(alcohol and drug-free) ways to overcome the survival instinct

[Trashcan]

A lot of people on here (including yours truly) struggle with the survival instinct. What are some ways to overcome it?

I also think it's important to keep in mind not everyone will have access to alcohol, xanax, etc, so please suggest things people can do while sober.

 

[Lifeisatrap]

I have no idea, I would also love answers.

 

[worldexploder]

It's something I am trying to overcome. I want to die but it's hard to train your brain not to have a panic response.

 

[Lifeisatrap]

It's something I am trying to overcome. I want to die but it's hard to train your brain not to have a panic response.

The trick is not to be aware that you're dying which is impossable with suicide lol.

 

[worldexploder]

The trick is not to be aware that you're dying which is impossable with suicide lol.

Good point. When I get the tools for the NNM (Night night method) I need to be as relaxed as possible. Gotta find the courage!

 

[scales]

Preparedness. If you are prepared, then when you feel that impulsitivity brought on by some hopeless or terrible circumstance or emotional event it will be incredibly easy to ride the emotion and overcome the survival instinct in order to die.

You just need your materials at hand and ready to go so that you can die easily as soon as it happens.

To bring it on purposefully you could potentially get into an argument with someone who you like a lot so that they hate you and make you feel bad or worse about yourself.

 

[TiredHorse]

Preparedness. If you are prepared, then when you feel that impulsitivity brought on by some hopeless or terrible circumstance or emotional event it will be incredibly easy to ride the emotion and overcome the survival instinct in order to die.

With great respect, Scales, I disagree. Not incredibly easy. I am as prepared and non-impulsive as you can imagine --I have drilled daily with setting up and applying the equipment (eb/N2), I spend the days thinking through my reasoning and my rationales-- but a couple nights ago I flinched for a second time in ten days. Even prepared and dedicated, it's damnably difficult to carry through.

As fragile as life is, it ought to be simple to end it.

 

[TAW122]

I would say that I often carry this on the edge state of mind (almost PTSD like mindset) where I assume things will likely to go shit and rehearse what I will do soon after the shitty event or incident has passed. I've even fantasized how I will die (vividly) and really flesh out every detail such as where I will stand/sit, what I will eat before hand, and even imagine myself loading the bullet, pulling the bolt/cocking the pump/rack the slide/pull the charging handle, etc. and even imagine myself slowly squeezing the trigger and then finally, total darkness.

I also keep dwelling into the past, the past injustices, think about all the pro-life spiels that make me angry, get jealous about how most others lead happy, successful lives, etc. Pretty much anything to put my state of mind into a deep depression and state of numbness and hopelessness. I feel that once that impulsive event hits and my mind is in that deep, numb, desperate state, then I would be able to act on impulse/trigger event (but it's not impulsive since I've planned it all out thoroughly).

This may or may not work for others, but it's something that I am doing to help temper my mind and desensitize myself to death.

 

[scales]

With great respect, Scales, I disagree. Not incredibly easy. I am as prepared and non-impulsive as you can imagine --I have drilled daily with setting up and applying the equipment (eb/N2), I spend the days thinking through my reasoning and my rationales-- but a couple nights ago I flinched for a second time in ten days. Even prepared and dedicated, it's damnably difficult to carry through.

As fragile as life is, it ought to be simple to end it.

I understand what you are saying, but non-impulsitivity may be the issue. My argument is that impulsitivity can override the survival instinct and being prepared means you have everything ready for when impulsitivity strikes allowing you to carry through.

 

[Trashcan]

I understand what you are saying, but non-impulsitivity may be the issue. My argument is that impulsitivity can override the survival instinct and being prepared means you have everything ready for when impulsitivity strikes allowing you to carry through.

Fair point. I had an easier time overcoming the survival instinct when I was impulsive (but wasn't good at choosing methods which is why I'm alive). It's hard to overcome it if you're not impulsive.

 

[TiredHorse]

I understand what you are saying, but non-impulsitivity may be the issue. My argument is that impulsitivity can override the survival instinct and being prepared means you have everything ready for when impulsitivity strikes allowing you to carry through.

Right. Okay. Yes, I can see what you're saying, and yes, I'll agree with that.

Drill so that the process becomes second nature, something you don't need to waste time or energy thinking on, so that you're not distracted by it. Then, when the impulse hits, let autopilot take you through the mechanics while you're absorbed by the impulse.

 

[scales]

Fair point. I had an easier time overcoming the survival instinct when I was impulsive (but wasn't good at choosing methods which is why I'm alive). It's hard to overcome it if you're not impulsive.

