Question:
Is suicide a choice ...?
2010-01-26 13:07:57 UTC
I have contemplated suicide more than once in my life for various reasons, I have also known family and friends who have tried to commit suicide.
What I want to know is do you think suicide is a choice some one makes? Or an unavoidable event that occurs when suffering reaches it's climax?
I personally, don't think suicide it a choice, because I know from my personal experiences that not every one who contemplates suicide actually wants to die, or makes the choice to, some times it's unavoidable if the right help is not given.
I'm interested because I read some comments on another question saying something a long the lines of "there are millions of people suffering and struggling to survive and you choose to die" I don't agree with this statement, if anything I think they are among the people suffering, struggling to survive.
But I want other peoples opinions ... and please no hurtful or immature answers as this is a very sensitive subject for me and i'm sure for many others ...
(also i'm 14 if that changes anything)
Ten answers:
Fearless
2010-01-26 14:21:05 UTC
Ok, you will be ok. You had the chance to kill yourself and didn't so thats really good. You would CRUSH your dad and mom and other family and friends if you killed yourself. Do you want them to live in misery because you were selfish and killed yourself? NO! You don't. Just hang in there. How would you feel if your mom or dad or someone you love killed themself and left you alone on this earth with questions of why they did it, was it your fault, and could you have helped/stopped them. A lot of people have felt like this in their lives and have made it though and found happiness! I promise you will get over this bad time in your life. You are young and have so much to look forward to.



Also, not trying to be mean, but what about seeing a doctor or couselor and getting on some medication? Sometimes you feel this way because your chemicals in your head are unbalanced and you need medication to even them out! Seriously, its not your fault or in your control. Let your parents know that you are feeling this way. Death isn't the answer... there are other options. Good luck sweetie.
?
2016-05-26 18:16:09 UTC
It is a choice, but so is "suffering" Life isnt fun all the time for anyone. I think almost everyone has issues at sometime that lead them to thoughts of suicide. But usualy things change, people get a second wind and move on or change directions. You have the choice to dwell on problems and let them get to you, or to just accept it as things that happen, and either file the problems away for awhile, or deal with them and get them taken care of. You dont have to allow things to bother you so much, If you re too sensitive about things other people do and say, you can accept that some people do and say mean or upsetting things. That is their action, not yours. If they put you down, it is only their opinion, not neccesarily the truth. They are probably disturbed more than you are. As long as you are doing your best, and being a good person, you can hold your head high and know that you arent contributing to the problem. When you throw away your life, you are wasting the opportunity to do things you cant even imagine. Helping someone who really does have no options. Not to hurt your feelings, but I really dont think your suffering has reach a critical level. Someone who is in constant pain, has bad teeth that cause almost constant agony, or someone really suffering from cancer, or has no warm place to live or cant get food. If you think you have it bad, you havent looked around. think about how your parents would feel if you took your life, they would miss you and probably blame themselves that they couldnt keep you happy. Personaly I think you are experiencing the hormonal tide that effects people your age, and it makes you feel forlorn and sad. It aint the end of the world tho, and it does go away. Instead of throwing away your set of helping hands, go find someone to help. That can be your reason for being here, if you cant find another one. I dont feel sorry for you, I feel sorry for the people you arent helping. You are probably pretty, and have all your appendages, and are strong and limber. go rake someones yard or walk their dog, because they cant. When they thank you, and appreciate you,then you will feel that you have some purpose. I am sure you could walk right down your street and find someone who needs you. That is the help you need, not seeing some shrink who will tell you a bunch of crap, and take your cash from you for it. If you want change, change things. If you feel that humainty isnt good, make it better, one kind deed at a time. The world is still wonderful and magical, you just have to look at it that way. When you drop your bag of sorrows and frustration, and pick up and carry a big load of self responsibilty. you evolve, and will never be the same. I think you really need to read what people have written here for you, and not just ignore them becuase they arent the same view you are holding. Most of us have been through this. Then we graduated, found love, had a child, etc, We experienced life, and found it to be bittersweet, but invigorating. And often rewarding. You will too.
2010-01-26 13:30:49 UTC
It is a choice...... but not always one easily made. I have been suicidal a number of times (I am Bipolar) but I have decided that I will not carry through with it because I want to see my children's lives. They are more important then I am. But for some people the only right choice seems to be suicide.... they may be convinced that their family will be better off without them. I have felt that way....... It is a choice to commit suicide..... Every concious thing you do in your life is a choice..... Even though I am Bipolar my behavior is still a choice.. I can choose to behave well or not.. the Bipolar may influence my choice but the choice is still mine. There may be things that influence a choice to commit suicide but it is a choice. However I would never judge someone who commits suicide and I'm sick of all the people who disregard a sick and hurting person as "attention seeking" then sit around at the funeral talking about how selfish that person was for leaving them in so much pain. If family and friends would pay more attention and take seriously the pain a depressed person is in there wouldn't be so many suicides.



