Shared thoughts: Emotions, death, and why they happen.

[rmsorensen]

Hey everyone, I'm Rick, I'm a new member, and I hope to gain some perspective from this discussion. I've been habitually suicidal for a long time, and feel I have reached pretty rational conclusions about wanting to end my life, but still struggle with a lot of guilt over whether it's truly the right thing to do. I reach out over and over, but at a certain point, I can't help but feel for certain that people can't handle me. I would never want to encourage someone to end their life, but as someone who has lived with a lot of deep emotional pain, I also can sympathize with someone who is struggling with no hope, and is tired of trying to feel better. I feel like the approach to suicide by mainstream society is a little false in its representation, and there should be more open discussion allowed with healthcare professionals to facilitate what I believe to be a part of the natural order. If someone is sure they have nothing left to give to the world, and has seemed to have their mind made up about that, does anyone think perhaps the healthcare industry should be able to explore more options with people, help provide them with closure, and maybe avoid bigger tragedy down the road? Please share your thoughts, and thank you for reading.
I also feel that providing death as not such a lonely option, and allowing people autonomy in this way, might be a more encouraging strategy for someone to reach a sincere conclusion about why they are alive, and why they keep trying. Being faced with death can change peoples' lives, but suicidal ideation is very lonely, and finding people dead is traumatizing to some. Suicide seems to reproduce itself with its impact, and I think there must be a more humane approach. I also feel like it would truly put life and death into perspective for people and their families in situations where things feel hopeless, and facilitate more honest discussion around how people truly feel. It's just a thought.

 

[woxihuanni]

I've repeated this over many threads but, a peaceful exit after a waiting period should be available to every adult, without explaining themselves to authorities. This could also change the structure of society in positive ways. Because people with a peaceful exit at their fingertips cannot be easily exploited.

 

[Tom9999]

Because people with a peaceful exit at their fingertips cannot be easily exploited.

Excellently put! This is the major reason I think suicide is discouraged.by society and the media.

 

[Stan]

I've repeated this over many threads but, a peaceful exit after a waiting period should be available to every adult, without explaining themselves to authorities. This could also change the structure of society in positive ways. Because people with a peaceful exit at their fingertips cannot be easily exploited.

Couldn't agree more.

There are from my readings around the internet where some people, sadly young teenagers, that did something perhaps in a moment of crisis because they couldn't at that time see any other solution took their own lives. This stokes up the media to help indoctrinate that suicide is wrong. But if Woxihuanni's suggestion of a cooldown period was implemented it would certainly negate the concern that people were in the middle of a crisis.

 

[woxihuanni]

Couldn't agree more.

There are from my readings around the internet where some people, sadly young teenagers, that did something perhaps in a moment of crisis because they couldn't at that time see any other solution took their own lives. This stokes up the media to help indoctrinate that suicide is wrong. But if Woxihuanni's suggestion of a cooldown period was implemented it would certainly negate the concern that people were in the middle of a crisis.

This community is proof enough that the best way to prevent impulsive suicides is to unstigmatise suicide. When people are in a crisis, the support is great. No need to even compare it to what happens when you call a hotline in the middle of a crisis, especially if you're in the US. (Luckily I am not, but my heart goes out to the poor buggers.)

 

[rmsorensen]

if Woxihuanni's suggestion of a cooldown period was implemented it would certainly negate the concern that people were in the middle of a crisis.

Wow, that had never even occurred to me, and it's a really smart thought. Cause, that's the main concern in suicide prevention is the what if. All you need to do is give people time to think, evaluate them, and obtain the proper consent, and have a process to make sure there is no perceivable way that they were coerced. If you have a process of say a year to evaluate the patient, and a good system of checks and balances, I think it might actually have a really positive impact. If it were properly regulated, you could eliminate any legal liabilities. I feel like this system would prevent people from actually being coerced into suicide and maybe from becoming homicidal as well, cause of checks and balances. I feel like this would save money in healthcare costs in the long term, and a lot more people might support this idea than you would think I feel.

 

[Stan]

It would only work though if their was a significant shift in the way people thought about it. Right now the only place in the world that does anything on a large scale regarding assisted euthanasia is Dignitas in Switzerland and they have a strict criteria regarding physical conditions. I can imagine if anyone in government now put forward a bill supporting the process above with mental health issues then I could see the newspapers printing headlines such as 'Nazi Concentration Camps are back!' or 'Death factory' just to rile up the collective consciousness.

 

[rmsorensen]

Very true, but I think the idea should be out there, and people's stories should be heard. It has to be an idea first.
I also think it's important to note that people would most definitely not be into an "easy out" for others, but in my opinion there never really is. You would never have to worry about someone taking it upon themselves, and people who are suicidal would be more likely to gain access to healthcare resources instead of going through with it in a state of crisis, leaving behind debt, or leaving behind loved ones or dependents. I also think people should have the option to get permission to let go, which has the potential to be traumatic without proper closure, especially to kids, or parents, spouses, etc. In some cases, people would be happy to let go of their responsibility to a person, which is extremely sad to hear, but nonetheless a reality that people should face, people are sometimes basically forced to just slowly fade away for the sake of someone else, or face death alone, and it's not right.

 

[rmsorensen]

I obviously think it should still be illegal to suggest suicide as an option, or to coerce someone into going through with it, but maybe just offer the service discreetly, and provide other options that may be available. At the very least it could save healthcare costs, and ease the workload for healthcare professionals. I think the option being there would really put life into perspective for a lot of people. It may even help with the current spike in domestic terrorism, and keep innocent people safer. It could be a solution to the "mental health crisis" that conservative politicians often talk about in regard to that, and if not an alternative, maybe an additional solution to the liberal push for "gun control", which is definitely what I support. It's not unreasonable, I think it's just realistic.

 

[rmsorensen]

I also wanted to bounce this idea off of people, and see if you can relate. But I've often felt like I've been both the victim and the assailant of a sort of emotional vampirism, and it's the main reason that I have consistently kept suicide on the table for me. I feel like walking through the reality of death with people would be a good treatment strategy and a way to take their self evaluation more seriously. If a person is able to reason, then they should have full autonomy and have a means to resources to aid them and facilitate their decision, and prevent unnecessary tragedy, like loved ones finding them, or even strangers, children, anyone really. It could provide people with closure that may never have had it. Worst case is that it saves on healthcare costs. I think suicidal ideation should be treated as it is now, but maybe up to a certain age, and after a waiting period, given certain criteria are met, like previous reports of suicidal ideation, a year of counseling, some family involvement, consent forms, etc. The only problem would be ensuring that people wouldn't be able to coerce anyone, and use the system as a means of social control. But I feel like that type of collusion happens anyways. This could just help to make things more transparent, which is important, I think especially in this day and age.