A reflection between the spinozist concept of suicide and the predictors of suicidal behavior

Abstract

Introduction: Suicide is a multifactorial phenomenon that represents the intentional self-extermination of an individual and challenges the fields of health, psychology, and philosophy. This study aims to reflect on suicidal behavior based on the philosophical conception of Baruch Spinoza, comparing it with the predictive factors recognized in contemporary literature. Materials and Methods: This is a toric-philosophical reflection on suicide based on the conception of Baruch Spinoza. Results: For Spinoza, suicide is not the result of an active desire, but of a condition of impotence generated by external affections that limit the individual's power to act. This philosophical interpretation dialogues with contemporary findings, which identify factors such as hopelessness, social isolation, and mental disorders as precursors to suicide. Discussion: Spinozist understanding allows for a broader approach to the topic, by situating suicide not as an isolated act, but as an expression of the absence of active rationality and submission to passive affections. Final considerations: Preventive actions should consider not only clinical and social factors, but also strategies that promote autonomy, self-knowledge, and the strengthening of reason, favoring the reconstruction of the power to live. Spinoza's philosophy, in this sense, offers valuable insights for a deeper and more comprehensive approach to the psychological suffering that leads to suicide.

Keywords: Affect; Self-Destructive Behavior; Mental Health; Suicide; Mental Disorders.