This post aims to provide an educational/informational overview of the various scientific factors that contribute to survival instincts (SI), particularly the innate drive for self-preservation and the automatic responses that arise in the face of harm and danger. While it does not delve into every aspect of this complex topic, it focuses on the underlying biological, genetic, and psychological mechanisms that influence our instinctual behaviors. Survival instincts are deeply ingrained and operate at a subconscious level, driven by our DNA and evolutionary history. These automatic responses are not something individuals can easily shut off; they are fundamental to our biology and play a critical role in ensuring safety and survival.
It's completely natural to feel a bit worried about SI—they're a part of who we are, and it's hard to argue against their existence when we all know they're there. If you're curious, check out some of the discussions here to gain a deeper understanding of what survival instincts are like [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] (there are plenty of other posts too). It's one thing to read about it, but experiencing it firsthand can really open your eyes. There is absolutely no shame in having SI or being unable to follow through with CTB due to SI and so this post helps objectively look at why it is we have SI to help explain how these factors are working against us in our efforts to CTB. Contrary to what some might think, SI is not an invention of a mind that feels the need to have a "noble" cause for their failure or their "weakness" in an attempt to avoid shame. Nor does it lack usefulness as a concept, as it has its explanatory value within biology, evolution, and the nature of behavior for sentient beings. It is a very real thing, as we shall soon dive into further.
Generally, these instincts are encoded in our genetics and manifest through neurobiological processes. Key hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, along with neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, modulate responses to threats and facilitate behaviors that promote safety.
Despite reports of suicide, global statistics indicate that the vast majority of people do not attempt or succeed in CTB. For example, the World Health Organization reports that the global suicide rate is approximately 10.5 per 100,000 people, indicating that, overall, people generally prefer to live. Additionally, even in regions where medical assistance in dying is permitted, not all terminally ill patients choose death or ever use their 'death prescriptions', further illustrating the instinctual drive to live. This preference for life over death is deeply ingrained in our DNA and genetic code.
There's plenty of anecdotal evidence—real-life stories and experiences—that shed light on how strong this SI truly can be. You don't need this or any overly complex scientific explanation to see that it exists and shows up in different ways. Remember, science itself doesn't definitively prove or disprove anything; it's more about understanding the natural world through observation and evidence. So, when we draw conclusions from our own experiences or those of others, we're still engaging in a scientific process, even if it's not strictly lab-based. Of course, we need to be mindful of biases, which is crucial for any scientific inquiry. Which is why I am approaching it from a more objective level outside of stories. This is not going to discuss matters such as the role of things like generalized or major depressive disorders, PTSD, or too many psychological aspects as they pertain to SI, given that I think the majority of people can already reasonably make some conclusions about their role in either creating or reducing SI on an individual basis. Here we are going to look at more applicable factors ingrained in almost every human.
Does Everyone Experience SI the Same Way? Nope, not really! Everyone's survival instincts are shaped by their unique environments and experiences, even though there are biological factors at play for all of us. Factors such as upbringing, cultural background, and personal encounters with danger all influence how individuals perceive and react to threats. It's important to take this variability into account, as understanding that survival instincts can differ encourages thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive reactions. But, we are all subject to the general biological factors we are going to discuss.
Some SI Scientific Factors:
All of these factors, but is not exhaustive by any means, are all well founded scientific understandings that can play into SI.
Methods for Overcoming SI: There are some things that influence the perception of threats, help reduce anxiety and stress, dull or lessen fear-based reactions all of which can be factors into SI. There is no truly effective way to fully numb or dull SI given (as you have learned) how ingrained into our very human fabric they are, although the below are some commonly discussed methods discussed in overcoming SI which we will evaluate the efficacy of:
Neuroscientific research indicates that certain brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, are involved in decision-making and emotional regulation (we discussed these earlier). Dysregulation in these areas can contribute to a shift of perception and judgment regarding life and death.
For some, the overwhelming nature of their suffering is also very sufficient for overcoming the SI without any sort of method to dull or reduce it. There is absolutely no shame in having SI and being unable to carry through, and it may be a sign that you need more time to think about the decision, which everyone here absolutely understands. However, it is important to realize the reasons SI exists and not feel you aren't capable or "strong willed" enough, but rather just have an innate human drive towards self-preservation that is out of your control.
The science around SI reveals a complex interplay of genetics, biological, evolutionary, neurological, and psychological factors that drive humans to protect itself against harm, stress, responses to danger, and general instinct to survive. Of course, there are going to be highly personalized variables at play but this post is just exploring some of them from an informational standpoint to help explain what we all already knew on a general level: SI can be challenging to overcome, there are ways to ease it, and that everybody's are a little bit different. Now, though, we have a little bit more knowledge and informational basis as to some of things that really drive SI on a more detailed level.