As for the person who says that ALL suicides are for attention and no one really wants to die.... you are wrong. Someone who puts a gun to their head is pretty sure they will not be getting any help...... There are lots of people who do "threaten" suicide who are attention seeking but those who really want to die rarely talk about it and they never threaten it..... the quietly plan it and carry it out........ often very successfully. When I am suicidal I talk oly to my psychiatrist and only so she can decide whether or nto to hospitalize me..... If I ever do choose to die believe me it will be done.
LA
2010-01-26 13:45:18 UTC
That's a good question. It is ultimately a choice to do it, but usually the impulses and the mindset that leads up to it aren't a choice. It should never be condemned as immoral when it's due to severe emotional distress, simply because it impairs the person's judgment. People who kill themselves for selfish reasons (such as avoiding responsibility for something horrible they did) are a different story of course.



I agree with you about the "be thankful for what you have, it could be worse" argument. It's incredibly flawed. There are more basic human needs than food and clothing. There are also psychological needs required to function normally, and severe depression robs a person of that. Some people struggle physically and economically, others struggle psychologically. There's no reason for people to say that one group is worse off than the other.
mstewart
2010-01-26 13:17:16 UTC
I have been at that point in my life before. The only reason i didnt do anything, is because i knew i had a life to live, and that the suffering wouldn't be forever.

It is a choice. But then again, if your thoughts are so skewed that you are contemplating suicide, they may be illogical ones.
OhThePossibilities
2010-01-26 13:19:54 UTC
I think it is a choice. a suicidal person chooses to take the steps they choose to kill themselves. People that are suicidal that don't actually want to die are seeking attention in the only way they think is possible. They struggle with something inside of themselves for so long, they feel hopeless when nobody realizes they need help, but they are too afraid to admit it themselves; therefore, they attempt suicide, without really planning to kill themselves. I believe that all suicides are a plea for help, and that the people that succeed didn't really plan to die, they just wanted help.
V
2010-01-26 13:24:49 UTC
I believe that for most people it is a choice. There are those however who are too mentally ill or unaware of their actions to be able to qualify making that choice. There are many reasons people kill themselves or try to, so I think the answer as to whether or not it is a choice would have to be applied on a case by case basis.
Straight Ǝdge eniGma
2010-01-26 13:18:44 UTC
it depends really, it can be a choice because theres always the option of not doing it, they could just not do it i guess so is a choice



but i kindov see suicide as a reaction to the pain building up, and even tho your controling it, the reactions caused you to feel its the only option, so if i look at it that way i think for some reason its a reaction, so its not chosen and even tho theres control involved its not a choice



overall i think its not always a choice but there are 2 sides to it, there are people i think who do it wanting something to save them, and to give them something to live for, so that makes it more of a choice
KM
2010-01-26 13:14:46 UTC
I think it is a choice. It may be that you feel that you can't control it, and that it's your only way out-but , having considered it several times myself, I do believe that it is a choice. I felt that my family and friends would be so hurt, I simply couldn't do it to them. I chose not to do it for their sakes.

Everything you do to yourself, or not do to yourself, is a choice. If you have the determination to resist, then you will. It's just a matter of not forgetting that resolution, in my opinion.
chicken2008
2010-01-26 13:43:52 UTC
I think it is a choice. I thought about doing this myself. For me I am tired of the same old thing. You try to change certain things about yourself and you still got people holding on to old things in the past. I can see why people reach their breaking point and want to end it all.


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