BACKGROUND: Quantitative studies in several European countries showed that 10-20% of older people have or have had a wish to die. AIMS: To improve our understanding of why some older people develop a wish to die. METHODS: In-depth interviews with people with a wish to die (n = 31) were carried out. Through open coding and inductive analysis, we developed a conceptual framework to describe the development of death wishes. Respondents were selected from two cohort studies. RESULTS: The wish to die had either been triggered suddenly after traumatic life events or had developed gradually after a life full of adversity, as a consequence of aging or illness, or after recurring depression. The respondents were in a situation they considered unacceptable, yet they felt they had no control to change their situation and thus progressively "gave up" trying. Recurring themes included being widowed, feeling lonely, being a victim, being dependent, and wanting to be useful. Developing thoughts about death as a positive thing or a release from problems seemed to them like a way to reclaim control. CONCLUSIONS: People who wish to die originally develop thoughts about death as a positive solution to life events or to an adverse situation, and eventually reach a balance of the wish to live and to die.
BACKGROUND: Quantitative studies in several European countries showed that 10-20% of older people have or have had a wish to die. AIMS: To improve our understanding of why some older people develop a wish to die. METHODS: In-depth interviews with people with a wish to die (n = 31) were carried out. Through open coding and inductive analysis, we developed a conceptual framework to describe the development of death wishes. Respondents were selected from two cohort studies. RESULTS: The wish to die had either been triggered suddenly after traumatic life events or had developed gradually after a life full of adversity, as a consequence of aging or illness, or after recurring depression. The respondents were in a situation they considered unacceptable, yet they felt they had no control to change their situation and thus progressively "gave up" trying. Recurring themes included being widowed, feeling lonely, being a victim, being dependent, and wanting to be useful. Developing thoughts about death as a positive thing or a release from problems seemed to them like a way to reclaim control. CONCLUSIONS:People who wish to die originally develop thoughts about death as a positive solution to life events or to an adverse situation, and eventually reach a balance of the wish to live and to die.
Authors: Cees Dm Ruijs; Gerrit van der Wal; Ad Jfm Kerkhof; Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen Journal: BMC Palliat Care Date: 2014-12-23 Impact factor: 3.234
Authors: Albert Balaguer; Cristina Monforte-Royo; Josep Porta-Sales; Alberto Alonso-Babarro; Rogelio Altisent; Amor Aradilla-Herrero; Mercedes Bellido-Pérez; William Breitbart; Carlos Centeno; Miguel Angel Cuervo; Luc Deliens; Gerrit Frerich; Chris Gastmans; Stephanie Lichtenfeld; Joaquín T Limonero; Markus A Maier; Lars Johan Materstvedt; María Nabal; Gary Rodin; Barry Rosenfeld; Tracy Schroepfer; Joaquín Tomás-Sábado; Jordi Trelis; Christian Villavicencio-Chávez; Raymond Voltz Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-01-04 Impact factor: 3.240