I wish you all the best of luck in whatever you decide and hope you find peace & serenity!
It's completely natural to feel a bit worried about SI—they're a part of who we are, and it's hard to argue against their existence when we all know they're there. If you're curious, check out some of the discussions here to gain a deeper understanding of what survival instincts are like [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] (there are plenty of other posts too). It's one thing to read about it, but experiencing it firsthand can really open your eyes. There is absolutely no shame in having SI or being unable to follow through with CTB due to SI and so this post helps objectively look at why it is we have SI to help explain how these factors are working against us in our efforts to CTB. Contrary to what some might think, SI is not an invention of a mind that feels the need to have a "noble" cause for their failure or their "weakness" in an attempt to avoid shame. Nor does it lack usefulness as a concept, as it has its explanatory value within biology, evolution, and the nature of behavior for sentient beings. It is a very real thing, as we shall soon dive into further.
Generally, these instincts are encoded in our genetics and manifest through neurobiological processes. Key hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, along with neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, modulate responses to threats and facilitate behaviors that promote safety.
Despite reports of suicide, global statistics indicate that the vast majority of people do not attempt or succeed in CTB. For example, the World Health Organization reports that the global suicide rate is approximately 10.5 per 100,000 people, indicating that, overall, people generally prefer to live. Additionally, even in regions where medical assistance in dying is permitted, not all terminally ill patients choose death or ever use their 'death prescriptions', further illustrating the instinctual drive to live. This preference for life over death is deeply ingrained in our DNA and genetic code.
There's plenty of anecdotal evidence—real-life stories and experiences—that shed light on how strong this SI truly can be. You don't need this or any overly complex scientific explanation to see that it exists and shows up in different ways. Remember, science itself doesn't definitively prove or disprove anything; it's more about understanding the natural world through observation and evidence. So, when we draw conclusions from our own experiences or those of others, we're still engaging in a scientific process, even if it's not strictly lab-based. Of course, we need to be mindful of biases, which is crucial for any scientific inquiry. Which is why I am approaching it from a more objective level outside of stories. This is not going to discuss matters such as the role of things like generalized or major depressive disorders, PTSD, or too many psychological aspects as they pertain to SI, given that I think the majority of people can already reasonably make some conclusions about their role in either creating or reducing SI on an individual basis. Here we are going to look at more applicable factors ingrained in almost every human.
Does Everyone Experience SI the Same Way? Nope, not really! Everyone's survival instincts are shaped by their unique environments and experiences, even though there are biological factors at play for all of us. Factors such as upbringing, cultural background, and personal encounters with danger all influence how individuals perceive and react to threats. It's important to take this variability into account, as understanding that survival instincts can differ encourages thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive reactions. But, we are all subject to the general biological factors we are going to discuss.
Some SI Scientific Factors:
- Threat & Fear Responses: The amygdala plays a central role in detecting threats and triggering emotional responses. It communicates with the hypothalamus, activating the HPA axis for stress response. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex also contributes by modulating fear responses and decision-making under stress. The amygdala's activation is crucial for the rapid assessment of threat and initiation of appropriate responses, illustrating its vital role in what drives SI. Also, the thalamus relays sensory information to the amygdala before it reaches higher cortical areas, enabling rapid responses to perceived threats. This rapid pathway is vital for instinctual reactions. The amygdala plays a critical role in processing fear, helping to identify threats and triggering the hypothalamus's fight-or-flight response (discussed a little more below). "We really cannot underestimate the role of the ecology of fear, a completely natural response...
- Hippocampus & Learned Behavior: The hippocampus is crucial for forming new memories and learning from past experiences. It helps individuals recall previous threats and successes, guiding future self-preserving behaviors. The hippocampus plays a significant role in the consolidation of information from short-term to long-term memory.
- Fight or Flight: This instinct is part of our autonomic nervous system, meaning it operates without conscious control. The reason the body prefers self-preservation over harm is rooted in our evolutionary need to survive and reproduce. From a biological standpoint, living organisms are programmed to avoid death and maintain their existence. When faced with danger, the body prioritizes actions that reduce the risk of harm, focusing on escaping or overcoming the threat. When faced with danger, it triggers physiological changes to prepare the body to confront or escape from the threat. In moments of extreme stress, this response often takes precedence over self-destructive impulses, focusing energy on survival. The CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) gene plays a critical role in this response by regulating the release of cortisol, a hormone that helps manage stress and response to perceived threats and stress inducing situations. These are autonomous reactions of the body trying to fight off the dangerous situation even when not awake and alert, the body is still working overtime to save itself and will find anyway it can to survive.