My advice for overcoming it if you are not impulsive is to create an emotional state for yourself. This can mean purposefully putting yourself into situations that make you want to die.

For me personally things that can push me towards hating myself are very effective in this regard and usually surround mistakes or stupid things I do that affect others. So if I get into an argument where I'm wrong and have hurt somebody etc. or where someone hates me or something. Those can help drive the feeling a lot.

But you know yourself best, what factors can make you hate yourself more and create an intense emotional state for you?

 

[hikikomori]

if you want to jump, walk around with a blindfold and practice walking on furniture

otherwise pretty cliche and useless but
don't think just do it

 

[Alaska]

I think a lot has to due with your mood in the moment. You need to be feeling a combination of desperation and determination. Like, careful planning + that one final thing that makes literally anything seem better than where you are now.

 

[ouvreyes]

This wouldn't work for every method, and can be really hard to do for the rest, but if you're good at lying to yourself, maybe convince yourself that whatever you're using to ctb is something else? For example, for the inert gas method, telling yourself that you're just going to sleep, and maybe even that you'll later wake up. It's a bit of a stretch, but who knows. Might work for someone.

 

[Sickofit]

Thats hard. Just a human instinct. Everyone is born with it and it is not something to train your brain for.

 

[Jon]

Trashcan always comes up with these thought-provoking threads, but they always require a long answer which I don't always have time to write. In this case, removing the survival inistict is as just as important as the method itself. What scales said above is very true, we should be mentally prepared, this is crucial, and it's also something which pretty much every ancient philosopher says, that we should above all, remove the fear of death. And by death I also mean the act of dying and the pain involved. It's undeniable that death is the most fearful thing we will ever have to face, and suicide perhaps is even more difficult because we are not technically forced to die, we just choose out.

• Write about death always, and come to terms with it.
• Get inspiration. Just as those wanting to climb the business ladder get inspiration from successful business leaders, or those with anorexia get inspiration from seeing skinny bodies, so do those wishing to die have to find examples of those who took their own life with equanimity. There are plenty of examples in antiquity about men who were forced to commit suicide, as it was a common execution method especially under the rule of Nero. While it's easy to disregard them as they were ordered to do so, many of us have also been pushed into a situation where we are forced to do so. Suicide for many, still is, forced self-execution.
• Be familiar with the chosen method. If jumping, then get to know the area where you will jump, if by hanging, experience beforehand the sensation of the noose tightening around one's neck. Initially this is painful, but I believe doing it daily will help us accustom ourselves to its uncomfortable sensation.
• Prior contemplation, again do this daily, imagine yourself about to kill yourself, how you would feel, and go into detail. By doing this you are rehearsing for death, if it only be through the mind. Actors do this before performing so that they will reduce their nerves and know exactly what do to when they get on stage.
• Focus 100% on the task at hand. The moments before death is not the time to be thinking about loved ones, or remembering fond childhood memories, or basically anything other than carrying through what you have set out to do. As is often said, when you reach the journey's end, don't look back.
• Have a sound reason for dying, so that when the time comes, you're not full of second thoughts. This is also a good opportunity to examine whether suicide is the best option for you or not. Basically you want to go to your death without a shred of doubt that what you are doing is the only option.
• Exercise your willpower. This is perhaps underestimated, though it is one of man's greatest stengths. The problem is that when depressed our willpower depletes, and we can't even do the most basic of things like get out of bed or tidy up. One thing is certain, to kill oneself requires a huge amount of willpower. It's willpower that can keep us from succumbing to pain, and it's willpower which will force us to take that extra, final step.

 

[Schopenhauer]

That was a great post, Jon. I endorse it wholeheartedly.

 

[Jen Erik]

I wish I could explain how it has happened, but that instinct seems to have greatly dissipated for me.

I practice partial suspension and the only thing stopping me from following through is knowing that I am just practicing and I - purposely - use a ligature that I know will probably break with my weight on it before I would die.

I practice with an exit bag and I feel fine with it over my head. It fogs up and I feel normal.

The only thing I feel like I can really attribute this to is my mindset: I feel like I have tried for the last 10+ years all over avenues available to me to improve my life and plan for a future that is worth living, and I have failed. So ctb is it.

 

[Dani Paradox]

The best I have been able to come up with is to surround myself with every trigger I can think of. Dwell in my room surrounded by old photos of my life before it became destroyed. Friends, family, memories...… Everything. Old music that triggers me......playlist on repeat. Belongings that carry sentimental value. Anything and everything....

