Lived Experiences of Severe Depression and Suicide Attempts in Older Thai-Muslims Living in Rural Communities

Authors

  • Saifon Aekwarangkoon RN, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Walailak University, Thailand.
  • Naiyana Noonil RN, PhD, Assistant Professor,School of Nursing, Walailak University, Thailand.

Keywords:

Attempted Suicide, Depression, Muslim, Older People, Phenomenology

Abstract

                 Depression-related suicide appears to be increasing among older people in a number of countries and occurs consistently in multicultural contexts and among various religious communities. In this study we explored and described the experiencesof eight older Thai-Muslims with a history of severe depression and suicide attempts who lived in southern Thailand. The phenomenological method of Colazzi was used to gather, analyze and present data and we employed in-depth interviews.

              Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed four themes that stood out as figural for the participants: (a) “death is freedom from life”, (b) “loss and loneliness leads to suicide”, (c) “a healing approach through Islamic beliefs”, and (d) “need someone to support”. The findings revealed that the participants generally contemplate suicide in a state of abject misery. Nurse-client therapeutic relationships are important and meaningful for creatingpersonal trust, safety and confidence through being with such people, and collaborating with them to make various choices, to enhance their self-value and touch their inner life-energy. In the healing process, nurses should consider developing positive connections, attempting to alleviate pain and sufering, and providing them with effective support in an acceptable Islamic manner.

References

1. Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health. The Department of Mental Health watched the elderly risk suicide. 2017 [cited 2017 December 19]. Available from https://www.dmh.go.th/news-dmh/view.asp?id=26932

2. World Health Organization. Depression let’s talk: Campaign essentials. 2017 [cited 2017 April 25]. Available from http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/ 2017/toolkit.pdf?us=1

3. Snowdon J. Differences between patterns of suicide in East Asia and the West. The importance of sociocultural factors. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2018; 37: 106-111.

4. Pritchard C, Amanullah S. An analysis of suicide and undetermined deaths in 17 predominantly Islamic countries contrasted with the UK. Psychological Medicine. 2007; 37: 421-430.

5. Karbeyaz K, Celikel A, Emiral E, Emiral GO. Elderly suicide in Eskisehir, Turkey. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 2017; 52: 12-15.

6. Bunloet A. Prevalence and factors associated with depression among the elderly community residents with chronic diseases in Samliam Urban Primary Care Unit, Khon Kaen. Srinagarind Medical Journal. 2016; 31: 25-33.

7. Wongpanarak N, Chaleoykitti S. Depression: A significant mental health problem of elderly. Journal of the Royal Thai Army Nurses. 2014; 15: 24-31.

8. Yodmai K, Somrongthong R. Depression and factors associated with the quality of life among the elderly in Numpong and Somsoong District, Khonkean Province, Thailand. European Journal of Scientific Research. 2016; 138: 193-199.

9. Dewiyanti D, Kusuma HE. Space for Muslims spiritual meanings. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2012; 50: 969-978.

10. Laeheem K. The effects of happy Muslim family activities on reduction of domestic violence against Thai-Muslim spouses in Satun. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences. 2017; 38: 150-155.

11. Sheehan L, Dubke R, Corrigan PW. The specificity of public stigma: A comparison of suicide and depression-related stigma. Psychiatry Research. 2017; 256: 40-45.

12. Mir G, Meer S, Cottrell D, McMillan D, House A, Kanter JW. Adapted behavioural activation for the treatment of depression in Muslims. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2015; 180: 190-199.

13. Mayo Clinic. Depression (major depressive disorder). 2018 [cited 2019 March 25]. Available from https:// www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/ symptoms-causes/syc-20356007

14. Tzeferakos GA, Douzenis AI. Islam, mental health and law: a general overview. Annals of General Psychiary. 2017: 16-28.

15. Eapen V, El-Rufaie O. Country Profile: United Arab Emirates (UAE). International Psychiatry. 2008; 2: 38-40.

16. Ciftci A, Jones N, Corrigan PW. Mental health stigma in the Muslim community. Journal of Muslim Mental Health. 2012(7). Doi:http://dix.doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.103 81 Z607.0007.102

17. Thomas SP, Pollio HR. Listening to patients: A phenomenological approach to nursing research and practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc; 2002.

18. Lotrakul M, Sumrithe S, Saipanish R. Reliability and validity of the Thai version of the PHQ-9. BMC Psychiatry. 2008; 8: 46.

19. Colaizzi PF. Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In: Valle R, King M (eds). Existential-Phenomenological Alternatives for psychology. New York: Oxford University Press; 1978: 48-71.

20. Morrow R, Rodriguez A, King N. Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The Psychologist. 2015; 28: 643-644.

21. Anney VN. Ensuring the quality of the findings of qualitative research: Looking at trustworthiness criteria. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies. 2014; 5: 272-281.

22. Apesoa-Varano EC, Barker JC, Hinton L. Shards of sorrow: Older men’s accounts of their depression experience. Social Science & Medicine. 2015; 124: 1-8.

23. Santini ZI, Fiori KL, Feeney J, Tyrovolas S, Haro MJ, Koyanagi A. Social relationships, loneliness, and mental health among older men and women in Ireland: A prospective community-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2016; 204: 59-69.

24. Elias SMS, Nevile C, Scott T. The effectiveness of group reminiscence therapy for loneliness, anxiety and depression in older peoples in long-term care: A systematic review. Geriatric Nursing. 2015; 36: 372-380.

25. Ni Y, Tein JY, Zhang M, Yang Y, Wu G. Changes in depression among older peoples in China: A latent transition analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2017; 209: 3-9.

26. Sabry WM, Vohra A. Role of Islam in the management of psychiatric disorders. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 2013; 55: S205-S214. Doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.105534

27. Bulmer M, Bohnke JR, Lewis GJ. Predicting moral sentiment towards physician-assisted suicide: The role of religion, conservatism, authoritarianism, and big five personality. Personality and Individual Differences. 2017; 105: 244-251.

28. Lawrence RE, Brent D, Mann JJ, Burke AK, Grunebaum MF, Galfalvy HC, et al. Religion as a risk factor for suicide attempt and suicide ideation among depressed patients. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease. 2016; 204: 845-850. Doi: 10.1097/NMD.000000000000484

29. Izquierdo A, Miranda J, Bromley E, Sherbourne C, Ryan G, Kennedy D, et al. Grandparenting experiences among adults with a history of depression: A mixed-methods study. General Hospital Psychiatry. 2015; 37: 185-191.

30. Knipe DW, Gunnell D, Pearson M, Jayamanne S, Pieris R, Priyadarshana C, et al. Attempted suicide in Sri Lanka-An epidemiological study of household and community factors. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018; 232: 177-184.

Downloads

Published

2019-09-16

How to Cite

1.
Aekwarangkoon S, Noonil N. Lived Experiences of Severe Depression and Suicide Attempts in Older Thai-Muslims Living in Rural Communities. PRIJNR [Internet]. 2019 Sep. 16 [cited 2024 Dec. 14];23(4):334-4. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/PRIJNR/article/view/165704