Suicide

[Dawn]

What about if the person suffers from a mental illness?
I have schizoaffective disorder and it has pretty much ruined my life
I rather be dead then go through this nightmare

Think of it this way, life is a challenge, and you are being challenged. Suicide, is like forfeiting the challenge. The reward is something you should consult your religion about.

I'm blatantly sorry for bringing religion into this discussion... It's just that it's the way I think and the only answer I know, that, you know, supports my side.

 

[Sylphiel]

Exactly. But, suicide is never the answer.

Depending on a person's mental state at the time, it might seem like the only answer, sad as it sounds.

This is why I'm not so quick to label people who consider suicide as "selfish". Different people handle things differently. I don't have much sympathy for people who obviously cry suicide for attention over every little thing - but for those who honestly have problems, well.

Sometimes the only thing for them to realize how deep in they are is to have a drastic measure taken. :/ Those kind of people need help, they don't need others berating them about how "selfish" they are.

 

[Rich Boy Rob]

I don't think you can call a person who has taken their life 'selfish'. You may say that you are "letting down your family & friends", but what if you were say, an 80 year old with no children and had outlived all your friends. If you were given news that a terminal illness was eating away at you and that soon you wouldn't know your own name or even be able to go to the toilet on your own. Would you blame them if they decided they'd rather OD on sleeping pills. I know I wouldn't.

And those of you who are saying people that are depressed "just need to be told they are loved", you obviously have no idea what clinical depression is. It is not just a little case of blues, it's a serious mental disorder. You can't just talk someone out of it.

Think of it this way, life is a challenge, and you are being challenged. Suicide, is like forfeiting the challenge. The reward is something you should consult your religion about.

I'm blatantly sorry for bringing religion into this discussion... It's just that it's the way I think and the only answer I know, that, you know, supports my side.

I know that from your side of the fence that must seem obvious to consult your religion. But what about the people who aren't religious, or even those who are contemplating suicide because they think they will be better off going to heaven.

 

[Zebeedoo]

How ironic.. last night my friend told me she's going to kill hersef, and this topic pops up.

Anyway, when she told me, I really didn't know what to say, because no one has ever said anything like that to me. It came to me as a bit of a shock. I told her I cared about her, but she didn't listen. She's going into a childrens home now. So hopefully they can take care of her. I'm not exactly sure if she has an illness.. but when people are feeling down, be it depression or whatever, they can get suicidal thoughts. It's happened to me before. But I decided not to go ahead with it because I wouldn't want to hurt anyone (like my family, friends, etc). I don't exactly know how it's selfish to take your own life, though.

 

[NarutoActor]

I disprove of suicide, this also goes with euthanasia; which I feel is wrong. Life is precess, we shouldn't destroy it.

 

[Bluerang1]

Abortion, doesn't bother me. Ethunasia, fine. Suicide, STUPID! OMG! Why would anyone want to kill themselves?! If you have issues, go to a Psychatrist! You have life, enjoy it, live it to the full! Poor people have had their lives cut unfortunately short, and you just want to take yours away because, "you have nothing." Babes, lots of people have "nothing", go find another who does and you two can have "something". The idea just really annoys me, especially when I see pretty young girls throwing their lives away. And don't get me started on those who kill their loved ones for their sake, not Euthanasia, but murder. Like that guy who went bankrupt and killed his wife and daughter as long as with himself. Don't tell me that you don't have some family, distant or close, you could turn to. *released stress*

 

[Timbjerr]

Wow this topic certainly blossomed quickly. I was gonna reply last night, but I was in a very cynical mood and didn't want to risk saying anything inflammatory like what happened in the last suicide-related thread in OC. XD

The way I see it, suicide is nothing more than giving up. Life is a sport where there are no winners and no losers and if you perceive it to the contrary, you're thinking too much into it and forgetting to just have fun. If you're too overwhelmed with any challenges that life throws at you to be a man and face them, get help. Don't go crying about how difficult life is just because you've had the deck stacked against you.

Hell, I've got myself a crappy lot in life. $8,000 in debt, piss-poor job, no way of getting back into school, my family was torn apart through circumstances, and I've got no friends...literally no friends. Do I consider suicide? Hell no. I see this as a test of my character. I know this is shallow comfort for those that are agnostic/atheist (which is at least half of us, knowing this site's demographics. XD), but I believe that those who have suffered in life and still managed to persevere are significantly more likely to find their way to Heaven than those who have had everything and just drift through life.

My point it this: If you're unsatisfied with life and are thinking of suicide, ask yourself, what will it accomplish other than proving that you're a coward? Life i more fun when you put all the bad things to the back of your mind anyways. XD

 

[Thorns]

Think of life as one, giant Pokemon game. you'll have your ups, and your downs, you may even faint once or twice along the way. But "deleting" your life will only affect the many friends around you, such as your Pokemon, family and even teachers. It may sound silly, but it's also true.

 

[Bela]

I like that Pokemon analogy, Thorns.

Make sure you don't do drugs (action replay?), stay in school (fighting gym leaders?), and drink your milk! (Giving your Pokemon Poffins!)

But seriously, I think contemplating suicide IS a selfish move on one's part, as they are clearly caught up in their own emotions. To make a decision like committing suicide, which is based solely on one's own negative thoughts, one's own dismal spirit, and one's own sullen emotions...is by definition self-centered and selfish.

Suicide is something which you shouldn't kid about. The call for attention that comes with stating you are contemplating suicide is apparently one very tempting for people. However, is it really worth it if you yourself know that you weren't really going to commit suicide? And again, if your motive is a call for attention, how is claiming you'll commit suicide not selfish in nature?

