Despair

Surgical empathy is proposed as another psychological option when death appears to be the only escape. The article treats despair as more central to suicide risk than depression alone. Depression and other stressors may contribute to suicide risk, but many people experience them without becoming suicidal. Despair is described as involving hopelessness, helplessness, powerlessness, worthlessness, purposelessness, meaninglessness, and pointlessness. At the suicidal edge, death can appear to promise relief from pain.