Suicide

A controversial topic. I couldn't find any posts on it, so figured I'd make one.

So, suicide. What do people think?
From the religious perspective, what happens to a person who kills themselves?
Politically, do you think that it should be allowed?
What about the question of euthanasia?
Social feelings; if you have been affected by it in your community, or family - should you want to share.
This is not a place to discuss suicide methods unless it is to discourage some -
for example, the idea of overdosing on pain medication is common, however few are aware of the problems with it, such as the high rates of failure, the organ damage, both temporary and permanent, that it causes, and the myriad of other things that could go wrong.
This is not pro-suicide, however people should be free to express opinions of the idea in a philosophic fashion without being called pro-suicide, or suicidal.

According to Wikipedia [which I use as a source as it is good enough for the American court system as an 'expert' opinion],
over one million people die due to suicide annually.
While completed suicides are higher in men, women have higher rates for suicide attempts.
Elderly males have the highest suicide rate, although rates for young adults have been increasing in recent years.

Countries such as Australia and Japan have quite high rates, possibly due to factors such as droughts in Australia [as it's a commonality amongst farmers], and high pressure society of Japan.

World Map portraying global suicide rates.

Some links:
Suicide Ideation
Parasuicide
Suicide Crisis
Suicide Note

Do you think it is ever justified? Do you think there is a limit to 'what a person should have to go through'?

I knew this person once, who would regularly threaten to kill herself. Whether she ever actually made serious attempts, I don't know, because you can't really tell these things over the internet. Nowadays, I'm inclined to think she never did really try, but at the time, it was rather real. So, yeah, my personal experience right there.

Personally?
I'd never do it. It's the wrong thing for me to do, and my life is never going to be so bad that I don't want to live it anymore. Even if it is, I won't kill myself, because I just don't see the point [for me]. I mean, it's not like I'm coming back this way again, I might as well enjoy it while I can. From my perspective, too many people die/suffer/die suffering every day to justify removing my relatively comfortable existance from the world. It's a bit of an ungrateful piss take to them. How many people want to live, but they die anyway? yeah, too many. In juxtapose, my scenario to theirs would make suicide a wholly selfish choice.
But that's just me.
Other people have different lives.

Before I knew that person, I would have said that I don't think suicide is the best course of action, but after knowing that person, I just think fuck it. It's your life, you can throw it away if you want, you're not going to listen to me, I can't do anything about it.

Um, my personal experience is this guy I know [over the internet]...His sister commit suicide. And his family situation was really really fucked up so he and his sister were really close. It took me a lot to get him to not also commit suicide...

I also knew someone who had a friend who asked something like, "What would you do if I hanged myself in my basement?" And they all laughed, because they were teenagers...The next day he found him hanged in his basement.

I wouldn't ever commit suicide, not after seeing him like that. Suicide is a way out for you, maybe, but what about everyone around you? What happens to the person who finds you? The people who loved you? It's completely selfish.

Euthanasia is...Hard to classify as right or wrong. I mean, if the person is in so much incurable pain, and they want it to stop, then I think, why not? They're suffering. A lot. But I think that it has to be the person who's going to die's choice, not anyone else's. It is after all their body and unless they're on life support I think that it's their choice. Actually, even if they are on life support. Unless they're in some freak accident or something. Then someone else has to choose for them...

I don't make sense anymore...Sorry if you don't get it...

Well, I used to be suicidal, but now I kinda think it's selfish. Like, there are people who are suffering so much more than I am.
It's a permanant solution to a temporary problem.

I think suicide is a cry for help.
I think a lot of people do it for attention, but not in the way that we think.
They can't think of another way to ask for help and the logical part of their brain isn't working.
So they try to kill themself.
Did that make sense?

druscilla; insain:

I think suicide is a cry for help.
I think a lot of people do it for attention, but not in the way that we think.
They can't think of another way to ask for help and the logical part of their brain isn't working.
So they try to kill themself.
Did that make sense?

