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People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

english.elpais.com

51–60 of 443 posts

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#51
post #37

I fully intend to kill myself eventually. The idea that I should prolong my life past the point where I get dementia, a degenerative disease, or just plain old age where I can't stand up or whipe my ass is repugnant enough that I can't understand people who want me to suffer until doctors finally stop being able to put me back together. Much better to die cheaply with a wonderful cocktail of opiates while watching a…

Same here. Having seen what two of my grandparents went through before their eventual demise makes me want to avoid doing the same.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#52
post #37

I fully intend to kill myself eventually. The idea that I should prolong my life past the point where I get dementia, a degenerative disease, or just plain old age where I can't stand up or whipe my ass is repugnant enough that I can't understand people who want me to suffer until doctors finally stop being able to put me back together. Much better to die cheaply with a wonderful cocktail of opiates while watching a…

Much easier said than done. I doubt you'll feel the same way when that old age approaches, just like teenagers who think life is practically over by 40.

"Hope I die before I get old" - Pete Townshend, 1945—

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#53
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Keeping in line with the style of that comment: No, they're not.

Life is suffering. It's one of the 4 Noble truths of Buddhism. Ancient knowledge.

Just because the Buddha said it, doesn't mean it's right. My life is many things as well as suffering. It is no more suffering than it is joy or peace. Why emphasise suffering specifically?

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#54
post #37

I fully intend to kill myself eventually. The idea that I should prolong my life past the point where I get dementia, a degenerative disease, or just plain old age where I can't stand up or whipe my ass is repugnant enough that I can't understand people who want me to suffer until doctors finally stop being able to put me back together. Much better to die cheaply with a wonderful cocktail of opiates while watching a…

Much easier said than done. I doubt you'll feel the same way when that old age approaches, just like teenagers who think life is practically over by 40.

Not at all. My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 60's and eventually died of it. Near the end she was hoping to die.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#55

This is something that I have had some personal experience with. I've known quite a few suicides, and survivors of the suicides of others. Very much a "walk a mile in a man's shoes" kind of thing. Everyone has opinions on the matter, until it hits them. Then, they have personal experience (not just an opinion). It sucks. In some cases, I can see why someone would want to end it all. In others, like this one[0], I fin…

> In others, like this one[0], I find it doubly tragic, as there are proven alternative solutions

"eight years of help and 21 stints in rehab" sounds like they tried pretty hard to find a better solution. Not everyone can be cured.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#56
post #37

I fully intend to kill myself eventually. The idea that I should prolong my life past the point where I get dementia, a degenerative disease, or just plain old age where I can't stand up or whipe my ass is repugnant enough that I can't understand people who want me to suffer until doctors finally stop being able to put me back together. Much better to die cheaply with a wonderful cocktail of opiates while watching a…

As I'm getting older (mid 40s), I have a different view now than before. I've seen people die in real life, and it was horrific. Even in hospital beds with morphine drips.

I don't want to die in agony, or slowly suffocating as many do. I'll end it before it goes too far.

I think more people should actually go to hospitals and see how real people die, instead of the comforting movie version where the family is gathered around while the old person slowly falls to sleep. That's unfortunately not that common.

If I get cancer, I'll hang on for a while until there's not much hope left, and then go to a place with assisted suicide.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#57
post #47

"Why hasn’t the number of deaths by suicide decreased?" That housing and groceries is getting more and more expensive certainly doesn't help with that... Of course, not so many people in this world suffer anymore from hunger but in the last years additional problems came up. I know some older people who think that Depression is just a excuse for not wanting to work but these older people had it easier to build or buy…

> these older people had it easier to build or buy a house than my generation

Also easier in finding a job with an employer that would invest in your training and invest in the community and a stable economy where your wages, purchasing power and savings weren't obliterated overnight through the stroke of a pen that also pushed housing prices up by the same amount.

The fabric of society and community has degraded in the last couple of decades since the 2008 bust and it hasn't gotten any better. It's now "grab everything you can while you can, screw everyone else, or be poor".

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#58

This is why daily full-body sunlight exposure of 15-20 minutes without sunglasses and sunscreen is important.

To kill yourself by getting skin cancer?

Avoiding sunlight is way more deadly than skin cancer, to a limit. You should get sun, but not too much.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#59
post #37

I fully intend to kill myself eventually. The idea that I should prolong my life past the point where I get dementia, a degenerative disease, or just plain old age where I can't stand up or whipe my ass is repugnant enough that I can't understand people who want me to suffer until doctors finally stop being able to put me back together. Much better to die cheaply with a wonderful cocktail of opiates while watching a…

As I'm getting older (mid 40s), I have a different view now than before. I've seen people die in real life, and it was horrific. Even in hospital beds with morphine drips. I don't want to die in agony, or slowly suffocating as many do. I'll end it before it goes too far. I think more people should actually go to hospitals and see how real people die, instead of the comforting movie version where the family is gathere…

That's what the opiates are for.

Re: People who die by suicide want to stop suffering, not to stop living

#60

Related, is it difficult all over the US to find mental health resources? Wait times for counselors and therapists are months+. Additionally, insurance seems to not cover mental health stuff well if at all, if you're lucky to get an appointment it seems you're paying out of pocket.

Yes. Last time, it took me 5 months to replace a psychiatrist. I had to wait almost a month to get on waiting list.

There is no online sign up. It’s all by phone. Most of the time , you call and it goes to voice mail. You leave a message and never get called back.

The few times I have gotten a person, most of them said they weren’t taking new patients.

If you miss more than one appointment without calling the day before, some places drop you.

Living in the US, sometimes it feels like I’m not worth keeping around unless someone else can profit from my existence.

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