Prof Rory O'Connor Guest Talk ~ "When It Is Darkest: Understanding Suicide"

Professor Rory O'Connor will draw from his book “When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do To Prevent It” (Vermilion, 2021). The book aims to get to the heart of this most tragic of human outcomes, challenging myths and misunderstandings as well as bringing together the personal and the professional.

Suicide and self-harm are major public health concerns with complex aetiologies which encompass a multifaceted array of risk and protective factors. In this presentation, Professor O'Connor will dispel some of the myths associated with suicide as well as describing the Integrated Motivational–Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behaviour (O’Connor & Kirtley, 2018). The IMV model outlines the pathways to the emergence of suicidal ideation and the transition from suicidal thoughts to acts of suicide. This tripartite model maps the relationship between background factors and trigger events, and the development of suicidal ideation/intent through to suicidal behaviour. Crucially, the IMV model identifies clinical targets for treatment.

The talk will present an overview of some of our clinical, experimental and intervention studies to illustrate how psychological, physiological and social factors increase suicide risk and what we all can do to tackle suicide. It will highlight the psychological evidence of what works to prevent suicidal behaviour. It will also present findings from the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Study, as well as the wider research literature, to describe the changes in mental health and wellbeing over the course of the pandemic. The wider clinical implications for the prevention of suicide will also be discussed.

Rory O’Connor PhD FAcSS is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow, President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and a Past President of the International Academy of Suicide Research. Rory leads the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory (Web: www.suicideresearch.info; Twitter: @suicideresearch) at Uni of Glasgow, one of the leading suicide/self-harm research groups internationally. He has published extensively in the field of suicide and self-harm, specifically concerning the psychological processes which precipitate suicidal behaviour and self-harm. He is also co-author/editor of several books and is author of “When It is Darkest. Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do To Prevent It” (2021). He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Archives of Suicide Research and Associate Editor of Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviour. Rory acts as an advisor to a range of national and international organisations including national governments on the areas of suicide and self-harm. He is also a Trustee of MQ Mental Health Research and James’ Place.

Host or Publisher Edinburgh Napier University