Perfect sense, and I think that is a large part of it.

druscilla; insain:

I think suicide is a cry for help.
I think a lot of people do it for attention, but not in the way that we think.
They can't think of another way to ask for help and the logical part of their brain isn't working.
So they try to kill themself.
Did that make sense?

=\ Sort of. I understand how people may be depressed, and the whole medical aspect of it, but what about the people who do it just because their life isn't perfect?

Rough Draft:

druscilla; insain:

I think suicide is a cry for help.
I think a lot of people do it for attention, but not in the way that we think.
They can't think of another way to ask for help and the logical part of their brain isn't working.
So they try to kill themself.
Did that make sense?

=\ Sort of. I understand how people may be depressed, and the whole medical aspect of it, but what about the people who do it just because their life isn't perfect?

Well, how can we know that's honestly why they killed themselves?
They're dead.

My boyfriend, Kirk, killed himself last year, and although he gave many explanations in the note he left behind for me, I still don't understand how he could such a thing.
Knowing him, I'm pretty sure that he thought that it wasn't forever. That'd he just show us all a lesson, and then continue with his life. However, that was not the case. I don't really think that he thought about the consequences of his actions.

Rough Draft:

=\ Sort of. I understand how people may be depressed, and the whole medical aspect of it, but what about the people who do it just because their life isn't perfect?

Some people want to do things with their lives, but never got the chance. Then their living a life they don't want to live.

I used to think that; if I didn't become what I wanted to become, if I was living a life I never wanted to live, I could just kill myself. Just because of the simple fact that my life wouldn't be the way I wanted it to be.

It's mainly to do with the mental aspect of it. You're brain can't understand that suicide isn't the answer.

Kerplunk Girl:

Some people want to do things with their lives, but never got the chance. Then their living a life they don't want to live.

I used to think that; if I didn't become what I wanted to become, if I was living a life I never wanted to live, I could just kill myself. Just because of the simple fact that my life wouldn't be the way I wanted it to be.

That's an interesting, valid point. And after all, it is that person's choice; it's their life, and everyone is different.
A situation considered good, or at least survivable, by one person may not be so for the person living it themselves.

I do not want to get old.
I use to tell myself I would kill myself by the age of fifty because I am that terrified of getting old.
. . . I still think about it on occassion.
Finishing up my affairs, telling people what's going to happen, saying my good-byes, and then killing myself.
Is that type of suicide any different?

And, yeah, I'm a selfish bitch, whatever.
I have illogical fears. I am fully aware of this.

druscilla; insain:

I do not want to get old.
I use to tell myself I would kill myself by the age of fifty because I am that terrified of getting old.
. . . I still think about it on occassion.
Finishing up my affairs, telling people what's going to happen, saying my good-byes, and then killing myself.
Is that type of suicide any different?

And, yeah, I'm a selfish bitch, whatever.
I have illogical fears. I am fully aware of this.

I don't want to get old either. Getting old is a fear of mine, one that is inevitable. But I'm afraid of death as well....so....I'm fucked.

I've had....several experiances with suicidal friends. I just had to be for them, listen to them, give them reasons to live. It was hard on me, so it must have been 10 times as hard for them.

Boyscout.:

druscilla; insain:

I do not want to get old.
I use to tell myself I would kill myself by the age of fifty because I am that terrified of getting old.
. . . I still think about it on occassion.
Finishing up my affairs, telling people what's going to happen, saying my good-byes, and then killing myself.
Is that type of suicide any different?

And, yeah, I'm a selfish bitch, whatever.
I have illogical fears. I am fully aware of this.

I don't want to get old either. Getting old is a fear of mine, one that is inevitable. But I'm afraid of death as well....so....I'm fucked.

Also me.

Talking to suicidal people is scary because I'm always worried I'll say the wrong thing.