- Pain Avoidance: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the insular cortex process pain and emotional reactions. This area of the brain assesses the unpleasantness of pain, leading to rapid withdrawal from harmful stimuli. Associations with things that will bring known pain will send reactions in the brain to work overtime to avoid those situations.
- Homeostasis: This self-regulating process involves sensors throughout the body measuring various factors and sending information to the brain. The brain then works to maintain stability and balance, which includes responses toward SI. Homeostasis is essential for survival, allowing organisms to adapt to changes in their environment.
- Social Connection: The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in understanding social dynamics. It helps individuals navigate social threats and rewards, fostering connections that enhance survival through social support. Genetic influences, such as the OXT (Oxytocin Gene), play a role in promoting prosocial behaviors crucial for group survival. This leads to a natural push for humans to continue surviving by any means necessary.
- Cognitive Evaluation: The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is key for higher cognitive functions like reasoning and decision-making. It assesses risks and benefits in complex situations, guiding behaviors toward self-preservation.
- Genetic Factors: Genetic influences affect neurotransmitter systems, particularly those involving serotonin and dopamine, which modulate mood and fear responses. Specific genes such as COMT (Catechol-O-Methyltransferase), BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), NR3C1 (glucocorticoid receptor gene), and SLC6A4 (Serotonin Transporter Gene) are implicated in how individuals respond to stress and emotional stimuli. These will play a role in SI due to release of chemicals in the brain we do not have any direct, easy, reliable way to offset on our own.
All of these factors, but is not exhaustive by any means, are all well founded scientific understandings that can play into SI.
Methods for Overcoming SI: There are some things that influence the perception of threats, help reduce anxiety and stress, dull or lessen fear-based reactions all of which can be factors into SI. There is no truly effective way to fully numb or dull SI given (as you have learned) how ingrained into our very human fabric they are, although the below are some commonly discussed methods discussed in overcoming SI which we will evaluate the efficacy of:
- Medication: Certain medications can reduce anxiety/stress, increase apathy and reduce cognitive function, particularly useful for CTB are benzodiazepines. Other medications (such as antipsychotics, allergy medications) may cause some sedation in some but are largely ineffective for CTB or overcoming self preservation instincts. Benzos, however, enhance the effect of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which has inhibitory effects on brain activity. Here's how they might reduce survival instinct or self-preservation responses through (1) anxiety reduction, (2) sedation, (3) cognitive function reduction and (4) emotional blunting. Medications such as lorazepam, alprazolam, diazepam and clonazepam (all benzos) are pretty quick acting and generally well tolerated in most people. There is always a risk they could cause someone to pass out if too many are taken without any tolerance or worse make errors in more technical CTB methods. Mild to moderate dosing in people who can tolerate benzos are likely one of the best methods to ease some SI and help take the anxiety edge off just enough. No one needs to overdo the dosing unless it is part of a specific protocol to take a particularly large dose. Would suggest benzos in proper dosing to help with anxiety, reduce fear response, and cause a smoother CTB experience overall.
- Alcohol: Alcohol enhances the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and increases dopamine release in the brain's reward pathways, which can create feelings of euphoria and reduce negative emotional states, including anxiety. Alcohol can dampen fear responses and may provide temporary relief from anxiety, however like with benzos they can impact motor skills, and deteriorate one's general perception of the situation which can lead to some mistakes happening. Mild or moderate use in someone who can tolerate alcohol is likely OK (for most). Do not go overboard getting wasted drunk, and then attempt CTB, as the chances of error get substantially higher the drunker someone gets. No need to overdo alcohol. Some protocols encourage (while others explicitly discourage) alcohol consumption so always research before using. Would suggest in light dosing depending on method to help take the edge off (relaxation alone is not enough to overcome SI, but it may help).
- Marijuana: The active compounds in marijuana (particularly THC) affect the endocannabinoid system, modulating anxiety and fear. Many users report that marijuana alleviates anxiety and fear, which might temporarily reduce the acute stress response that is critical for self-preservation (not for everyone though!) but can also lead to paranoia, which may exacerbate SIs and heighten feelings of threat for some. Would not suggest someone who has never used marijuana to try this given individual response varies, and like benzos and alcohol, can create mobility, dexterity and perception issues, though usually not nearly to the same degree. Others may have a significant tolerance due to routine use; you will know your experience and your reaction the best. While some also believe marijuana could be helpful for anti-nausea properties and also for anxiety purposes, it reacts too differently in each person for it to be considered a reliable addition in a general way. If you have used marijuana in the past and found it enjoyable, then it is not likely to greatly do any harm unless overdone. Neutral, neither suggest nor not suggest.
