Do you have sympathy for people who commit suicide or is it a selfish act?

[BrometheusBob.]

If they weren't a terrible person then yeah, I feel sympathy.

When I went through a depressive episode after my mom's passing, suicide seemed better than living. I thought about it constantly but I never really had the stones to do it. I ultimately spent a week on suicide watch in the hospital. That was 10 years ago. I feel differently now and my life is much better off than it was then. That experience is why I understand how it's possible for others to do it.

But these things don't have to be black and white. It's possible to understand how people can just lose the will to live but also be a little upset with them for doing it.

I know a few people who killed themselves. One of them had been married for just a few months. He was clearly not well in the head but it's hard to totally wrap my head around that. I don't know the full story there but from the outside it was difficult to imagine.

Another was a friend from high school years after graduation. After finding out the news I looked back at our messages and saw that the last time he reached out, I didn't respond. It was a long while before he ended it so I'm sure that's not what was on his mind. But I still felt some guilt about it. I related to the pain he must have been experiencing, but part of me was mad that he left me to feel this way.

[BrometheusBob.]

I knew a guy who worked the phones at a suicide hotline and he said more than 90% of the people who called had no social network. No friends, no family, etc. People commit suicide for all sorts of reasons. Mental illness, addiction, finances, guilt/shame over something, failed relationships. I do feel bad for them, especially for mental and addiction issues.

This reminds me of one summer I spent working on research on a military contract. The contract was part of a larger project to make AI that could pick up on signs of PTSD and suicidal thinking in writing. The goal was to help detect when veterans who reached out for help were in need of immediate medical attention, or whether they needed some other kind of assistance.

As part of the research I read tons of chat logs between vets and support agents. Most were benign and some were problematic though not urgent. But a small chunk of them weren't easy to read. There were detailed accounts of tragic combat experiences, discussions of ways they've already attempted suicide, how their personal relationships were falling apart because of mental issues etc.

They offered an opportunity to work on the project again at a later time and I decided to go in a different direction. It's not work for the faint of heart.

[Marchegiano]

I see why your best friend did it.

Look at how you are speaking even after he is gone.

He was my friend, not yours, know yer role.

[VegasMichael]

Read through this thread this AM and I feel for those who've been affected by suicide. I will make this observation: I've been teaching in the public school system for almost 30 years(retiring in four months) and one glaring change I've seen with students over the years is that nowadays many of them have ZERO coping skills. One little curve ball gets lobbed in their direction and they shut down like someone pulled the plug on their life support system. It's frightening.

[siablo14]

He was my friend, not yours, know yer role.

My role is to speak up for a man you call lazy and weak.

[Marchegiano]

My role is to speak up for a man you call lazy and weak.

You don't know the man or the manner to speak for him. I do. Your role is ignorance, you are a fool.

[siablo14]

You don't know the man or the manner to speak for him. I do. Your role is ignorance, you are a fool.

Cool. Do me a favour and stop beating up on broken folks.

You know I love the raw nitty gritty truth but when it comes to these folks, let's just tell beautiful lies.


Beautiful lies!
Don't break my heart.
Tell me beautiful lies.

[Citizen Koba]

This reminds me of one summer I spent working on research on a military contract. The contract was part of a larger project to make AI that could pick up on signs of PTSD and suicidal thinking in writing. The goal was to help detect when veterans who reached out for help were in need of immediate medical attention, or whether they needed some other kind of assistance.

As part of the research I read tons of chat logs between vets and support agents. Most were benign and some were problematic though not urgent. But a small chunk of them weren't easy to read. There were detailed accounts of tragic combat experiences, discussions of ways they've already attempted suicide, how their personal relationships were falling apart because of mental issues etc.

They offered an opportunity to work on the project again at a later time and I decided to go in a different direction. It's not work for the faint of heart.

That's some rough **** man. I've heard plenty of those kind of stories myself. Spent a good bit of time homeless on the streets and you meet a disproportionate number of ex-service dudes who just can't adjust or maybe suffering from PTSD.. often undiagnosed. Course it goes hand in hand with the drink and drugs too... and you share a bottle maybe, swap stories.

Song here from my favourite folk-punk band of the moment about it... lead singers a former mineworker but his son was a soldier - served in Afganistan - who commited suicide in 2012.

[billeau2]

You don't know the man or the manner to speak for him. I do. Your role is ignorance, you are a fool.

Unbelievable... See this is what happened with me and Siablo as well. The guy has no filter between his poor excuse for a brain and mouth. He says things that are awful... I don't know if he even realizes it. I mean there are some very decent posters here that get along with him and it would be nice if someone had a talk with him... Just let him know that some things should be said tactfully, or not at all.

Its not important what he says M. Its more important that people are honest and not trying to say things that "sound nice."

[billeau2]

That's some rough **** man. I've heard plenty of those kind of stories myself. Spent a good bit of time homeless on the streets and you meet a disproportionate number of ex-service dudes who just can't adjust or maybe suffering from PTSD.. often undiagnosed. Course it goes hand in hand with the drink and drugs too... and you share a bottle maybe, swap stories.

Song here from my favourite folk-punk band of the moment about it... lead singers a former mineworker but his son was a soldier - served in Afganistan - who commited suicide in 2012.

Its more than just undiagnosed. You can't get help... Doctors treat pain and anxiety issues politically. The government determines what they can/cannot prescribe. One cause of Heroine cycles on the uptick (traditionally herione is cyclical) is chasing people in pain management out... Doctors telling patients "sorry I know it helps you function productively and all, but I cannot prescribe this anymore." In that situation for many it is either suicide, or the sidewalk pharmacy.

So a lot of vets what do they do if the government decides that things they use, like pot, is not to be prescribed? they self medicate. What else can someone do?