In the absence of say, directly encouraging it (which has happened in a few high profile cases).

I recently read a disturbing story in the New Yorker about a series of suicides that occurred in a college town in Missouri. All the suicides were connected to a particular fraternity and a single individual. That individual did seem to exhibit some odd behavior and seemed drawn to people with emotional problems, but there is no hard evidence that he encouraged anyone’s suicide. “Suicide clusters” are known to occur. One suicide can set off a ripple effect.

It sometimes to me like in the aftermath of a suicide, people around them are in need of someone to blame but that someone isn’t always there. When can someone be at fault for someone’s suicide and when can’t they?

Topics: psychology, law, behavior, emotions, death, suicide