Discussion What constitutes an attempt?

[sakakap]

I've attempted at least once before but there's also been a few situations where calling it an attempt doesn't feel quite right. Is it all about intent? Even then is it really an attempt to end your life if you know the odds of actually dying are marginal at best?
A few months ago I opened a bottle of vodka with the intent of continuing to drink until I couldn't anymore/ceased to be (though all it did was make me puke and give me a stomach ache). I can see why someone would see that as a "real" attempt (for lack of a better word) even though I knew the odds weren't exactly in my favor as someone who hasn't had much alcohol before and who had no antiemetic in their system, but a few days later I tried the same thing again obviously knowing it was almost certainly going to end the exact same way.
I know it really doesn't matter but I've been wondering where the line between self-harm and an attempt lies. What would you say the difference is?

 

[Isolatedloser]

I'm not sure where it becomes an attempt. For me, I've hurt myself doing things that resemble a suicide attempt but I didn't have true intent and wouldn't really work anyway so for me I just don't think I know the difference. (This is just my opinion)

 

[already_dying]

I heard someone say once they considered it an attempt if you believed it would work (and wanted it to), I'm not sure if I fully agree with this, but I think it is the most reasonable definition I've seen. In the end I think if you consider it an attempt then it was, nobody can tell you what your experience was like, or what you were thinking in the moment, and maybe an attempt for you is different than it is for other people. For me the difference between self harm and suicidal behavior is the intent behind it, and often that can be a very blurry line

 

[Isolatedloser]

I heard someone say once they considered it an attempt if you believed it would work (and wanted it to), I'm not sure if I fully agree with this, but I think it is the most reasonable definition I've seen. In the end I think if you consider it an attempt then it was, nobody can tell you what your experience was like, or what you were thinking in the moment, and maybe an attempt for you is different than it is for other people. For me the difference between self harm and suicidal behavior is the intent behind it, and often that can be a very blurry line

I think that's a fairly solid definition. Thanks for your contribution!

 

[fedup1982]

Exactly, it doesn't really matter. Really the only way in which it might matter is from the point of mental health practitioners. There are two questions they'll seek to ask. Firstly, does the person need help? And secondly, what risk do they represent to themselves, I.e. is there an immediate risk to life which means they need to be hospitalised?