 

[Made4TV]

I like guided meditations on YouTube. I was thinking about doing one of those first. And I second everything Jon said. It should be a stickie at the top since this is a common problem. I also think it's important to really think through if this is the best option for you.

 

[Maravillosa]

I like guided meditations on YouTube. I was thinking about doing one of those first. And I second everything Jon said. It should be a stickie at the top since this is a common problem. I also think it's important to really think through if this is the best option for you.

Which guided meditations on YouTube would you recommend for somebody who wants to be psyched into ctb? And I agree with you about what @Jon wrote -- it is a very, very useful list.

 

[Trashcan]

Trashcan always comes up with these thought-provoking threads, but they always require a long answer which I don't always have time to write. In this case, removing the survival inistict is as just as important as the method itself. What scales said above is very true, we should be mentally prepared, this is crucial, and it's also something which pretty much every ancient philosopher says, that we should above all, remove the fear of death. And by death I also mean the act of dying and the pain involved. It's undeniable that death is the most fearful thing we will ever have to face, and suicide perhaps is even more difficult because we are not technically forced to die, we just choose out.

• Write about death always, and come to terms with it.
• Get inspiration. Just as those wanting to climb the business ladder get inspiration from successful business leaders, or those with anorexia get inspiration from seeing skinny bodies, so do those wishing to die have to find examples of those who took their own life with equanimity. There are plenty of examples in antiquity about men who were forced to commit suicide, as it was a common execution method especially under the rule of Nero. While it's easy to disregard them as they were ordered to do so, many of us have also been pushed into a situation where we are forced to do so. Suicide for many, still is, forced self-execution.
• Be familiar with the chosen method. If jumping, then get to know the area where you will jump, if by hanging, experience beforehand the sensation of the noose tightening around one's neck. Initially this is painful, but I believe doing it daily will help us accustom ourselves to its uncomfortable sensation.
• Prior contemplation, again do this daily, imagine yourself about to kill yourself, how you would feel, and go into detail. By doing this you are rehearsing for death, if it only be through the mind. Actors do this before performing so that they will reduce their nerves and know exactly what do to when they get on stage.
• Focus 100% on the task at hand. The moments before death is not the time to be thinking about loved ones, or remembering fond childhood memories, or basically anything other than carrying through what you have set out to do. As is often said, when you reach the journey's end, don't look back.
• Have a sound reason for dying, so that when the time comes, you're not full of second thoughts. This is also a good opportunity to examine whether suicide is the best option for you or not. Basically you want to go to your death without a shred of doubt that what you are doing is the only option.
• Exercise your willpower. This is perhaps underestimated, though it is one of man's greatest stengths. The problem is that when depressed our willpower depletes, and we can't even do the most basic of things like get out of bed or tidy up. One thing is certain, to kill oneself requires a huge amount of willpower. It's willpower that can keep us from succumbing to pain, and it's willpower which will force us to take that extra, final step.

This is wonderful advice!

 

[Paloma]

This is why I want to take N or jump off a building instead of taking SN or hanging. I feel like once N and jumping is done, there's definitely no going back and chances of survival are small. Mind my english

 

[AlePizarnik]

I'm Not afraid of death...I don't think I have a very strong survival instinct. But I'm afraid of pain

 

[Schopenhauer]

I'm Not afraid of death...I don't think I have a very strong survival instinct. But I'm afraid of pain

Same here. Pain terrifies me.

 

[TheFinal]

It's a mental thing. You need to rewire your survival instinct, your will to live, into a will to die. In this way, you will be more anxious about failing, and save yourself by carrying through.

 

[Limbo]

music is the only other thing I can think of

 

[Xerxes]

Sometimes you feel you're ready, but you forgot one thing to prepare yourself for. I've focused a lot on death and view plenty of morbid content. I know I want to be calm and sure about my decisions. Imagine that you're going home, a home where nothing will discriminate, a home where no one cares about your past, present, or future because there are none, just peace and blackness, and for me, I view death as a deity that has the best hugs. Where I couldn't get hugs or comfort on Earth, I can get in Death.

 

[piratemaverick]

A lot of people on here (including yours truly) struggle with the survival instinct. What are some ways to overcome it?

I also think it's important to keep in mind not everyone will have access to alcohol, xanax, etc, so please suggest things people can do while sober.

honestly, whippits my friend. just buy a whip cream canister and a box of whippits from your local head shop and a couple of balloons. fill balloons with gas inhale the balloons and trust me you will be dazed out for at least a minute. the more you do the more anesthetic it is