From the general theory we know that a basic requirement of design of the
brain is unconditional indefinite survival. However some individuals commit
suicide.
From the general theory we also know that models are so strong that they can
predict that sooner or later we will die. As this prediction will activate PSM
and PSM has no solution, this could destabilize the structure of models. The
general theory also shows that the solution is to build a shielding model,
e.g. religion. This model sends to PSM a less catastrophic message, which
stabilizes the situation. Some religions are so strong that they can determine
in their followers no fear of death. These believers can commit suicide very
easily, if they have a 'serious' reason, without the possibility of
intervention of PSM to block it. Fortunately, the Christian religion is not
strong enough to eliminate the fear of death.
This risk of suicide was noticed very early, and this is why religions usually
condemn suicide.
Whatever the shielding model would be (religion or another shielding model),
PSM will be blocked in case of the activation of a suicide model. The presence
of an adequate shielding model can therefore block the PSM, which wants to
stop the activation of the suicide model.
A class of suicidal individuals consists of those people that after the
disappearance of an entity included in their PSM (a very close person vanishes
from their life), they are unable to correct the whole structure of models.
The brain gets unstable, all-important models might become unusable and this
can lead to suicide.
Another class of suicidal individuals is that of those who have all their
models blocked (associated with general depression). The person can see that
he/she can't evolve anymore, the predictions are permanently the same, and
i.e. there is no hope to get out of a certain situation. This can lead to
suicide, but the brain needs to build on the spot a shielding model, in order
to have a 'successful' suicide. If not, PSM will intervene at the last moment
to avoid it.
A classical example is when somebody who has a lot of money looses it all at
once (the great depression in 1929 in USA, for instance). With all models
blocked, the individual has no capacity to build new models adequate to the
new external reality and suicide becomes an option.
There is a special class of suicidal individuals, under 18. This can be
associated to the fact that teenagers have a limited amount of long range
models with lots of imperfections. These models are insufficiently developed
to show the whole host of directions of evolution open. These models can
easily predict a situation of generalised blocking, and from here, the
tendency for suicide. It is clear that only a simultaneous generalised
blocking could be a cause for suicide. We repeat that without an adequate
shielding model, PSM will determine the insuccess of the suicidal attempt in
the last moment.
Obviously, there are persons who have psychiatric illnesses, as defined by
this theory. In their case, additional factors will add up, associated to
their illness.