Understanding “Acquired Capacity” in Joiner’s Theory of Interpersonal Suicide

Understanding “Acquired Capacity” in Joiner’s Theory of Interpersonal Suicide

This is one of the more difficult concepts to wrap your brain around.

Essentially, Acquired Capacity is the issue of a boundary violation between a person and society’s norms. These are sometimes called “moral norms” or simply “morals.”

Once a societal norm has been breached, it is easier to do a second time.

An example I often use if from my early days as a therapist. I worked for a small private practice and had a husband and wife come in for “Marital Counseling.” She was very angry and he seemed confused and bewildered at her level of anger.

It turned out he precipitating event which brought them to therapy was his infidelity. This was the fourth time he had been caught cheating on her.

After allowing her to vent for a while, she blurted out, “I don’t know what is wrong with me. Why would he have cheated on me for the fourth time.”

My response was rather simple, even though it covered up a much more complicated set of issues. I replied, “I have no idea why he cheated on you the first time, but I know why he did so the last three time.”

“Why?”

“Because you let him.”

Quiet followed and I explained. When he cheated the first time, you did not leave him or let him know how serious it was for you. You did not draw a deep “line in the sand.”

The second part of the equation was that he had “acquired the capacity to cheat.” He had violated a serious social boundary and was not adequately consequence for his transgression. Therefore, it was easier to violate that boundary, and the third time, there was probably little thought or guilt.

Had she “left him” and required a large penance to return or simply terminated the relationship permanently, he may have been able to “repair” the boundary violation.

What does this have to do with suicide?

There is a societal boundary around suicide and death!

For death the boundary is, “We do not talk about this or even admit is exists or could happen to us, unless there is no other choice.”

For Suicide the boundary is, “That’s crazy! -- Do not do it! -- It’s wrong! -- I am scared so do not tell me anything else! – Only crazy people do that! – We NEVER talk about that!”

Once you cross that boundary, like all boundary violations, it is easier to cross it a second time.

This also holds true for physical violence, which is often an aspect of suicide.

I have had soldiers tell me that when they saw a fellow soldier “blown-up” and their body “ripped apart” they no longer looked human. Being able to identify a human body as human is also an important societal boundary. Breaching this boundary is also a form of ACQUIRED CAPACITY in relation to suicide.

Once a person has crossed a boundary, they are able to cross it again and again, with each time the crossing becoming easier. They have “acquired the capacity” to violate this boundary.

#Prevention #Suicide #Veterans