Phenomenology and Functions of Suicide Humor: A Theoretical Review

The present article provides an analysis of suicide humor as a specific form of dark humor and its relation to suicide behavior. It is suggested that such humor and suicide taboo, as well as communicative taboo on the topic of suicide, are interrelated. The complexity and inconsistency of society’s attitude towards suicide and acts of self-sacrifice are analyzed. Presumably suicide humor represents a rather complex multidimensional phenomenon of communication, which functions as a tool for reflection on suicide taboo. It is suggested that suicide jokes can influence suicide behavior either by strengthening or weakening suicide motivation. Various mechanisms that may underlie the adaptive nature of such humor are considered through its relationship with the psychological factors of suicide risk. The article provides a hypothesis on how such humor can be used as a tool for suicide risk’s clinical diagnosis; it also discusses the reasons for suicide jokes’ popularity among adolescents.