Suicide

Valid? or a pussy's way out?

and what do you make of someone who always threatens with suicide but never makes an attempt, let alone hurt themselves?


EDIT- by the way not about me so you don't have to worry haha

Oh. You have met my Mother.

Usually the person who talks about it all the time, but never does it is just seeking attention. That doesn't mean you dismiss it however.

Usually the true suicidal person won't broadcast it. They may do little things (parting with treasured possessions, withdraw from a usually social life, etc.) and when they have "finished the business" of shedding the last vestiges of their lives, the commit suicide.

Do I think it is a coward's way out? Depends on the circumstances. If a terminally ill patient wants to die by their own hand is that cowardice to want to save you loved ones months of watching you die painlessly? I don't think so. There are really big reasons a person may consider suicide and stupid petty ones. It is all going to depend on the situation at hand and what that person contemplating the suicide feels they are accomplishing.

The only thing I can say is that other than Dr. Kevorkian's assisted suicides, suicide tends to be a very selfish act. The irony is it is the living who find it selfish because the person who did it probably was unaware of who truly loved and missed them and in their grief, believed they were doing the world a favor by leaving life.

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Originally Posted by THEEman Valid? or a pussy's way out?

Whoa, strong words! For the person committing suicide it is 110% valid and the only available choice. They honestly do not see another option.

The people that threaten it or talk about it with out ever making an attempt are what I like to call dramacidal. That doesn't mean they aren't in dire need of mental health treatment. It's just their way of making a 'cry for help'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osiris Usually the person who talks about it all the time, but never does it is just seeking attention. That doesn't mean you dismiss it however. BINGO!

I tend to agree with you I know a friend/relative who keeps doing this and it gets well rather scary. but we are most concerned with is obviously is this real or just an excuse to face his real problems?

The Wikipedia article on suicide sheds light on the different "types" of suicide and the various motivations that spark these.

An interesting read that I think will give you many answers.

in my limited experience.......suicide is normally a cry for help that has failed.

i always make myself available for a loved one if they are depressed and need someone to listen and more so if they are so low they wish to end it all......i believe that showing someone you love and care for them enough will help them crawl out their depth of thought and see the world a brighter place......always support someone who feels this way folks.

Albert Camus sums up my thoughts on this in his book Le mythe de Sisyphe. Don't know what it's called in English. Just on opening it, one line I've underlined reads: "Ce tuer, c'est... Avouer qu'on est dépassé par la vie ou qu'on ne la comprend pas."

Means something along the lines of "Suicide is... Admitting that life has surpassed us or that we don't understand it." His thoughts about overcoming our problems are also rather interesting to read.

I am really worried to categorize him like that though what if he does something irrational?

I am sure they are examples of suicidal threats that ultimatley come true?

Having helped as many close friends as I have who were ravaged by AIDS-related complications that left them in unbearable and incurable pain -- or even worse, being lucid enough to realize their mental faculties were declining so quickly that they would end up in a prolonged vegetative state, I'm quite certain the emotionally/politically charged word, suicide, should be changed to Death With Dignity.

This thread brings up yet another reason I live as an expatriate in countries where, despite those particular countries' many other ludicrous problems, one of them is not creating laws making death with dignity an illegal offense. I'm just waiting for the day when it's illegal not to be born genetically perfect in the USA with skin, hair, and eye color within the "legally acceptable" parameters.

Hell, if one has a legitimate need to check out of this existence one should be able to do so painlessly without suffering.

"Well, Sheriff, it looks like this guy killed himself. Now we're gonna have to arrest him and charge him with a felony."

Unless terminally ill, (to the best of my knowledge) people who commit suicide always suffer from depression or some other form of mental illness. The best thing you can do for your friend is to get him to a therapist asap.

everyone that i've known that has commited suicide never told anyone prior to doing it. It came as a complete shock to our family. The person was either hinging on mentally unstable at the time or went through an extremely traumatic event. While all suicide threats should be taken seriously, i find those who actually bite the bullet do not want anyone to stop them, thus they keep their thoughts private about it.

Those who threaten it constantly just want attention and need a psychological evaluation.

Two Words: Psych Hospital. I practiced Psych for a couple of years at the beginning of my career (RN) very interesting and very real for the ones who feel this way.

I generally believe it's a pussy way out... "permanent solution to a temporary problem"... but at the same time, I know that people who are contemplating suicide see it as being completely valid.

People who threaten suicide but don't attempt it are just looking for attention. There's obviously something they crave and need, but they aren't getting... so they figure if they threaten death, then someone will give them what they want/need.

*Edit* - Most of the time, when people threaten suicide to get attention, they don't necessarily REALIZE why they are doing it... most people don't plan it in advance, or say to themselves that they are going to threaten suicide to get attention. Often times, they just feel worthless so they just presume that they'd be better off dead... but when they say that out loud to someone, then the person says what they want to hear - "Don't do that, you're worth too much, I love you, blah blah blah, etc etc etc"... and then they don't attempt it. Does that make sense?