Poll: Suicide - Your opinion

[Omega Hunter 9]

As a person who tried suicide, I'll try to explain how it came about. I had been heavily depressed for several months, I'll leave the specifics out. Something that most people don't know about depression is that it seduces you. That's the best way to describe it, because you don't know its happening until it's there in full force. Then it uses your own mind and rationalizing power to defend it, and even if you come close to breaking it, denial sets in. It's a state of being trapped, but you feel that life is trapping you instead of the problem in your head.

Fortunately, therapy and anti-depressants have fixed me for the time being, but I hope that you all can learn to understand that depression is much less controllable than most people think it is.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

I've tried to commit suicide, but unfortunately it didn't work and I had to spend some time in the ICU.

I still regret that it didn't work at times

Didn't work?

Sounds like you really didn't want to die then. If you really did you would be dead now.

I find it to be a bit of attention grabbing behaviour when people say they "tried" to commit suicide. It's not like it's hard. Just put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. Or dive headfirst from the highest height you can find.

But no, instead they choose uncertain methods like cutting their wrists or swallowing pills.

If you really wanted to die, why didn't you use a more foolproof and failsafe method?

 

[Simalacrum]

I'm definitely against suicide. however the person who wants to commit suicide is feeling, it leaves those who loved the person in utter desolation - it leaves not only sadness and pain, but anger as well. I think its selfish.

 

[Zacharine]

Most of the time I'd say suicide is cowardly, selfish and idiotic. Those who cared about the person who cuicided himself will be suffering and missing him. The suicide didn't solve any problems. The person was simply too weak to handle life and, instead of trying to better it and work through whatever problems he/she might have had, decided to give up. From my point of view, that is stupidity in extreme. Understandable stupidity, but idiotic nonetheless.

How is it stupid or idiotic?

I mean, those labels imply that the descision was made on irrational and unintelligent grounds. Since when did it became objectively irrational to not want to go on living?

It's like saying that people are idiotic or stupid for not feeling like eating ice-cream...

I hold that the decision to suicide oneself with no forseeable gain (other than ending one's own suffering (perceived or real)) is irrational. The person has taken the ultimate cop-out to his/her problems, while creating suffering and misery to those around him/her. Those who care about him will feel miserable, the cops who have to process his body, the financial burden created, the mess that has to be cleaned (if a messy suicide), possible counseling for remaing family or friends, his/her workload which others now have to do for him/her. All these problems are created by the suicide, while serving no good or solving any problems.

That is irrational, that is idiotic. That is cowardly; instead of trying to solve the problems, the suicider said 'screw it all', side-stepped all his/her problems and created new ones to those who are still alive.

Now, as I said, there are conceivable cases where a suicide would serve to create more good that bad. Such as heroically staying behind to open a pump valve on a ship and thus preventing 300 passengers from being dumbed into icy waters with little hope of rescue in time. Suicide, but one that served a greater goal, or in other words the result of suicide had reasonable expectations of a better result for a group of people.

I know one such case. During a military training, a private had not listened with proper attention to the instruction of handling a grenade or had forgotten parts of them. He takes out the pin and then switches hands for the throw to the target area. But while switching hands, the grenade handle pops away, lighting the fuse inside. The sergeant next to him is about to stop him, but it is too late. The private panics and drops the grenade to his feet. The sergeant pushes the private as hard as he could, making him stumble and drop to the ground, and yells 'Incoming!' to signal the rest of the group a few meters away (waiting for their turn with grenade throwing) to take cover.

He then threw himself on top of the grenade, just in time for it to explode. The sergeant died instantly, the private who messed up got a shrapnel to his leg but fully recovered in a few months. No one else was injured.

Later investigation degreed that had the sergent not protected the others with his own body, at least him and the private would have died, possibly some others from the group nearby, with 5 to 15 wounded to boot.

