First time posting. Think I’m ready to start prepping, just don’t know what method would be best? How do you even choose?

[blueberrylemon8]

How do you have narrow down a method and stick to it?

I suppose I've been circling back and forth between a firearm and jumping.

A firearm seems like a more comfortable and relaxing way to go if things turn out right. Just sitting in the comfort and warmth of my car. Problem is I'm not sure I want to obtain a gun as I am a youngish woman. I'm sure if I walked in a gun store I would look completely out of place and I don't want doubt.

 

[Eudaimonic]

It took me a long time to choose my method (SN). The main ways I narrowed it down were by determining what was actually feasible and accessible to me, sufficiently reliable without being too painful, fast enough, what I would feel comfortable executing (something not overly technical), what had the lowest risk of long-term injury should I fail, and considering where I wanted to/was able to do it. I weighed each of these factors until I reached the conclusion that only one method checks all of these boxes.

As an aside, if you decide to jump, you should know that only heights >150 feet on land >250 feet on water are reliably lethal (though, statistically, ~3-5% will still survive; it's up to you whether that's an acceptable risk). Also, success with jumping is multifactorial - height of course plays the dominant role, but body position, landing surface, and a few other things affect the lethality of the jump as well. You reach terminal velocity at a fall of about 1500 feet (at 120 mph).

 

[Neoatlech]

I don't think you'd look out of place in a gun store, they'd probably be understanding if you wanted to get one for home defense. Nothing wrong or out of place with a woman owning a gun. I think you should go for the firearm.

I chose SN myself as I don't have any access to guns. I guess you narrow it down by choosing a few methods and going over them one by one until you pick the one that makes the most sense and isn't hard to get.

 

[SVEN]

How do you have narrow down a method and stick to it?

I suppose I've been circling back and forth between a firearm and jumping.

A firearm seems like a more comfortable and relaxing way to go if things turn out right. Just sitting in the comfort and warmth of my car. Problem is I'm not sure I want to obtain a gun as I am a youngish woman. I'm sure if I walked in a gun store I would look completely out of place and I don't want doubt.

Very often the choice of a method will come down to what is reasonably or easily obtainable. I live in a country where private citizens can't legally hold or obtain handguns, shotguns and rifles are controlled and licensed, so that whilst their use by criminals seems to be increasing year on year and they are in plentiful supply, they're not an option for law abiding citizens.
Ropes, water and gravity on the other hand can usually be accessed by most of us. And, for the meantime, SN remains sought after by many who come here.

 

[Richard Langford]

"Very often the choice of a method will come down to what is reasonably or easily obtainable"

That.

I also looked at Opioids but the limitations of the method worried me. The chance of harm (brain damage) if it failed and weak substances (heavily cut) were very perturbing.