What are your thoughts on suicide?

One time after her divorce and during an ongoing conflict with her daughter, my daughter "causally" mentioned a suicidal ideation. That got my attention, and I kept in close contact with her. She suffered from degenerative discs in her neck, a result of being thrown from a horse when she was a teen. As such, she tended to self-medicate(alcohol) along with prescription pain meds. As a consequence, she had extremely high blood pressure for quite a few years, which ultimately led to a brain bleed, which took her life 3 years ago. I can't help but think that in some way she may have wanted to be shed of physical and emotional pain, and that her death was, for her, a welcome relief.
 
for those in incredible pain or terminal a way to end and not linger would be a relief.

I often think some are doing it in front of us and we do not see it .....people with severe substance issues risking each time might be an overdose or such.
 

fuzzybuddy said:
In one of the other threads, the question of suicide came up. That questioned seemed to awaken a lot of replies.
What are your thoughts on suicide?
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There is no easy answer to this question.

For example, someone in the latter stages of an illness such as cancer, someone in great pain with no hope of recovery, is different from someone whose circumstances and depression push them to the ult8imate act.

Thus, assisted suicide is humane in some circumstances, but not others.

There are many ways to end ones life, without the introduction of state approved methods. No-one can stop an individual from a drug overdose, or jumping from a building. Suicide is there for all of us, but most of us choose not to follow that path.

In cases where disease and physical pain are inevitable, I can see choosing to end ones life is legitimate. When it comes to mental illness, I'm less certain. Suicide can be a shared experience of understanding, and it can be am act that leaves destruction in its act.

No blanket answer then.
 
Jeni said:
for those in incredible pain or terminal a way to end and not linger would be a relief.

I often think some are doing it in front of us and we do not see it .....people with severe substance issues risking each time might be an overdose or such.
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Every time I read about a "middle of the night, one car fatal incident, where the car drove directly into a bridge abutment"> I think...Suicide driver.
 
In Pennsylvania, we average over 2000 suicides per year and the last paper I receive stated that our numbers of suicides have risen for the last 10 straight years. The number of murders has not yet been released for 2024.
 
Liz@120118 said:
Totally in favor of assisted suicide for old people suffering...wish it were legal in all states and not limited to those with a terminal illness.

I would never call it cowardly...no one can understand what another person is going through and we should never judge because of it.
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Absolutely agree! We are kinder to animals than we are to humans, in this regard.

If I am suffering and unable to care for myself, sitting in a chair drooling on myself --- I would much rather go to sleep and never wake up.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
In one of the other threads, the question of suicide came up. That questioned seemed to awaken a lot of replies.
What are your thoughts on suicide?
Click to expand...
Suicide, to me, comes in exactly two flavors:

1. If a person is terminally ill with no chance of recovery and dealing with a lot of pain, it is a rational act.

2. Mental illness or incapacity. I do not say this disparagingly or in a condescending manner. People who decide to kill themselves usually do it because they have severe depression or something similar, and every day is the most pointless and boring day ever, forever. Other mental illnesses can have the same result for different reasons.

It has always bothered me that insurance doesn't (or didn't, not sure these days) pay out on suicide. Having your brain go bad on you is, to me, no different than any other organ going weird. It's worse, really, because the part of you that's in trouble is the part you're making decisions with. Cause of death for suicide should just read "illness."
 
Luce said:
People who decide to kill themselves usually do it because they have severe depression or something similar, and every day is the most pointless and boring day ever, forever.
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No. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, but that is incorrect, and you're painting with much too broad of a brush.

Take it from someone who has (1) struggled and been there and (2) worked as a volunteer in inpatient facilities.

People at the point of suicide are not "bored."

That's my last comment on this topic.
 
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Jules said:
Why? That’s the question that will linger with those left behind.
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Not in my case. If I get so sick that I cannot take care of myself, I would rather be dead than go to a nursing home. My quality of life in one of those places would be zero. I think quality of life is a lot more important than any other factor at my age.

If my cancer recurs or another one pops up to take its place, I will not seek treatment. I will seek death with dignity when my quality of life goes below what I want it to be.

All of my loved ones know this. They also know that I have the do not resuscitate paperwork in order and where it is.
 
WheatenLover said:
Not in my case. If I get so sick that I cannot take care of myself, I would rather be dead than go to a nursing home. My quality of life in one of those places would be zero. I think quality of life is a lot more important than any other factor at my age.

If my cancer recurs or another one pops up to take its place, I will not seek treatment. I will seek death with dignity when my quality of life goes below what I want it to be.

All of my loved ones know this. They also know that I have the do not resuscitate paperwork in order and where it is.
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For folks our age and/or with extreme illnesses, we’d be sad but realize the reason. It’s someone that’s young and in their prime, that we’ll never understand the reasons they made the choice.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
In one of the other threads, the question of suicide came up. That questioned seemed to awaken a lot of replies.
What are your thoughts on suicide?
Click to expand...
I'm fine with suicide, it is a very personal decision. I'm against those who take innocent lives, usually with guns, before they take their own. Wqnt to end your life, fine if you leave the children and other people living.
 
Trade said:
I just checked and it's no longer considered a crime in the United States. I was going on something I had heard back in the 60's.

My Bad. (Sorry IKE) :ROFLMAO:
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Say it was illegal somewhere and a person attempted but failed. Then they could be charged with Attempt or possibly subjected to a temporary mental health hold.
 
KSav said:
No. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, but that is incorrect, and you're painting with much too broad of a brush.

Take it from someone who has (1) struggled and been there and (2) worked as a volunteer in inpatient facilities.

People at the point of suicide are not "bored."

That's my last comment on this topic.
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I had no intention to offend. It was a personal observation that seems to be wrong.

I am not a mental health professional, obviously.
 
When people suffer silently and it seems like nothing or nobody is going to do anything to help, we become desperate. I had this happen when I developed periferal neuropathy a few years ago and was put on a drug that made me constipated, and did nothing to ease the pain. It was so terrible I tried to drown myself in a nearby pond.

My Father committed suicide when was 75 and going blind. Shot and strangled himself. My fellow older monk by 18 years, developed colon cancer and killed himself by pills and car exhaust.

My step mother by car exhaust...and my Mother died of an overdose of pain meds.
 

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