Suicide and Beliefs

[Anatta]

Hell, I should add that I still think about suicide, on almost a daily basis, but I'm far from the point to where I'll try anything, if that makes any sense. I think the difference, now, is that instead of dwelling on these thoughts like I used to do, I just get frustrated with myself for thinking them. Progress?

Kia Ora Shodan,

That's definitely progress...just keep it up until the thoughts become like passing clouds...

Metta Zenda

[Anatta]

I am an atheist and I have thought about suicide, I wrote a whole novel about suicide. I have only once thought about doing it mind you.

Kia Ora Pica,

That's good news

In a past life, not only had I thought about it, I had made a couple of attempts where I ended up in hospital having my stomach pumped-quick thinking by caring friends and ex...

But as the song goes "But now, now I'm 'together better than ever yeah yeah yeah !" [I can't remember which song-I think it begins with "I used to be a skinhead"]

Metta Zenda

[Anatta]

Not religious. I've thought about it but not seriously. Life is worth living.

Kia Ora,

True, regardless of ones beliefs religious or otherwise "Life is worth living !"

Metta Zenda

[Adam (birkin)]

I only had one period in my life where I could be considered truly suicidal. Incidentally, it was when I did believe in God that I wanted to kill myself. Because there was a promise of something after. Death wouldn't have been the end, only the end of the pain of this world.

Now I'm an atheist and honestly, I'd never kill myself unless something truly horrific was happening - like I'm talking in a war-time or crisis situation where I was being tortured with no hope for escape type of thing. Because to me, that's the end. The end of the pain, yes, but also the end of consciousness, the end of so many things I've come to enjoy about the world.

[Anatta]

I am an atheist and I have thought about suicide, I wrote a whole novel about suicide. I have only once thought about doing it mind you.

Kia Ora Pica,

Did you publish it ?

Metta Zenda

[DrillQuip]

I am an atheist, and I believe this is my only chance to feel happiness, fulfill myself, and enjoy the company of others. I think about suicide during my low moods, but only then. Im the kind of person who has high highs and low lows emotionally. I feel things very strongly. So when I get sad, Im practically in despair sometimes. When I get like that I think about suicide as an, albeit perverted, comfort. When I think about dying I think about how people will miss me. Then it makes me feel loved and my value as a person is validated. Soon after I stop being in a funk and get on with my business.

Terrible but true. I've never been truly in despair though. Not enough to actually plan or attempt suicide. It's just a fantasy I play to soothe myself. I really aught to stop, but when Im sad all I want to do is anything to feel better so I think these things cause it helps.

Would never do it though. I'll be damned if I dont live my life to the fullest before I go. One time I had an incident that I thought I was having a stroke and might die. I was enraged and terrified. There's too much to do before I go!

[Anatta]

I am an atheist, and I believe this is my only chance to feel happiness, fulfill myself, and enjoy the company of others. I think about suicide during my low moods, but only then. Im the kind of person who has high highs and low lows emotionally. I feel things very strongly. So when I get sad, Im practically in despair sometimes. When I get like that I think about suicide as an, albeit perverted, comfort. When I think about dying I think about how people will miss me. Then it makes me feel loved and my value as a person is validated. Soon after I stop being in a funk and get on with my business.

Terrible but true. I've never been truly in despair though. Not enough to actually plan or attempt suicide. It's just a fantasy I play to soothe myself. I really aught to stop, but when Im sad all I want to do is anything to feel better so I think these things cause it helps.

Would never do it though. I'll be damned if I dont live my life to the fullest before I go. One time I had an incident that I thought I was having a stroke and might die. I was enraged and terrified. There's too much to do before I go!

Kia Ora ChrisJ,

Glad to hear you are not really contemplating suicide, but a different kind of fantasy that works the same would be better though...

Metta Zenda

[Pica Pica]

Kia Ora Pica,

Did you publish it ?

Metta Zenda

Trying to find an agent, which has not been much fun so far.

[Anatta]

Trying to find an agent, which has not been much fun so far.

Kia Ora Pica,

Good luck...It's important to get the message out there, get people talking about it...

Metta Zenda

[tomthom]

never seriously contemplated it. Atheist.

I still stand by my theory that suicide rates are higher among atheists due to religion itself (due to personal thoughts on people trying to shove it down my throat and due to my dear friend almost downing a bottle of bleach because of religious bullies.)

[Nero]

I considered suicide when my partner died. I'm agnostic, though at the time I was still sort of clinging to Christianity. I wanted to believe, but just couldn't.
That's the only time I ever really thought about it. Probably because it was the most pain I've ever been in. Even then though, I wasn't serious. I don't think I have it in me.

[Cindy]

In my limited experience suicidal thoughts are not uncommon in people who have stress in a way they cannot understand or deal with that stress.

Suicidal thoughts are normal.

There is nothing odd or wrong about them. 'I wish thoughts' are common, and suicidal thought falls into that.


Most suicidal people I deal with have an extra trigger to their stress and then an emotional modulator than blocks the survival instinct.

Counselling trys to reactivate survival and decrease the emotional modulator.

WTF does that mean?  'get them to sober up and let them find a future wish'.

Them? Me as well I've been there.

Does religion affect people? No, not so much in belief but in community. The more people are around to help, the less likely you are going to reach an end stage.

However if your stress is caused by the religion, then the community 'help' can be very negative and that maybe reflected in the suicide levels in members of such communities.

I'm not sure if I contribute to this thread.

C

[DrillQuip]

Kia Ora ChrisJ,

Glad to hear you are not really contemplating suicide, but a different kind of fantasy that works the same would be better though...

Metta Zenda

No doubt. Just something I need to work on.

[Jess42]

I don't know what to say about suicide, just that I can't judge someone thinking about it to end their suffering or those that have done it for whatever reasons. I will definately try to persuade someone from that decision if I can and I personally think there are other possiblities besides suicide. But in the end I can't really judge.

[Sara Thomas]

I was, at one point (and perhaps still am), influenced a bit by the argument - or supposition - that Life has no real meaning, so why not bail?

[By "influenced", I don't mean that I felt encouraged to commit suicide... I usually enjoy life quite a bit; but the argument makes sense.]

If there is no meaning to existence, and nothing to fear from ending that existence... then it seems irrational to submit to the slightest pain, or discomfort, that comes with living.

We often hear the argument against suicide couched in terms of how it would hurt those we left behind... but that flies directly in the face of another popular argument which states that it is our Life, and we have to be true to ourselves (Yes... I note the irony, but the principle is similar enough...).

I dunno... My mother committed suicide when I was a kid and, though I wish she were still around, I have no evidence that she did the wrong thing.

[Mohini]

I am (agnostic) theist, and I did contemplate suicide.

I can't speak for anyone but myself, and I can say with conviction that my belief in God definitely did save me from doing anything more drastic.

[Anatta]

I am (agnostic) theist, and I did contemplate suicide.

I can't speak for anyone but myself, and I can say with conviction that my belief in God definitely did save me from doing anything more drastic.

Kia Ora Sita,

That's great news, that your faith in a deity had helped you in your time of need...

Metta Zenda

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

Because of the small amount who participated in the poll, it does not really provide a clear picture...

Four out of twenty admitted to attempting suicide =2 theists + 2 atheists, however 5 atheists had thought about suicide as oppose to 3 theists...

A thank you to those who took part in the poll and your comments...

Metta Zenda