Common reasons for suicidal acts result from psychological disturbances. For example, many people contemplate suicide as a last resort to end the feelings of sadness and hopelessness that come with depression. Other people may use suicidal acts as a way to alert those around them that they are feeling troubled and are in need of help. Motivations may also include the desire to end physical pain, or to shorten an inevitable death after receiving a serious medical diagnosis. In rare cases, suicidal thoughts may result from psychosis, as hallucinations may command self-destruction.
With the recent suicide bombings taking place in Afghanistan, the latest occurring on January 17th in Kabul, many people are wondering what could be responsible for causing such horrible acts. It may be surprising to learn that the motivations behind these suicide bombers are quite different from what we commonly think of as motivations for suicide.
In the case of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan, many are psychologically healthy. What then is it that motivates these healthy young men and women to contemplate suicide? It turns out that because these individuals are deeply rooted in their community and their sense of identity is tied to their terrorist organizations, dedication is their main motivation for suicide. They sacrifice their lives to promote their group's religious and political agendas.
In this way, while we may commonly think of the motivations behind suicide as being individually based, those of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan are largely community-based. This shows just how powerful group dedication can be, as it has the power to influence such an extreme personal decision to end one's life.
Sources:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/afghanistan-suicide- bombing_n_4617809.html#slide=2706341
- http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/what-motivates-suicide-bombers-0
- http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-six-reasons-people-attempt-suicide
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