Discussion Morbid Discussion: How difficult do you think suicide is? What stops people from reattempting?

[Passenger4224]

This might be a very dumb question. I'm a little anxious posting this, because I'm hoping it's not too stupid...

Obviously there are statistics and all showing most suicide attempts fail, it's hard to build up courage, the pain is too much, etc

But sometimes I wonder. If someone was set on CTB, wouldn't they keep trying everything they could until something finally worked? This is my plan if my first attempt fails (which it hopefully shouldn't). Is this even feasible?

No enjoying hobbies, no working, just dedicating my life to neglecting my body as much as possible until it finally gives up.

Not trying to encourage anyone. Just genuinely really curious and wondering exactly how flawed this is.

Obviously it would come with trips to the psych ward but that's when you beat them in their own game of being fake.

 

[Kayla]

In my case, I survived an SN attempt, and I did technically die (cardiac arrest). I saw firsthand how it affected everyone around me, and I just can't do it again. SN was traumatic not only for me but for everyone around me.

 

[Topaz111]

The first time it was relatively easy for me, though I was a child so I lacked the knowledge about all the awful things that can happen when you fail. After experiencing staying at a psych ward it's so so so much harder to try again, each failed attempt only made it harder. I know the consequences of what will happen to me if I fail and that terrifies me especially since my SI is so much stronger too it's far harder to commit. I was lucky enough to just end up with some bruises back then but, some people end up permanently disabled after failed attempts even in vegetative states..

 

[UserFromNowhere]

It's a difficult question to answer. We do know that most people who attempt suicide and fail do not reattempt, but whether that's due to a feeling of well-being/a sudden satisfaction with the prospect of life brought on by the failed attempt or embarrassment resulting from the attempt and the wish to avoid further hospitalization/the societal perception of "pity-farming" is up to interpretation. A lot of people do say their attempt caused them to re-evaluate their priorities, but how honest can people be when saying you still have further intentions to make an attempt on your life will get you treated differently? But the same applies for people who do say they still have thoughts of suicide after an attempt, how many of those thoughts are simply recurrent thoughts that can never be treated (once you're aware of the pink elephant, it can be difficult to not think about it) even if you do regain the will to live?

There are people who do keep attempting even if they fail, this site has plenty of anecdotes about that, but I'd also say that this site probably isn't reflective of society at large either. Most of us here are people for who first-line antidepressants didn't work even though they do tend to work better than placebos in a statistically significant number of people (if they didn't, they would've never gotten approved for treatment, after all) or where therapy hasn't worked. It does have to be recognized that we're rather the minority, the ones who can't ignorantly ignore our own suffering, the suffering of the world, which is not the perspective most people share.

Another thing which complicates the picture is the availability of suicide methods and the unknowable knowledge of those who have passed. We know that with more readily available and effective suicide methods, people will take their own life more frequently, it's why prevention tries to focus on banning access to these methods. So, do people regret their decision to die after failing, or just fear the possibility any further attempts won't work? While people have lived through attempts that would've otherwise killed them, and we can get anecdotes from how they felt, we can't know the thoughts of those who have passed away, whether they feel peaceful with their decision or regret it. The only way we'd be able to is if, one day, we were able to bring them back to life, but would that even be ethical? Or would it just prolong their suffering? Not something we can evaluate. It's difficult to know any of this with certainty, and so making judgements on it isn't really something we can do, just endlessly hypothesize.

 

[TheTwelthRootOfTwo]

In my personal opinion, I think it boils down to the fact that we are all hard wired for survival, so when that instinct kicks in, it doesn't matter how resolved one might be mentally, the physical part of us just doesn't want to die. Of course there are always exceptions.

Many times I have had the noose around my neck screaming, "Just do it" and then couldn't; and then I became so infuriated, I'd literally start punching myself lol. Other times, I have started, felt myself blacking out, and then somehow got up out of position (without realizing it) and regained consciousness in a state of shock.

I don't think, for most people, that the decision to die is something that someone gets set on and then absolutely doesn't budge until it works. It usually comes in waves, in and out of ambivalence, etc.

This is from my personal experience, and talking with other people about theirs and watching countless hours of videos of people that have survived attempts.

 

[WallTermite]

There are too many reasons.

Some people are traumatized by a certain method they attempted, so they don't try again.

Some methods are quite painful and unreliable in most cases (such as cutting).

Your idea isn't totally crazy. Just force your body to give up. The problem is, I live with family, I can't simply stop taking care of myself. Some people have children or elder people they can't leave behind.

If I lived alone, and I didn't have access to effective methods, I would just starve to death (not recommended, but I know I can take it, animals die like this all the time).

 

[OnMyLast Legs]

It's incredibly difficult. How many of us would push the button to disappear? How many of us would drink an N cocktail? It's all about the method and the pain and decisiveness involved. I've given up on life in every respect but my body doesn't die. The doctor said I was "the picture of health" after my blood tests in the hospital.

The "giving up" method isn't gonna work. You just end up stinky and a little skinnier in your bed. Actual starvation takes ages, and people might force-feed you. Dehydration takes incredible willpower. A decisive violent act is needed.

 

[Passenger4224]

It's incredibly difficult. How many of us would push the button to disappear? How many of us would drink an N cocktail? It's all about the method and the pain and decisiveness involved. I've given up on life in every respect but my body doesn't die. The doctor said I was "the picture of health" after my blood tests in the hospital.

The "giving up" method isn't gonna work. You just end up stinky and a little skinnier in your bed. Actual starvation takes ages, and people might force-feed you. Dehydration takes incredible willpower. A decisive violent act is needed.

Yea I would not take the "giving up" route. When I talk about neglecting my body, I mean doing everything I can to violently wear it down until it stops fighting back

But hopefully it doesn't come down to this ... and it most likely won't

 

[knowledgeseeking]

In my case, I survived an SN attempt, and I did technically die (cardiac arrest). I saw firsthand how it affected everyone around me, and I just can't do it again. SN was traumatic not only for me but for everyone around me.

I can totally see how this would be true at least for me. I have had failed attempts but luckily none of family found out. I'm sorry that happened to you.