Question

When someone contemplates suicide are they at that moment compentent to make that decision or is that part of the aspect of their illness?

Answer 1

Contemplating suicide can be a result of clinical depression or it can be due to severe mental distress.

Depression is associated with feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Thoughts of suicide occur when the depression becomes severe. The important thing about depression is that it is mood disorder that preserves insight. Mental illnesses like schizophrenia doesn't preserve insight and the patient is not taking decisions consciously after contemplating consequences of their action. Whereas in depression, the insight is preserved and the patients are fully aware of the consequences of their action. They contemplate suicide because they feel like their life won't become any better and think with full awareness about suicide. They have full awareness but their judgement is clouded by their illness which is why interventions like antidepressants work. They make the chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters which result in depression, better.