Suicide is a critical global health issue, with 700,000 to 1 million deaths and 10-20 million attempts each year worldwide. In Southeast Asia, the issue of suicide is understudied. To provide suicide prevention interventions that are helpful for communities, it is important to ensure that these interventions are culturally-congruent. Conducting research to understand how cultural factors influence perceptions of suicide across contexts can help service providers develop contextualized and culturally-relevant suicide prevention interventions. We collaborated with partner organizations to conduct focus group discussions (FGDs) with service providers in Cebu, Philippines and to analyze this data in order to understand how cultural beliefs shape perceptions of suicide in the Filipino context.
The study reveals five main themes related to the cultural perception of suicide in the Philippines:
- Suicide perceived as “lack of trust in God” – Suicide has historically been deemed a “sin,” which could prevent an individual from entering heaven. This belief is rooted in the viewpoint that suicide reflects a lack of faith, hope, or trust in God. Consequently, priests have historically been reluctant to bless individuals who died by suicide, fearing it might encourage others to consider suicide as an option. This can contribute to further stigmatization.
- Family responsibility as both a deterrent and contributor to suicide – Families may be blamed when a family member dies by suicide. Further, death by suicide is commonly perceived as a “selfish” act, with the assumption that the person is not thinking of their families when making this decision.
- Suicide as “taboo,” “attention seeking,” or “weakness” – Cultural misconceptions emerged characterizing suicide as “manipulative”, “impulsive”, and an act of “possession.” Disclosures of suicidal ideation may be downplayed or seen as attention-seeking, particularly when shared on social media.
- Downplaying suicide to handle the discomfort of a taboo subject – Cultural values celebrate resilience, positivity, and humor. These tendencies may contribute to suicide being a difficult topic to discuss and may result in people using comedy as a defense mechanism to downplay, dismiss, or cope with suicide.
- Cultural views on suicide are evolving and “improving” – Participants reported that cultural views on suicide have evolved. Service providers appeared optimistic that beliefs are trending in the right direction: people have increasingly begun understanding suicide as a mental health issue, while also recognizing the need for support groups and mental health services for those impacted by suicide.
This research highlights the importance of further educational and stigma-reduction programs for families, community members, and frontline workers. Incorporation of religious leaders into suicide prevention programs, broadening understandings of mental health, and providing access to safe spaces to discuss all emotions can all contribute to reducing barriers to individuals receiving needed support. To learn more about the study and its conclusions, read our research brief.