That suicide was honorable.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Its the cowards way out, ruin everyone in your familys life because your depressed about something.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

I've tried to commit suicide, but unfortunately it didn't work and I had to spend some time in the ICU.

I still regret that it didn't work at times

Didn't work?

Sounds like you really didn't want to die then. If you really did you would be dead now.

I find it to be a bit of attention grabbing behaviour when people say they "tried" to commit suicide. It's not like it's hard. Just put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. Or dive headfirst from the highest height you can find.

But no, instead they choose uncertain methods like cutting their wrists or swallowing pills.

If you really wanted to die, why didn't you use a more foolproof and failsafe method?

Actually, commiting succesful suicide is really hard. Only three percent of people succeed the first time.

Why? Because it's usually a spur of the moment thing. In my case for your examples of sure fire ways: I can't get a hold of a gun because I live in the Netherlands, not the USA. And I couldn't get to a high building at 4 at night, because they where mysteriously all closed. I don't even live near any, plus I don't have a car to drive to one. Also, tall buildings are notoriously suicide proof; the windows are unbreakable and roof access is prevented by locks.

Anyway, back to my attempt, which in your opinion was appearantly just for show.
I took all of the pills I had, which was a hundred times the normal dose.
Turned out the most killing effect was blowing up your heart or causing your blood pressure to rise high enough for say a stroke.

Not a problem per se, so far. But I had severe hypotension and a very slow heartrate because of anorexia. So that was one problem. The other was that I suddendly launched al lot of half digested pills in a heavy emetic reaction (i.e. the pills make you vomit uncontrollably in a high dose). So, with an unknown amount of pills on the floor and not being dead after half an hour I decided to call an ambulance, because the only thing worse than the shame of failing at suicide is getting something like brain damage because you failed.

In many cases permanent disability is a result of unsuccesfull suicide. Not cool, especially when you already didn't want to continue to live...

A last note; "failsafe methods" do not exist. A shot to the head, jumping in front of a train... I know people who've survived that.

 

[curty129]

Cowardly? Hah. Can't believe that's the second highest most popular choice. Sure, i can see why it may be. But can't any of you "Cowardly" voters see why it isn't? If you can't then you're being ignorant and that annoys me :l

OT: It really depends. Selfish - Jumping in front of a train. You'll just delay many people trying to go about their day and maybe have a chance at traumatizing the train driver.

Otherwise, if it isn't selfish, it's perfectly fine in my opinion. Just make sure it isn't affecting anyone else's life. Say, throwing yourself off a remote cliff (The current may drag you to the beach which would be unfortunate for all the holidaymakers) or. Dying in an alley. Or, if available, visiting a third world country and dying in whichever way you please.

Suicide - Ok!
Selfish suicide - No! >:l

 

[Insanum]

I've tried to commit suicide, but unfortunately it didn't work and I had to spend some time in the ICU.

I still regret that it didn't work at times

Didn't work?

Sounds like you really didn't want to die then. If you really did you would be dead now.

I find it to be a bit of attention grabbing behaviour when people say they "tried" to commit suicide. It's not like it's hard. Just put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. Or dive headfirst from the highest height you can find.

But no, instead they choose uncertain methods like cutting their wrists or swallowing pills.

If you really wanted to die, why didn't you use a more foolproof and failsafe method?

Actually, commiting succesful suicide is really hard. Only three percent of people succeed the first time.

Why? Because it's usually a spur of the moment thing. In my case for your examples of sure fire ways: I can't get a hold of a gun because I live in the Netherlands, not the USA. And I couldn't get to a high building at 4 at night, because they where mysteriously all closed. I don't even live near any, plus I don't have a car to drive to one. Also, tall buildings are notoriously suicide proof; the windows are unbreakable and roof access is prevented by locks.

Anyway, back to my attempt, which in your opinion was appearantly just for show.
I took all of the pills I had, which was a hundred times the normal dose.
Turned out the most killing effect was blowing up your heart or causing your blood pressure to rise high enough for say a stroke.

