Thoughts on Suicide

[Gnat]

I agree with pebs.
I think it isnt something someone would make a serious attempt at, unless there seemed like no other way.

But i suppose the other side of that is, that you never know what is around the corner, and sometimes things can seem a lot better in a short space of time. But if you went through with suicide you would never find that out.
Although I suppose to be in the state of mind to be considering it, the thought of things ever being better would seem an impossibility.

[Pebs]

You're simplifying things Nokkon. You're assuming that a person is rational enough to know there is a solution. It's fair to say that anyone willing to jump in front of a train or hang themselves etc is NOT rational. Often people have family etc queueing up to help but they just dont see it as an option.

CBS, I'm talking about the kids who take half a dozen contraceptive pills every weekend after too many breezers because their boyfriend told them their bum DOES look big in that, and then before the last one has gone past their throat is onto the ambulance service. There are kids that do this week in week out. Im not saying they dont have a problem, but I dont have sympathy for them like I do a genuinely suicidal person.

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by Pebs

CBS, I'm talking about the kids who take half a dozen contraceptive pills every weekend after too many breezers because their boyfriend told them their bum DOES look big in that, and then before the last one has gone past their throat is onto the ambulance service. There are kids that do this week in week out. Im not saying they dont have a problem, but I dont have sympathy for them like I do a genuinely suicidal person.

That sounds a lot like a stereotype nor would I be surprised if that's something you've seen first hand through work

[vix]

Pebs you used to work for the ambulances at one time didn't you?

[Pebs]

Yes Vix, thats what I mean. It is a stereotype but they're all variations on a theme.

[Blighter]

I feel that if you are really ill (i.e. on a life support machine/coma/whatever where you WONT get better), then yes, suicide might be more suitable then living.

Just think, would you rather your love ones go through a month of hell on a machine that's keeping them alive, or would you rather them have a peaceful death without any pain?

[NokkonWud]

Originally Posted by Blighter

I feel that if you are really ill (i.e. on a life support machine/coma/whatever where you WONT get better), then yes, suicide might be more suitable then living.

Just think, would you rather your love ones go through a month of hell on a machine that's keeping them alive, or would you rather them have a peaceful death without any pain?

This is what I was getting at.

[Pheebs]

Dude!! I thought you were studying psychotherapy!! From what I have seen you're reactions to certain topics suggests you can have very black and white point of views and no middle ground... something which any psychologist would suggest is a fatal flaw! Maybe you're just trying to get a debate going, I'm unsure, but I indeed hope you are for the sake of potential clients you have in the future!

Much of what you have said is very one tracked with regards to depression - look at Olibubbles example - depression isn't always as easy as an attention seeking must-snap-out-of-it illness! What about SAD too? It's an biochemical imbalance - nothing to do with needing to snap-out-of-it! They just literally physically can't.

On the topic though, I think it's nigh-on impossible to generalise whether suicide/euthanasia is morally and ethically right. Personally, I would consider certain situations to be acceptable (such as those with terminal illnesses and who has wished for their life to be ended prematurely to stop their and their familes/friends prolonged suffering). But, this is just my opinion and to be frank, it would depend on the individual situation itself.

Personally, I could never ever commit suicide unless I only had a short time to live and was aware that my death would be slow and painful. Watching my Nanny die of cancer is an example where I would have asked to pull the plug. She actively didn't take drugs towards the end because she just wanted to pass on quicker due to the pain. There was nothing we can do and her last week in hospital she was incapacitated, couldn't do anything without being in pain (even though she was dosed to the high hills on morphine)... and it was horrendous for her and sadly for us too. From where she couldn't drink her tongue had dried out and ulcerated too - all she could do was blink at us.

So yeh... through severe terminal illness I would quite possibly turn to suicide. I don't think I could ever pop any pills/jump off a cliff though. In my eyes there are too many good people in this world who have lost their lives involuntarily and to me it seems unfair to take my own knowing these people would have given anything to live on.

[cheets]

You are the master of your own destiny.

[Desmo]

That's a bit simplistic though isn't it

We don't always have the control we think we will. I have a close family member who I thought was one of the strongest minded people I know. Something major happened in their life and they changed, very depressed, bed-ridden, had the strangest thoughts that other family members were against them. It was only with some family help and time that they pulled through it. But left to their own devices? Not sure what would have happened. It took some time but looking at them now you'd never have known.