Suicide: Psychache and Alienation

Psychache (s?k-?k), a neologism coined by suicidologist Edwin Shneidman,¹ is unbearable psychological pain-hurt, anguish, soreness, and aching. Shneidman theorized that unresolved psychache results in suicidal behavior. In almost every case of suicide, psychache is the cause. Psychache stems from thwarted or distorted psychological needs . . . every suicidal act reflects some specific unfulfilled psychological need.¹

The particular frustrated need leading to the nuclear problem varies from person to person, as does the threshold for enduring psychological pain. Freud’s brilliant student Victor Tausk yearned for recognition from his mentor, but Freud was not generous in his praise.² Tausk shot himself, with a noose around his neck. Robert Schumann’s psychache stemmed from loss-when he was 16, his father died and his sister committed suicide in quick succession-yet many people experience the loss of an important relationship and do not attempt suicide.³

From Shneidman’s perspective, suicide is best understood as moving toward the complete stopping of one’s consciousness and unendurable pain, especially when cessation is seen by the suffering person as the solution-indeed the perfect solution-of life’s painful and pressing problems. “Pain is the core of suicide. Suicide is an exclusively human response to extreme psychological pain.”¹

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