Not a problem per se, so far. But I had severe hypotension and a very slow heartrate because of anorexia. So that was one problem. The other was that I suddendly launched al lot of half digested pills in a heavy emetic reaction (i.e. the pills make you vomit uncontrollably in a high dose). So, with an unknown amount of pills on the floor and not being dead after half an hour I decided to call an ambulance, because the only thing worse than the shame of failing at suicide is getting something like brain damage because you failed.

In many cases permanent disability is a result of unsuccesfull suicide. Not cool, especially when you already didn't want to continue to live...

A last note; "failsafe methods" do not exist. A shot to the head, jumping in front of a train... I know people who've survived that.

Thats one of the things that stopped me. The thing is if you own a gun, Put it in your mouth & bang, Youve gone, BUT in the UK we cant do that. Tall buildings are bad in case you change your mind on the way down. Pills run the risk of giving yourself long term health problems. hanging is suffocation, Meaning you risk brain damage. The human body just has some determination to live sometimes.

 

[curty129]

In my opinion it is weak and selfish, I'd rather go down fighting than kill myself at rockbottom.. Seriously, what could ever warrant suicide? Instead of fleeing from the terrible situations try to better them..

Your girlfriend cheats, and leaves you for a hotter, more intelligent and interesting guy. You yourself are barely interesting, funny or witty, with average intelligence. You are fired as your job has been made redundant. Nobody truly cares for you (Including family, as your parents have passed away and you were an only child.) and you have very little friends, and being unsocial, it is hard to make any at all.

Give me an exact example of what you think you'd do in that situation, being that guy. I'm genuinely interested to hear that you'd fight for a better life. And what would you do first?

(Suicide is less cowardly, more appealing. It is the easy way out. Being lazy and unambitious is not a form of cowardice. Being hunted by a loan shark? It's almost certain you'll be tortured? You'll go down fighting, and very likely lose?)

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

I hold that the decision to suicide oneself with no forseeable gain (other than ending one's own suffering (perceived or real)) is irrational. The person has taken the ultimate cop-out to his/her problems, while creating suffering and misery to those around him/her. Those who care about him will feel miserable, the cops who have to process his body, the financial burden created, the mess that has to be cleaned (if a messy suicide), possible counseling for remaing family or friends, his/her workload which others now have to do for him/her. All these problems are created by the suicide, while serving no good or solving any problems.

That is irrational, that is idiotic. That is cowardly; instead of trying to solve the problems, the suicider said 'screw it all', side-stepped all his/her problems and created new ones to those who are still alive.

Okay, now you're just simplifying the mind of a suicidal person. And because of that I don't see any problem in simplifying the situation to the extreme.

You say that it doesn't solve any problems. No it doesn't, but then again who's to say that we're all born to solve problems?

Last time I checked, children are born because of their parents selfish wishes to procreate (that is the cold hard truth ladies and gentlemen).

Quite simply, no one choose to be born, it is forced upon them. As is all potential problems that comes with being alive. There is no inherent or rational reason that everyone should be expected to just solve problems they are faced with, when those problems weren't voluntary to begin with.

Sure, if you've decided to put a kid to life then you've made volontary commitment that you should fulfill. But if you haven't, then there's really no rational/logical reason for why you should go on living, there's only expectations from others and yourself. Others that you don't owe living for in any way, since life itself wasn't chosen by you to begin with.

See? A perfectly viable and intellectual explaination to why it isn't idiotic or irrational to commit suicide.

Cowardly? Yes, well that's a matter of perspective. Deplorable? Same thing here. But there's no rational automatic connection between suicide and stupidity, that's just you actively demeaning people who have committed suicide.

