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Suicide and the Inner Voice
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Suicide and the Inner Voice
Risk Assessment, Treatment, and Case Management



352 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
What internal factors cause a person to end his or her life, and what are the familial and societal factors which seem to make a destructive contribution? The answers to both questions are at the heart of this volume, which will be invaluable for practitioners when assessing risk and designing treatment for depressed and suicidal patients.

The author argues that the key to understanding suicidal behaviour comes from a knowledge of the destructive thought processes of those at risk, and an awareness of their origins in early family interactions. Firestone sees negative events in our lives as being less harmful than what we tell ourselves about them, which can result in a downward spiral of negative internal conversations. With detailed case histories providing depth of emotional reality to the theory, the book is built around the sound theoretical framework and psychotherapeutic method developed by Firestone and his colleagues. This framework offers a unique perspective not only on suicide, but also on other self-destructive, potentially life-threatening behaviours and lifestyles.

Pamela Cantor
Foreword
 
Introduction
 
PART ONE: GENERAL APPROACH
 
The Self and Antiself
 
Suicidal Signs and Suicide Prevention
Inwardness - Personality Traits That Predispose Suicide

 
 
Brief Review of Psychodynamic and Cognitive Approaches to Suicide
 
The Epidemiology of Suicide and Brief History of Methods for Assessing Risk
 
Suicide among Adolescents
 
Suicide among Older People
 
PART TWO: INDIRECT SUICIDE
 
Microsuicide
 
The Relationship between Guilt and the Suicidal Process
 
Regression Precipitated by Positive Circumstances
 
PART THREE: THEORY OF DEFENSE FORMATION
 
The Voice Process and the Fantasy Bond
 
Couple and Family Relationships
 
PART FOUR: ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT
 
Identification of the Suicidal Individual
The Development of the Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts

 
 
Treatment Strategies and Malpractice Issues
 
Voice Therapy Methodology in the Treatment of the Suicidal Patient
 
PART FIVE: CONCLUSION
 
Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Suicide and Summary

Robert W. Firestone