Suicide: Yay or nay?

[goku]

the father in-law of one of my cousins just comitted suicide.

his 18 year old son found him hanging in the barn.

the man was like the owner of IGA stores, or somethin.

the son that found him is pritty messed up still.

nobody knows why he done it, two days before it happened he was fine, same as always.

so sad. so much pain his family is feeling.

why why why :friday:

[Chacmool]

the father in-law of one of my cousins just comitted suicide.

his 18 year old son found him hanging in the barn.

the man was like the owner of IGA stores, or somethin.

the son that found him is pritty messed up still.

nobody knows why he done it, two days before it happened he was fine, same as always.

so sad. so much pain his family is feeling.

why why why :friday:

My deepest sympathy. Any death, no matter how it happened, is always sad.

 

What intrigues me about death by suicide is the overwhelming focus on the sadness of those left behind. Just try and imagine the incredible sadness that person must have been suffering before finally deciding to take his own life. It is a sadness and hopelessness that consumes everything, and even overrides the basic will to live. I think the emphasis should rather be on what could be done to prevent people in our society from reaching these extraordinary levels of despair.

[goku]

I think the emphasis should rather be on what could be done to prevent people in our society from reaching these extraordinary levels of despair.

you're right, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[WildRose1010]

I totally agree with you two, but the problem is that there are many different organizations and government funded programs that are meant to help these people, but they don't know who to help until after someone attemps suicide. Often, these programs arn't publicly announced, so suicidees don't know they are there, thus unable to look to them for help. Since suicide is such a taboo subject among our modern society, most suicidees are hidden, and so are the organizations that can help them. We need to open up and help.

[Jay-qu]

opening up would definitely help some, but admitting the problem is the hardest step. For this reason I think that a lot of suicidees would not bother seeking help because they have already to deep in dispair...

[CraigD]

Consider this devil’s advocate proposal:

Assume that a psychotropic (most likely a Serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is developed that has no dangerous or debilitating side effects at any dosage for no fewer than 999,999 per 1,000,000 people , and is effective in significantly reducing depression over a wide range of dosages. Assume further that it can be produced inexpensively in effectively unlimited quantity. Add it to the public water supplies (as fluoride is now).

 

With no change in public or private healthcare policy, nor changes in common personal attitude toward depression and suicide, the suicide rate would almost certainly be significantly reduced.

 

If such a thing were feasible, should it be done? In essence, do people have a right to chose to be depressed, possibly to the point of suicide, or should depression be given the same status as, for example, smallpox? :friday:

[WildRose1010]

Though it is a noble idea, and one I am dead set against (sorry :friday: , but it messes with my personal right to feel and think how I want :friday: , plus I don't need my water tasting any nastier, thank you! :friday: ), there is no way for it to reach everyone. Many people in the country have wells, which are not connected to any town/city water. Cannot (and hopefully will not) be done.

[Boerseun]

Consider this devil’s advocate proposal:

Assume that a psychotropic (most likely a Serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is developed that has no dangerous or debilitating side effects at any dosage for no fewer than 999,999 per 1,000,000 people , and is effective in significantly reducing depression over a wide range of dosages. Assume further that it can be produced inexpensively in effectively unlimited quantity. Add it to the public water supplies (as fluoride is now).

 

With no change in public or private healthcare policy, nor changes in common personal attitude toward depression and suicide, the suicide rate would almost certainly be significantly reduced.

 

If such a thing were feasible, should it be done? In essence, do people have a right to chose to be depressed, possibly to the point of suicide, or should depression be given the same status as, for example, smallpox? :confused:

I don't think so.

 

Interesting point, though, but think of the potential ramifications:

 

Not all depression is medical. Even if your proposed drug can counter non-medical depression (for the sake of the argument), it can be misused by the State. For instance, if a lot of people suffer from psychological depression as a response to the condition society finds itself in, or as a response to how the freemarket system and modern politics is forcing us all to become obedient and happy members of the species homo economicus, then all government needs to do when it's not particularly popular at the time, is to up the dose.

 

A population able to rise up in protest against societal malfunctions and governmental mismanagement, is one of the most important factors to keep a government on its toes. If they are all dosed with a happy-drug, then there's no telling what the government can get up to, 'cause no-one will care; everything's rosy and just dandy as far as they're concerned.

 

But an interesting point, nonetheless.

[Southtown]

Not all depression is medical.

Took the words right outa my mouth. In fact, not all disease is medical.

http://www.newstarget.com/006760.html (OpEd)

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=63899-heart-disease-uk-who

And not all diseases require treatment by artificial chemicals or surgery.

http://www.newstarget.com/006587.html (OpEd)

http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,65362,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_9

[Southtown]

But, toward the topic; does one person even have the power to tell another what they can or can't do?

[Tobus]

Suicide Kits with painless gas would be huge. The sad people would quickly move to whatever afterlife or lack of it comes. You could be able to buy one at drinking age, or get a prescription.

It'd cut the world's population down pretty far, and it'd be a totally different place to live. I wonder if any country will eventually sell them. We're running out of space. I like the idea. You could market suicide with like.. Happy Endings... and have a whole beach scene play before you, or something relaxing, while you are gassed into oblivion. Bam.

[Boerseun]

..or get a prescription.

Only from those pharmacies who aren't into repeat business! :hihi:

[Queso]

whoa this thread is getting really weird....

[Loricybin]

suicide, in most situations, is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

wow, can you image suicidal teens sitting out front of stores trying to shoulder tap suicide kits???

 

"hey man, are you 18?. . . hey here's $C, get me the strawberry chewable cyanide deluxe package. oh yeah and you could keep the change."

 

disturbingly undisturbing

[Tarantism]

hhahahahaha

 

the populaton impact would probably be a good thing, come to think of it.

[TheBigDog]

You could not make an effective suicide kit. The kit is not the issue, it is the willpower of the individual to use it correctly.

 

If the mind wants to do something to the body that will cause great pain or injury, the person will be very conflicted in attempting to take the action. That is why suicides fail. Because the body wants to live, wants to avoid pain, and has great control over the mind's ability to order it to do something that will cause death or pain.

 

There are plenty of ways a person can kill themselves without fail. But they are usually not sure to their soul that they want to actually do it.

 

Bill

[Boerseun]

Yay! Strawberry flavoured cyanide! In an environmentally friendly wrapping!

With a little cartoon-strawberry wileding a scythe...

"Good till the *very last* chew!"

:hihi: