Why relationship breakdown
contributes to suicide
Explanations for the association between
relationship status and suicide tend to be based on
Durkheim’s concept of social, particularly domestic,
integration, which proposes that marriage (or
settled relationship) can diminish the risk of egoistic
suicide (caused by an excess of individuation and a
lack of connectedness to others in the family and
wider community), since it offers the individual a
source of regulation and a sense of meaning.
More recent research suggests that marriage is a
protective factor, enhancing wellbeing, reducing
exposure to stress, providing a source of social
norms and meaning, and increasing access to social
networks. Divorce increases the risk of suicide
because the individual becomes disconnected from
their domestic relationship and social norms.