Assumption Quote by Kay Redfield Jamison
“There is an assumption, in attaching Puritan concepts such as 'successful' and 'unsuccessful' to the awful, final act of suicide, that those who 'fail' at killing themselves not only are weak, but incompetent, incapable even of getting their dying quite right.”
About This Quote
She critiques labeling suicide as success/failure, arguing it unfairly judges those who cannot complete it.
In simple terms: Suicide shouldn't be judged as success or failure.
Key Takeaway
Avoid moral judgments on suicide attempts.
Themes
mental health
suicide
ethics
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
clinical
ethical
When to use this quote
- clinical practice
- public discourse
- support services
- policy making
Key Concepts
judgment
failure
competence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we support those who survive attempts?
- What language best respects their experience?
A Different Perspective
Complexity of intent may be oversimplified.
![“...even though [my psychiatrist] understood mor than anyone how much I felt I was losing--in energy, vivacity, and originality--by taking medication, he never was seduced into losing sight of the overall perspective of how costly, damaging, and life threatening my illness was. He was at ease with…” quote by Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57f/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_life_even-though-my-psychiatrist-understood-m_3399.jpg)