My ex-boyfriend tried to commit suicide back in March.
There were many factors contributing to his attempt, but a drug problem was the main oppressor.
I remember seeing him after he tried to kill himself. He had lost a lot of weight from the drugs and he looked absolutely dreadful.
But the thing that stands out the clearest in my mind, is how scared he looked. He wasn't scared of his sister or any authority - but of what he had allowed himself to do.

Basically, he was scared of himself.

If a person is so scared of what he's been doing to himself or what he could do to himself - how can one help him? How can you make said person change their views of themselves?
And maybe that's why some people try suicide, so they can be assured that they can't fuck their - or anyone else's - lives up.

Personally, I do not believe that suicide is the answer. It’s a little hard to think anyone does. But a number of people just have their lives so bad that they see suicide as the only option. Even if a better alternative is staring them right in the face.

nothing in life can ever be that bad or that un-fixable [?word?] that suicide is your only option.

ierogasm:

nothing in life can ever be that bad or that un-fixable [?word?] that suicide is your only option.

In some peoples minds, that is the case.

and for some people it's too much, but surely those around them are aware of "warning signs" that something isn't right.

Okay. so,
About a year ago, I was pretty messed up in the head. I couldn't think straight anymore, everything became too hard. I may sound like a whiny teen, but...-shrugs- thats your perspective.
I couldn't fucntion anymore, and I guess I finally decided I couldn't do life anymore. When I attempted, I....don't know if I fully wanted to do it. I was really lost and confused.

I really wish I hadn't tried. As, obviously. It didn't work. From this, you think that you're a failure. You can't even kill yourself. Now I'm left with bad memories and scars up my arm. Which then, brings more social anxieties and bad feelings.

I don't know whether it's selfish or not. In some respects, when you're going to do it, you feel as if you've held on as long as you can. Sure, you know it'll hurt the people that love you really bad. But, it feels like the only option you have. These are my feelings, so I'm not trying to say that every suicidal person feels this.

It affected my family bad. Like. They had no idea how I had been feeling, so it came as quite a shock. It also took a toll on a really good friend of mine who I had been talking to about it all.

But now I am glad nothing happened, things....arent super perfect happy. But they're on their way to. Everyone has really got something to look forward to. It might be hard to find but they do.

I live in Australia and can understand why the rates here are high. Droughts, yes. As there are a lot of farmers. But also, there are a lot of country towns that are in the middle of nowhere. You have nothing to do, everyday is the same, you know everyone. Hopefully i'm making sense.
I'm guessing a lot of country kids kill themself because they're stuck there. Why don't they move to the city or somewhere closer? They might be tied up with a family business or, don't have the money.

From a religious perspective? Christianity, you're giving your life to God. Like...'I give you control over life' and such. But however, when committing suicide, it's like you are taking what you've said to God and putting life back into your own hands. Dealing with matters yourself and not including him.
Although, it doesn't say in the bible exactly that "those who commit suicide are dammed to hell"
Mark 3:28 says something along the lines, that all sins are forgiven.

Believing that the bible is God's word, then there's a reason why he didn't say what happens with suicide in black & white.
For example;
If he said that we went to heaven if we killed ourselves, there would be a lot more suicides.
However, if he said that all those to take their lives will go to hell, no matter what their situation, it may be too much for the grief-stricken family and friends to bear.

So, in reference to that verse ^^. the only unpardonable sin is rejecting christ.

Wow, I wrote a fair bit... :/
Hopefully I've shed some more light on this topic to those that attempted to read that, lol.

the only experience i've had is something one of my best friends told me.
She said that her friend's best friend had killed himself, he'd hanged himself. She still thinks he didn't do it, that he was just 'messing around'...it's something that can have a lasting effect on people left behind.
My aunty's friend kept threatning to kill herself after her husband left her. She's really messed up, she won't let her husband see her son and has basically 'brainwashed' the kid to hate his dad. Her friends think she's just crying out for attention though.

Euthanasia...I don't think it should be illegal. Even those left behind may want them to just...go. Peacefully. It's much more heartwrenching and painful to see someone just waste away in pain.