- Ketamine: Ketamine blocks NMDA receptors, disrupting glutamate signaling and altering dopamine and serotonin levels. This leads to dissociation, reduced pain perception, and mood changes like euphoria. It also reduces fear and anxiety by dampening the amygdala's activity, which processes fear which contributes to self-preservation (thus a positive for CTB). However, ketamine can impair decision-making and induce detachment from reality, causing hallucinations and time distortions. Doses of ~0.2 and 0.5 mg/kg can be experimented with on a separate occasion, not right before a CTB, to see how it affects you individually and if produces the desired affect and whether or not it hinders your dexterity or spatial awareness too much. Higher doses (1 mg/kg or more) can lead to the intense dissociative state known as a "K-hole," and may lead to much higher risk of mistakes due to lack of perception. Since everyone will differ based on tolerance, general mental health, and other factors, it should be experimented with before deciding to use. Neutral, neither suggest nor not suggest.
- Psychedelics: Substances like psilocybin should likely be avoided as they may also induce anxiety or paranoia in some individuals, especially in uncontrolled environments. The effects can vary widely depending on individual circumstances and also lead to a huge risk of messing up and potentially even injuring others (depending on the method). Would not suggest.
- Cognitive Reappraisal: This is perhaps the most (along with Meditation) out of the box concept because it is far more abstract. By familiarizing yourself with your method, about death, the process of dying, seeking as much knowledge about it as possible, will all surely help. I am intentionally not linking items here as you can do outside research and I do not want to expose anyone to content they may not be ready to see and explore. And yes, it is outstandingly true that mental preparation does not alone overcome SI. However, understanding death and the dying process of one's method can reduce the fear around it, which as we already discussed at length is a contributor to various of the responses in the brain when fear, perceived threats are present, etc., thus reducing the fear around death, your method, and complication possibilities of your method would be a good thing. All will help to reduce the stimuli responses relating to fear. This cognitive reappraisal involves reframing a potentially threatening situation by viewing it in a more positive or less threatening light. By understanding the facts, individuals can reinterpret the situation, reducing fear responses. Knowledge can act as a buffer against fear by providing context and clarity about a situation. When individuals understand what they are afraid of, they are less likely to overestimate the threat. This also leads to desensitization (familiarity with a fear-inducing stimulus through education can lead to desensitization, where repeated exposure to the information reduces the emotional response over time), by learning facts, individuals can reduce this uncertainty, which in turn lessens their fear response and engaging in rational thinking and critical analysis of information can counteract emotional responses to fear, promoting a more measured reaction to what we auto-pilot away from when exposed to fear-inducing stimuli. These psychological mechanisms illustrate how knowledge and understanding can help mitigate fear responses, making it easier for individuals to cope with potentially threatening stimuli. Perhaps even just by reading this you have already begun initial steps on cognitive reappraisal! I (maybe surprisingly to some) do suggest this method, as a well thought and educated decision may not alone overcome SI, but it is undoubtedly more beneficial than harmful.
- Meditation and Mindfulness: Mastery of meditation practices theoretically could help (another out of the box approach). Neuroscientific studies show that mindfulness can decrease amygdala activation through resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) which may play a role in overcoming SI. However, this is an outstandingly difficult, but not impossible, method; although some instances, such as the mastery of a Buddhist monk, are likely not achievable for the average, or even above average, person. If you like and want to meditate, go for it, just don't count on it really helping. Would not suggest as effective but no harm to it.
Neuroscientific research indicates that certain brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, are involved in decision-making and emotional regulation (we discussed these earlier). Dysregulation in these areas can contribute to a shift of perception and judgment regarding life and death.
For some, the overwhelming nature of their suffering is also very sufficient for overcoming the SI without any sort of method to dull or reduce it. There is absolutely no shame in having SI and being unable to carry through, and it may be a sign that you need more time to think about the decision, which everyone here absolutely understands. However, it is important to realize the reasons SI exists and not feel you aren't capable or "strong willed" enough, but rather just have an innate human drive towards self-preservation that is out of your control.
The science around SI reveals a complex interplay of genetics, biological, evolutionary, neurological, and psychological factors that drive humans to protect itself against harm, stress, responses to danger, and general instinct to survive. Of course, there are going to be highly personalized variables at play but this post is just exploring some of them from an informational standpoint to help explain what we all already knew on a general level: SI can be challenging to overcome, there are ways to ease it, and that everybody's are a little bit different. Now, though, we have a little bit more knowledge and informational basis as to some of things that really drive SI on a more detailed level.
I wish you all the best of luck in whatever you decide and hope you find peace & serenity!
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It's very appreciated
