosed with acute melanocytic leukemia. Her doctor, Dr. Quill suggest possible treatments but makes it clear that there is no way out. The main idea of the case study is that Diane chose not to receive treatment, rather wants to be in control of her death. Therefore, she reaches out to Dr. Quinn, with the intentions of committing suicide monitored by a physician. Dr. Quinn gave her a prescription and it was through that method that died from suicide. Nonetheless, this is not have the typical suicide death, rather Diane as a way to avoid the loss of dignity and discomfort decided to commit suicide, assisted by a physician. That not only allowed her to leave the say good-bye to her loved one, but also gave her a dignified death. Analyzing this kind of suicide through the lenses of Douglas, we are able to tell that Diane was able to transform her self, she didn’t want to be seen on a bed suffering from her disease, and rather she committed suicide as a way to encourage others to think of her differently. Diane was able to select the day and time of her death, and that really adds to the meaning of her suicide. Her act indicated that she would rather die than live through the sufferings. This provides us with an analysis of what kind of person she was and how she took her