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Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

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231–240 of 251 posts

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course suicide isn't a mental illness. How about you have a look at some facts from the US NIMH [1], how about I summarise some poignant facts: "Research shows that risk factors for suicide include: depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors." So, you're happy to c…

"Have you known anyone personally who's comitted suicide?" Yes. My cousin did by jumping and my sister attempted by overdose. Though I called an ambulance which saved her life. I won't argue that people shouldn't intervene when they can. 'I doubt you'd merely say "well, it was their choice". I bet you'd rethink your statement and your position.' Not really. She's gone through a lot of shit. Meds. Psychiatrist. Friend…

Both depression/suicide and dietary habits run in families and reoccur over multiple generations.

Low serum cholesterol has been shown to be a suicide risk factor. [1]

Get you cholesterol tested and try adding more good fats to your diet like oily cold-water fish (think salmon and sardines), butter, eggs (including the yolk!), and coconut milk/oil. You should aim for a low LDL and a high HDL number.

Anecdotally, have you ever seen how most teens and soldiers in the US eat? Their diets are low on good fats and high in bad carbohydrates that will send your cholesterol and triglyceride levels out-of-wack. A diet of Red Bull and Doritos will mess you up.

[1] http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/...

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#232

Vitamin D levels affect state of mind, and if you're coding through the night and sleeping through the day, you're probably low on Vit D levels - or rather, you could be a lot higher if you wanted to.

I commented above that low cholesterol is a risk for suicide as well. [1] A diet of Red Bull and Doritos contains very little of the healthy fats that your body needs.

[1]http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/...

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may be the odd man out here, but I have to say that I think suicide is a inalienable right. If I own nothing else in this world, the one thing I most certainly do own is my person. If I choose to dispose of myself, that's my right and it should be respected. While I agree that depression and other mental issues are often serious and require serious help, ultimately the decision to stay or go should be mine and shou…

I may be the odd man out here, but I have to say that I think suicide is a inalienable right. If I own nothing else in this world, the one thing I most certainly do own is my person. If I choose to dispose of myself, that's my right and it should be respected. For what it's worth, you're not the only one who believes that. My world-view is also heavily rooted in the notion of "self ownership," and I hold that an indi…

Part of what liberty means is being able to exercise your rights even when they are bad ideas.

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#234
post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

as his roommate i can confirm that he has indeed passed away. i thank you for your hope and optimism, but sadly these things can only go so far sometimes. life and death are very real and very sudden things, and i hope that his memory spurs you to fight for what you believe in while you can. goodness knows he did.

Can you tell us how? My condolences. I was watching a couple interviews with Ilya on Youtube and it's clear he was a very bright kid with a lot of potential.

[deleted]

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#235
post #227
post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure this is good advice. I have no experience of this kind of thing, but it seems to me that cutting yourself off from everybody who cares about you is one of the worst things you can do. Now you have no money, no friends, no family, and nothing to stop you when you next start to feel like jumping off a cliff. It sounds like a good start to a story , but bad real-world advice. I had an ex-gf who worked on a…

You miss the point. You would have already jumped off a cliff. This is one thing you do before. Of course try all the other things. But if you _are_ on the ledge, consider this before. If you think about it, is the consideration of this is similar to "who will find your body, how will they feel". It's one additional stop gap to prevent the worse outcome.

I don't think that's how it works.

(Also, no offence, but I'm disinclined to take suicide-prevention advice from anyone named "necro"...)

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#236
post #211
post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, an outgoing personality is a great way to protect yourself from people asking you the very painful question of "what's wrong"...I know now, after wrestling with depression for years, that sometimes it's harder to face your depression and explain your pain to others than it is to simply be depressed in the first place. What better way to defend yourself than by acting exactly opposite of how you really…

If someone is at that stage where you are contemplating this, here is a tip....just do it. By that I mean commit suicide of your _current_ life, not of life. Most of what weights someone down are the fears, struggles, embarrassment, your peer groups, jobs, etc. If you can't find a way through it, just leave it. Give all your stuff away, give away your money, give up your computer, leave your friends and family, pack…

Your theory about the genesis of suicidal ideation is not based in fact. Read "Suicide as Escape From Self".

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Suicide isn't a mental illness like depression and OCD and Schizophrenia. While I do agree that this isn't the best time for "ethical theory," I also agree with thomasgerbe in that suicide is a fundamental human right. If one has no desire to continue living, who are you to force them to?

Of course suicide isn't a mental illness. How about you have a look at some facts from the US NIMH [1], how about I summarise some poignant facts: "Research shows that risk factors for suicide include: depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors." So, you're happy to c…

You have a misunderstanding of the causes of suicide. Read "Suicide as Escape From Self".

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may be the odd man out here, but I have to say that I think suicide is a inalienable right. If I own nothing else in this world, the one thing I most certainly do own is my person. If I choose to dispose of myself, that's my right and it should be respected. While I agree that depression and other mental issues are often serious and require serious help, ultimately the decision to stay or go should be mine and shou…

When you take yourself out, you take other people out too psychologically - relatives and close friends. Is that your right, and would you check with them beforehand? And what of the people you might have helped or saved had you lived? If you have the right to your own life, then do you have any obligation to other people's lives? Also, how do you know you own yourself: did you create yourself or did your parents? An…

The notions of creator and afterlife are pure fantasy, but if you believe the fantasy then the reasoning you layer on top of it is reasonably sound.

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#239
post #211
post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, an outgoing personality is a great way to protect yourself from people asking you the very painful question of "what's wrong"...I know now, after wrestling with depression for years, that sometimes it's harder to face your depression and explain your pain to others than it is to simply be depressed in the first place. What better way to defend yourself than by acting exactly opposite of how you really…

If someone is at that stage where you are contemplating this, here is a tip....just do it. By that I mean commit suicide of your _current_ life, not of life. Most of what weights someone down are the fears, struggles, embarrassment, your peer groups, jobs, etc. If you can't find a way through it, just leave it. Give all your stuff away, give away your money, give up your computer, leave your friends and family, pack…

This doesn't always work. Remember the tumblr fiasco from two months ago?

Mark Rife was a pastor who built a church in Hawaii, found and married his wife Sarah, and settled into doing what he loved. His wife fell off the edge of a waterfall and survived, but died in her sleep six months later.

Mark remembered something his wife had wondered aloud a few years earlier after they had just watched Romeo & Juliet... "would he still have done it if he had waited a thousand days?".

So he quit his church, his family and friends and used his wife's insurance money to travel the world for 1000 days. Charity work in Asia and Africa, road trip across the USA, etc.

1000 days later he found himself under the Eiffel Tower, and the time had come. He found he couldn't go on.

He returned home, set his affairs in order, and ended his life.

He also documented the entire 1000 days in a blog that he only revealed in a video released on Vimeo after his death. His dying wish was that people would read it and understand and maybe as a result, respect his decision.

Tumblr took the website down.

http://vimeo.com/27902552

Re: Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Passes Away At 21

#240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you take yourself out, you take other people out too psychologically - relatives and close friends. Is that your right, and would you check with them beforehand? And what of the people you might have helped or saved had you lived? If you have the right to your own life, then do you have any obligation to other people's lives? Also, how do you know you own yourself: did you create yourself or did your parents? An…

The notions of creator and afterlife are pure fantasy, but if you believe the fantasy then the reasoning you layer on top of it is reasonably sound.

"are pure fantasy"

haha.. whatever you say.

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