 

[Lord George]

Valid reasons? To enjoy life, to be happy, to fall in love, to experience the greatest high and best lows, to give life to the world, to change the lives of others, to hike 10 miles to a lake in the rain to eat icecream and enjoy the view, there are countless reasons to live and enjoy life, to throw that all away just because say your parents split up or you've failed all your goals in the short term is just plain stupid.

Yeah, I can see that you mention several reasons there, but what makes them more VALID than the reasons people kill themselves for?

What makes your reasons to live more "right" and their reasons more "wrong"?

I mean, the fact that you are alive now isn't really something you chose is it? It was forced upon you by your mother for choosing to give birth to you, and you have some reasons for sticking to her choice of not terminating your life before you were born.

But what is it that makes them more "valid" than just putting a gun to your head and pull the trigger?

Well to answer that you'd have to tell me what are the "valid" reasons for someone to kill themselves barring due to having a horrible sickness, also while the fact I'm alive may not have been my choice the fact that I continue to live is my decision every day, I find more reason's to live then not to and find that most people decide this if they are prevented from offing themselves, as in my experience (I've known about 2 people who've attempted, one who was strongly considering it but talked out if, thankfully all are alive today) they've been spur of the moment things based around too many things in there life going bad and piling up, but they all got past it and moved on being happier today and I'm guessign thankful they didn't die then and their.

Having said all this I do believe its the right for people to take their life if they truly want to, I don't agree with it but its a freedom people should have, though perhaps only after thinking it over for a year or so.

 

[fudgebo]

Suicide isn?t about cowardice or courage, its something that stems from a deep mental instability, usually depression, brought on from loss, addiction or very low self esteem. Suicide is wrong, it shouldn't happen but then again this thread proves that clearly the majority of people out there couldn't even begin to comprehend what goes through a persons mind in that situation, so its no wonder suicide is still such a high figure on our national death rates.

 

[Cornwallpwns]

cowardly, incredibly selfish

seriously if you hate your life so much go help starving people in africa or something, its never an option its just wrong

 

[Arretu]

Voted depends.

I think that it down to the individual to make the choice, I neither condemn nor condone it. However, I would prefer those who do commit suicide to do so neatly, and not leave blood all over the place. No reason to be rude about it.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Actually, commiting succesful suicide is really hard. Only three percent of people succeed the first time.

Why? Because it's usually a spur of the moment thing. In my case for your examples of sure fire ways: I can't get a hold of a gun because I live in the Netherlands, not the USA. And I couldn't get to a high building at 4 at night, because they where mysteriously all closed. I don't even live near any, plus I don't have a car to drive to one. Also, tall buildings are notoriously suicide proof; the windows are unbreakable and roof access is prevented by locks.

Anyway, back to my attempt, which in your opinion was appearantly just for show.
I took all of the pills I had, which was a hundred times the normal dose.
Turned out the most killing effect was blowing up your heart or causing your blood pressure to rise high enough for say a stroke.

Not a problem per se, so far. But I had severe hypotension and a very slow heartrate because of anorexia. So that was one problem. The other was that I suddendly launched al lot of half digested pills in a heavy emetic reaction (i.e. the pills make you vomit uncontrollably in a high dose). So, with an unknown amount of pills on the floor and not being dead after half an hour I decided to call an ambulance, because the only thing worse than the shame of failing at suicide is getting something like brain damage because you failed.

In many cases permanent disability is a result of unsuccesfull suicide. Not cool, especially when you already didn't want to continue to live...

A last note; "failsafe methods" do not exist. A shot to the head, jumping in front of a train... I know people who've survived that.

... Then there's tall bridges, railway tracks (just lie your head on the track and let the train sever it clean off when it arrives), electrical outlets (just bend a fork and hold on to one end), electrical wiring, there's drowning yourself etc. etc.

Several method statistically safer to kill you rather than swallowing pills.

Just out of curiosity: are you a man or a woman? (the answer would explain a thing or two)

 

[DrDeath3191]

I believe that suicide is running away from your problems rather than solving them. Thus, I voted Cowardice.

