Is suicide selfish and cowardly?

[Rah nam]

It is neither, in my view, in most cases an act of desperation.

[Nature Grows]

agree with Native spirit an Rah nam.

Originally Posted by SlayerOfLight

I understand your point of view, but I am a little bit more straightforward than that. Some people need a wake up call and a kick in the butt, while some others really could use some help from above. Depends on the circumstances as I said. But that's just my beliefs though, be free to disagree of course.

Some people do need a wake-up call - people like you and until you've come to the point that you're ready to take your own Life you have no idea. You really don't have a clue.

[Dargor]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Some people do need a wake-up call - people like you and until you've come to the point that you're ready to take your own Life you have no idea. You really don't have a clue.

Neither do you.

[happy soul]

Selfish, usually yes, depending on the situation.

Cowardly, no. It can require extreme guts.

I attempted suicide once (by jumping off of a balcony - I broke some bones and damaged some organs), and it took me a few months from when I first decided to, to find the courage.

It may seem kind of ironic, even dismal, to say that it takes courage to attempt or commit suicide, but to me it seems to definitely be the case.

I was only 18 when I attempted suicide (I'm 42 now), and in retrospect, I do see it as being very selfish of me, towards my whole family, and especially towards my mom, whom I still live with and have been very, very close to all my life. It would have been so devastating to her had I died that I'm sure it would have permanently ruined her life.

I thank God from the bottom of my heart that I didn't die.

[Dargor]

Originally Posted by happy soul

Selfish, usually yes, depending on the situation.

Cowardly, no. It can require extreme guts.

I attempted suicide once (by jumping off of a balcony - I broke some bones and damaged some organs), and it took me a few months from when I first decided to, to find the courage.

It may seem kind of ironic, even dismal, to say that it takes courage to attempt or commit suicide, but to me it seems to definitely be the case.

I was only 18 when I attempted suicide (I'm 42 now), and in retrospect, I do see it as being very selfish of me, towards my whole family, and especially towards my mom, whom I still live with and have been very, very close to all my life. It would have been so devastating to her had I died that I'm sure it would have permanently ruined her life.

I thank God from the bottom of my heart that I didn't die.

I agree. Sometimes I actually hesitate whether it's courageous or cowardly to take your own life, maybe it's a mixture of both? I suppose it depends about someone's beliefs about the afterlife. But yea, it still remains selfish nonetheless if you have people left who are close to you (not counting friends).

Originally Posted by SlayerOfLight

Neither do you.

I made an attempt and I also know a handful of others who have done the same. Yes I do know.

All I know is that in the UK until the Suicide Act of 1961, suicide was a Capital offence. Presumably you could be hanged for it.

However, much of the soul searching comes from the morality put out by the Church. I don't know if the Abrahamic God had anything to say about it but the Church certainly claimed suicide was a sin and you'd never get a decent "send off" if you succeeded.

In other beliefs (e.g. Shinto) there is no shame in committing suicide.

Originally Posted by happy soul

Selfish, usually yes, depending on the situation.

Cowardly, no. It can require extreme guts.

I attempted suicide once (by jumping off of a balcony - I broke some bones and damaged some organs), and it took me a few months from when I first decided to, to find the courage.

It may seem kind of ironic, even dismal, to say that it takes courage to attempt or commit suicide, but to me it seems to definitely be the case.

I was only 18 when I attempted suicide (I'm 42 now), and in retrospect, I do see it as being very selfish of me, towards my whole family, and especially towards my mom, whom I still live with and have been very, very close to all my life. It would have been so devastating to her had I died that I'm sure it would have permanently ruined her life.

I thank God from the bottom of my heart that I didn't die.

From my own experience and from what I've been told by others, selfishness and cowardice doesn't enter into it. Those that have had no experience and judge usually use those words but those are usually the last things on people's minds, it seems to be that there's a laser-like focus on the deed itself and no thought of consequences. None of the people I've talked to that have attempted it have been religious/Spiritual, it seems as though the oblivion to come gave them some kind of comfort - it did for me because it would mean an end to it. I was nineteen at the time and this was before I had any beliefs. There was no thought of consequences, no worrying about Loved ones or how it would affect them - it was just something that needed putting an end to. I am curious though because you're the first that's mentioned 'courage', usually - and for myself - it was more of a 'needed to be done' kind of thing. The mind is a curious creature and usually people who are ready to just don't think the same as other people.

Every few months I get a phonecall from my friend's wife to tell me there's a bottle of Scotch sitting waiting for me, and that tells me my friend has found himself in a suicidal state. He was in Afghanistan with his unit and came under heavy fire, and they didn't even hear the grenade that burst beside them. Three of them died screaming and another two were seriously injured. The side of his head was damaged and his spinal column was injured by shrapnel. Today he has a metal plate holding his brains in and walks with a stick. He has Krohn's disease and recently has been told that he's going to develop either cancer or multiple sclerosis.

We sit and talk through his survivor's guilt and what happened that day, he remembers his friends and salutes the fallen in a way that only soldiers can really understand. He doesn't want to commit suicide and he's always glad to see me because he knows I'll talk him out of it, but he feels as though he doesn't have much of a choice - he feels almost compelled. The most enduring things are the screams of his comrades and the thought that it should have been him instead.

[Dargor]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

I made an attempt and I also know a handful of others who have done the same. Yes I do know.

And why do you assume I made no attempt and didn't ever have any suicidal tendencies? You know what, just forget it. I'm not going to discuss anything personal about me and my issues here with you or anyone else, so let's just respectfully agree to disagree if that won't be too much to ask.