Sigmund Freud provided a psychological explanation in which suicide is seen as

• A. a form of self-punishment
• B. murder turned around 180 degrees
• C. an expression of anger toward others
• D. a rational self-preservation act

Answer: (B)

Freud viewed suicide as aggression directed inward—a form of murder turned against the self. In his view, those destructive impulses that might be aimed at another person can become redirected toward the ego, producing self-harm and ultimately death. This inward turn helps explain why suicide may arise from intense internal conflict, guilt, and ambivalence about loved ones, rather than simply being a matter of punishment, outward anger toward others, or a rational decision. The idea that the same destructive energy can be redirected inward is what makes the option describing murder turned inward the best fit.