 

[headshotcatcher]

In my opinion it is weak and selfish, I'd rather go down fighting than kill myself at rockbottom.. Seriously, what could ever warrant suicide? Instead of fleeing from the terrible situations try to better them..

Your girlfriend cheats, and leaves you for a hotter, more intelligent and interesting guy. You yourself are barely interesting, funny or witty, with average intelligence. You are fired as your job has been made redundant. Nobody truly cares for you (Including family, as your parents have passed away and you were an only child.) and you have very little friends, and being unsocial, it is hard to make any at all.

Give me an exact example of what you think you'd do in that situation, being that guy. I'm genuinely interested to hear that you'd fight for a better life. And what would you do first?

(Suicide is less cowardly, more appealing. It is the easy way out. Being lazy and unambitious is not a form of cowardice. Being hunted by a loan shark? It's almost certain you'll be tortured? You'll go down fighting, and very likely lose?)

Well, you can WORK on making yourself interesting and if you don't care for that then you may be better off dead anyway. This world is what YOU make of it, if you are a lazy loner it won't be too pleasant. You won't get everything done for you, get over it and get off your lazy ass and DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE

Things aren't fixed in life, things CHANGE, that's what makes it how it is today! The only way to beat the changes is to be one step ahead, instead of 6 steps behind.
And if eternal forfeit (suicide) because you can't bear the weight of the world is NOT cowardly, I don't know what is.

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

I would encourage anyone who wants to learn about the attitudes of suicidal people to do some research on an old Usenet group called alt.suicide.holiday. Any question you might have on the subject has been treated in more depth and with more thought by both pro-choice and pro-life (cool how those categories still work in this case, eh?) posters than anyone you'll find here.

The biggest thing you'll take away from it whether it changes your mind or strengthens your convictions either way is how most people oversimplify the issue. It's cowardly? Really? Stand on the edge of a building sometime and think about stepping off. What do you feel? Fear, I'll bet. Calling someone who is capable of overcoming that fear a coward is pretty unobservant in my opinion.

It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem? There are no permanent problems in life? I suppose not, in the sense that life itself is temporary. What if I told you that you'd only feel crushing grief over, say, the loss of a spouse for the next 40 years, but the last 3 years of your life you'd be pretty okay because your Alzheimer's would take that memory away entirely? Is life now worth living because your problem now is only temporary? The past is always permanent. It's a tragic consequence of having only unidirectional fourth-dimension travel capabilities.

Sorry if I rehashed anyone else's no doubt more eloquent argument. I'm one of those guys who posts after the first page rather than reading the whole thread. Lo siento.

 

[ReincarnatedFTP]

I would encourage anyone who wants to learn about the attitudes of suicidal people to do some research on an old Usenet group called alt.suicide.holiday. Any question you might have on the subject has been treated in more depth and with more thought by both pro-choice and pro-life (cool how those categories still work in this case, eh?) posters than anyone you'll find here.

The biggest thing you'll take away with it whether it changes your mind or strengthens your convictions either way is how most people oversimplify the issue. It's cowardly? Really? Stand on the edge of a building sometime and think about stepping off. What do you feel? Fear, I'll bet. Calling someone who is capable of overcoming that fear a coward is pretty unobservant in my opinion.

It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem? There are no permanent problems in life? I suppose not, in the sense that life itself is temporary. What if I told you that you'd only feel crushing grief over, say, the loss of a spouse for the next 40 years, but the last 3 years of your life you'd be pretty okay because your Alzheimer's would take that memory away entirely? Is life now worth living because your problem now is only temporary? The past is always permanent. It's a tragic consequence of having only unidirectional fourth-dimension travel capabilities.

Sorry if I rehashed anyone else's no doubt more eloquent argument. I'm one of those guys who posts after the first page rather than reading the whole thread. Lo siento.

BRB.Gotta catch the bus.

/jk