Every one of the million or so people who commit suicide yearly leaves behind not just life but a tangled skein of unanswered questions and myths, to say nothing of loved ones who suffer collateral damage. With the assertion that people who commit suicide hold two psychological mindsets—the perceptions that one is a burden and that one does not belong—psychology professor and suicidologist Joiner tackles many commonly held beliefs and debunks them. For the most part, he builds his arguments on solid ground. For instance, he addresses the popular yet apparently groundless notion that women who have breast-augmentation surgery are at greater risk for suicide. When he is armed with solid logic, facts, and creditable statistics, his arguments are potent. When it comes to interpreting motivations, however, even a professional like Joiner has to qualify many assertions with such phrases as I believe and in my view. Give him points for attempting to clear up this mystifying behavior.