This desperate attempt at getting some attention takes away from people who have real issues with depression.

 

[Honest]

Yes, suicide is selfish. Why? Because your only thinking about yourself, trying to get yourself out of your misery. But, your not thinking about the misery you'd cause by killing yourself. All those who care about you are gonna go through some trauma. You're not caring about them when you kill yourself, only about you.

 

[Åzurε]

Choice only goes as far as not infringing on the choices and lives of others. Regardless of the fact that a certain issue BLATANTLY violates this rule, suicide is not that issue.

This being said, suicide is not a right, not a choice someone has.
It's not in fact, acceptable to commit suicide. I don't think society does enough to stress that suicide is not a choice or an answer.

You know, there was a time in my earlier teenage years where I was at suicides doorstep. I had done something that at the time had seemed unacceptable to me, and I was overwhelmed with guilt. It definitely was NOT the "it's selfish" argument that saved me from that fate, and the "it's okay" would've been about as good as saying "DO IT! I don't care."

The thing that saved me, was that deep down, I wanted to live. Suicide was tempting, but I wanted an answer, something to make it not so tempting. A combination of my friends continued presence and support gave me the time I needed to give suicide a nice, long thought. Eventually I found religion and that gave me a solid answer, that a forced afterlife would be worse than any life I could manage.

That solid reason killed suicide for me. I never went back to that place again, and developed better social skills as a direct result. I think the "It's okay"/Do it/Do not care stance could have made the entire ordeal a lot harder.

It could have even gotten me killed. The lack of support might haven denied me the time and sanity to think things out.

As someone who has been there I'd like to say that what I WANTED was to not want to commit suicide anymore.

He's right, actually. Now someone who has been in that place is telling you. If anything, I think you should ask him to explain rather than insulting him by denying him his right of speech. Just saying.

I want to give you a hug. ^^ I can't relate to the feelings, or the want to kill oneself. I do agree with all your points.

From every third person point of view I can think of, excepting total apathy or utter hate for the person in question, suicide is not a good choice to make. It is indeed, at it's core, stupid and self-centered and a terrible thing to consider. I'll elaborate later, should I feel the need.

 

[Sneeze]

It depends on why someone wants to die in my opinion, but I guess that's the difference between suicide and euthanasia. If someone is genuinely suffering then they should have every right to kill themselves if they want. Of course it's purley circumstantial, if its over something small then no I don't agree.

 

[Captain Fabio]

It depends on why someone wants to die in my opinion, but I guess that's the difference between suicide and euthanasia. If someone is genuinely suffering then they should have every right to kill themselves if they want. Of course it's purley circumstantial, if its over something small then no I don't agree.

What's the difference really? If someone is suffering badly and have no other option, then maybe death is the only opinion.

That was more directed at the subject of euthanasia than you! =]

 

[Sneeze]

Well if they have something terminal that will give them a slow and painful death (I believe this was discussed in a recent topic actually) then yes, euthanasia/suicide/assisted suicide is fine in my opinion.

Killing yourself because of something (relatively) trivial like a break-up isn't.

 

[Captain Fabio]

Well if they have something terminal that will give them a slow and painful death (I believe this was discussed in a recent topic actually) then yes, euthanasia/suicide/assisted suicide is fine in my opinion.

Killing yourself because of something (relatively) trivial like a break-up isn't.

Understandable; and I agree fully.
But from my friends and personal experience of this, the actual suicidal people who have no option because of a mental disorder/frame of mind is different from the attention seeking percent.

 

[Anti_Secret]

It would be stupid to suicide because of a break-up. But if its something that has happened that was too horrible to heal from, (extreme: abuse, rape, etc.), then it would be understandable for me. Some kids go suicidal when they aren't raised properly, and then its not really they're fault.

 

[Stairmaster]

I think that suicide is selfish. Why? Because that person has at least one person who cares for them. By taking their life, they are also taking a loved one/friend from that person. They are only taking into account what they feel, and not others.

I agree completely. There are other alternatives. I especially think teen suicide is selfish. You're going to get out of school eventually, suck it up. It also must devastate the parents who have had to go through the suicidal death of their child.

 

[Aureol]

While nobody should commit suicide, it's hardly selfish. Well, it's "selfish" in the sense that they don't want to suffer anymore, but that's a rather loose use of the word. While I've never come close to actually doing it, I have seriously wondered if suicide was a good option, and it's certainly not because of something trivial like one person not talking to me for a week. Those that commit suicide honestly think that life cannot get any better, and it is truly not worth living. Now, we all know that's not true, but when you're the one going through it, it's awfully hard to say the same thing.

Why do we have such a depressing topic here, anyways? :P

 

[Åzurε]

Understandable; and I agree fully.
But from my friends and personal experience of this, the actual suicidal people who have no option because of a mental disorder/frame of mind is different from the attention seeking percent.

Mental disorder I understand, but just having a mindset of "I want to kill myself"? I can't comprehend that. Would you mind giving me an example, please?

There's always another option. The quality of that option may vary, but there's always an option, and the vast, vast majority of the time it's preferable to live.

 

[Captain Fabio]

Mental disorder I understand, but just having a mindset of "I want to kill myself"? I can't comprehend that. Would you mind giving me an example, please?

There's always another option. The quality of that option may vary, but there's always an option, and the vast, vast majority of the time it's preferable to live.

I suppose I can't give you an honest example really; as I have never been in an actual situation where I have wanted to take my own life.
However, I guess it would tie in with the mental disorder, where they feel it is the only option and that is that. That help get my point across? =]