Suicide notes are left by approximately 15% to 38% of suicide decedents. Sanger and Veach 7 investigated broad interpersonal themes within a large sample of suicide notes using grounded theory analysis, finding 7 themes that included “positive relationships,” “explanations,” and “concern for others.” There is a small but growing body of literature that takes an inductive approach to the study suicide notes, allowing for the generation of new ideas and theories about suicide. They found that perceived burdernsomeness (a key component of the interpersonal theory of suicide) was correlated with completer versus attempter status. Joiner and colleagues, 6 for example, compared the notes from completed versus attempted suicides. Most studies examining suicide notes have used the notes to validate existing theories about suicide. 5 Suicide notes are firsthand accounts that offer unique insight into the thought processes and emotional experiences of those who have died by suicide, information that is missed by quantitative analyses of suicide risk factors. 4 There is far less research, however, that explores the subjective experiences of people who die by suicide, yet this is critical clinical information that provides the subjective context of risk factors. 2, 3 For example, empirically demonstrated risk factors for suicide, such as presence of mental disorders, past suicide attempts, and gender, have been used to substantiate the interpersonal theory of suicide.
1 Epidemiological data and demographic characteristics of suicide attempters and decedents are often used to propose pathways to suicide. Suicide is one of the leading causes of premature death in Canada, with 4405 suicide deaths occurring in 2015.
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