Is suicide really just the easy way out?

Question

I'm writing a speech for my debating club at school and I would be interested to know what opinions people have about suicide. As I am on the opposing team, I am mainly interested in opinions which believe that suicide isn't just the easy way out, or the coward's option. Our debate is in response to Mark Speight's suicide earlier this month.
Also, I'm presenting the speech tomorrow so quick replies would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

When someone has cancer and commits suicide, they are given a pass. Cancer obviously and visibly hurts. It also results in death. When someone has chronic major depression, chronic recurring major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder the pain is not obvious or visible. Yet, if you ask anyone who has these illnesses they will tell you that the pain of depression is far greater than any physical pain they've known. What's more, all know that it will repeat again and again throughout their lives, most likely growing worse over time. These ppl also know that their illnesses are huge drains on their families financially and emotionally. Of those who do commit suicide, quite often it is not in the midst of depression, but on the way out. Why? Never again is part of it. But also, never again will I put my family thru this hell. Putting a gun to your head, swallowing the pills, running the car, whatever... there's no way in hellll that can be called an easy decision or an easy way out. It is at best the lessor of two evils. So says one with bipolar.



Is that what you are looking for?



PS - I don't advocate suicide. I do, however, believe that there is a significant difference between someone with one of these life sentence illnesses than someone with situational depression or who screwed up their life and just need to suck it up to get back on their feet again. Most ppl don't get the difference. There's probably something there for you to mine for your debate.

Answer 2

Have you ever tried to cut, burn or otherwise intentionally cause serious pain to yourself?



It is hard. It is very, very hard. The body's self-preservation instincts are so strong that, even if you take that knife to your wrist, the chances are you won't be able to cut deep enough to cause serious damage.



Suicide is definitely a last resort, and most definately not an 'easy way out.'



If you think about it, having the courage and determination to actually hurt yourself so badly, to bleed yourself dry or fill your lungs with water, is pretty much the opposite of being easy.



'Suicide is painless?' No, it's not. Suicide is a painful and permanent way of escaping painful, harmful and mentally damaging situations.



'Suicide is easy?' No, it's not. You think these people don't hang on just a little longer for those people who are dear to them? Even a single extra day coping with whatever they have to cope with. It may seem inconsequential, and no one may ever know that this person hung on just for this or that, but suicide is not an easy decision.



Finally, while it may seem that suicide is a coward's way out, a way of avoiding dealing with some little thing that could be easily resolved, it's not. At least not to them. Various mental disorders, such as depression, can lead to suicide, and these often include symptoms of helplessness and hopelessness, which aren't great when trying to face problems that grow more and more cripplling with every day that passes.



Finally, people who are suicidal often don't receive the help that they need, that could prove so pivotal in preventing the downward spiral.



People with these sort of thoughts often think they're being melodramatic, that they're being weak or simply blowing things out of proportion. There is such a stigma against suicide that many people don't know that there is anywhere to turn until it's too late, until there is no turning back.



Conditions such as clinical depression are much misunderstood, and can have physical affects as well as psychological ones. Many people think that depressed people are just lazy or pathetic, and, as such, it is often impossible to talk about.



Dark, suicidal thoughts are then left to fester and grow, until the person can see no other option that to kill themselves and end it all. Often they think that they are doing others a favour, by taking themselves and their problems away, stopping others worrying about them.



Suicide is not a cowardly, pathetic solution, but a desperate cry for help that has been ignored for far too long, until the person sees no other option.







I hope I've been some help, and I've given you a couple of points here. Good luck with your speech, I hope it goes well!

Answer 3

Just about Anyone who has never truly experienced severe depression for prolonged periods of time or truly been suicidal will be quick to say it's cowardly and selfish. Well you know what I say to those people? Don't speak of what you don't understand. If you haven't had to live with that unbearable weight on your shoulders, don't judge. Because you cannot possibly imagine what a person goes through to get to that point. Words cannot even begin to explain it. But I truly am glad when people don't understand it. Because that means they haven't dealt with all that pain. And I wouldn't wish that sort of misery on anyone. I just wish people would be more thoughtful though of the person who committed suicide. Many times that person is not only thinking of themselves. They're thinking of all sorts of people and alot of times believe they would be doing others a favor by disappearing. Just watch what you say. It could be your mother or grandmother you find laying on the floor. Would you like it if people ranted on about your loved one being selfish or cowardly? Didn't think so.

Answer 4

Speech:



Scuicide is not the best way to get out of a situation yes you may not be bullied and you may not be sad but what about all of your family? will they be shocked upset and in tears when they hear about the bad news? i certainly hope they would grieve after all they just lost the closest thing towards them... Even if the parent tends to love shopping more than she shows her/his affection towards their child they still love them dearly, with commiting scuicide they know you did it for a reason E.G Bullied in school, Bullied outside, Depressed, someone who threatend to kill them and someone who made them take a substance which has got the child addicted or worse in their life. Like i have said it affects the family, If the cause of commiting suicide was because of a bully... How bad will the bully feel knowing he/she just ended someones life even if they could beat the kid in the face with a metal pole they wouldent EVER think of killing them, they could think it was a bad idea to take the "easy way out" as some people call suicide but i think its a more domino affect on all people. As to answer the question "Is Suicide rally just the easy way out?" yes it is but its not a great way and seems cowardly towards the kid.



Hope i helped ya :)

Answer 5

Depending on that persons situation it may or may not be acceptable. For example: if the person who wanted to commited suicide had a disease, was burned badly in a fire or had somthing wrong with them that could not be fixed physically-of course then it may be acceptable (euthanasia I believe it's called). If it is a mental problem or one decides that they are going to kill themselves because of a particular situation that CAN be solved than NO it isn't acceptable or honorable and it IS cowardly because they are escaping reality because they don't want to face the circumstances.

Answer 6

A permanent solution to a temporary problem. I don't necessarily believe it's the easy way out, but for the people considering it, it's the ultimate cry for help in saying, "Things are so bad that I just don't want to live anymore." They don't see that the problems are temporary, they are only in such pain that they literally can't take it anymore. To someone with a normal viewpoint, it's the easy way out, to someone in the midst of depression or a horrifying event, it's the ONLY way out.

Answer 7

it is not the easy way out, because:



1. the person will endure lots of pain "on the way out"

2. lots of emotional suffering happens first

3. the person really doesn't "go out"... instead, the person "passes" along the pain to the people left behind

4. and if one believes that there is a SOUL, then the soul endures eternal suffering.... can a soul commit suicide too... possibly not

Answer 8

It is an easy way out for the person committing it, but think about all the people around that person. It is a selfish act, very cowardly.

Answer 9

Yes suicide may end the pain but it hurts everyone who cared about you and knew you very badly.

Answer 10

It is the crappy way out. You burn in hell the rest of eternity, your loved ones will always know this and will never have any peace. it is selfish. Everyone has problems and they always work out. You just have to wait and see. and let GOD help you with your problems. I suppose killing yourself would be a terrible, hard decision to make but it's selfish.