One of my psychology papers was on suicide. While doing research, I became aware of the Hemlock Society and used some of their info in my paper. The Hemlock Society feels that it is everybody's right to die with dignity through self-deliverance when the body has broken down and/or you are no longer happy with your quality of life. They have some interesting arguments for self deliverance and they recommend certain ways of doing it that will not traumatize your family. Here is one of their links:
Considered Suicide ?
by Guest 77 64 Replies latest jw friends
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rebel
I totally agree with Sentinel.
If a person has made up their mind to commit suicide, and it isn't an idle threat or a way of getting attention, they will eventually carry it through. It may take them years to finally get around to it, but if that is they way they choose to die, they will do it. Locking them away and keeping them drugged up to the eyeballs is just postponing it until another day.
I really think it is a matter of choice. Most people would not consider taking their own life. They would fight tooth and nail to survive. A small minority do not have such a love of life. Sometimes life can be such a chore, an ordeal to get through from one day to the next. If you get to that stage, it can be a mammoth task to start to feel normal again, whatever normal is. I get a bit annoyed when some people say it is a selfish act. Nobody asks to be born, and some people just do not want to carry on living. They dread the thought of living the way the rest of you dread the thought of dying. A friend of mine committed suicide some time back, and she was very calm and thoughtful about the whole thing. She wasn't emotional or hysterical, just calm and resolved that this was the time she wanted to go. She said she had nothing more to offer and wanted nothing more out of life, so she went. I don't think that was selfish.
Just my thoughts
xxR
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Guest 77
Thanks everyone. I always find it insightful to get people's viewpoint.
Rebel, yeah, life can be a chore for some and it's understandable when some say they have nothing else to give, but there is. Life is a bitch for many.
I remember one of my older brothers always saying, 'I never asked to be born', how true. We all have of own personal struggles and how to deal with negative situations.
Guest 77
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goofy
Back when I was active in the Truth I used to pray to God that I would not wake up in the morning the next day. I remember one time in particular I was so down that I prayed so hard that I would just go to sleep and wake up in paradise. I truly had faith and believed Jehovah would do me that favor. The next morning I woke up and slowly openned my eyes and then cussed out loud because I was still in my own bedroom looking at my ceiling. I threw my pillow accross the room. Now I truly am happy I woke up in my room since I am much happier. I guess God knows what he is doing after all. I never had the nerve to consider doing it myself though. Now I would never want to die.
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TresHappy
Many times I thought about it, especially after I left the WT. To me, it was just too painful to live, however, I didn't have the nerve to carry it through. Besides, my JW parents have already lost 1 child, I couldn't do that to them again. Now, I am just so glad to be alive...
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LyinEyes
Suicide what a subject that has been popping up so much here lately,,,,, and not just because of the UK JW, poor souls. Seems like I just keep hearing about it so much.
I can understand trying to find ways to kill yourself if you are terminally ill and you don't want to traumatize you family.
There seems to be a different burden for those of us who have been left behind by the one who commits suicide by deep depression, despair and their loneliness. It hurts so bad to feel that I couldnt save my Mom, that even I wasnt enough to keep her here with me a little longer. I know she was in pain and was seeing no way out. My mother never was really a mother who ever thought much about me as far as , me needing her. I always showed the tough outer shell I had created for myself and never would expose my needy underbelly ,so to speak, to her. I was afraid if I did , she would leave me again. It seems thruout my childhood she was always gone, gone to the hospital, or a rehab, or some place just to have " a rest", even when she was home many times, she was locked upstairs in her own world ,alone.
My mother was so wonderful in so many ways, the older I got the more I enjoyed being with her, we would do so many things together and it began to scare me just how much we were alike, in our likes , dislikes , everything. The times she wasnt drugged up , or severely depressed were very happy for me. She was nothing like my Dad, we could laugh together and she was more like a big sister than a Mom, which was just cool with me, until her mood changed and caught me off guard. As much as I loved the happy mom, I grew to despise and hate it when she changed back and forth into the cruel mother.
When she ended her own life, it was not a great way to go,,,,,,,I could think of better ways she could have thought of , for us to find her body. But I will never get over the trauma of seeing her gone forever from my life , that first time. It was unreal to see the woman I loved as my mother ,lying there, not breathing, that is nothing by shock.
I don't think I would consider suicide seriously, as in almost going thru with a plan, because of my husband and my kids. I love them more than I do myself and I couldnt put them thru what I know it is really like. Eighteen years afer my mom died, I still have night terrors, I still wake up crying for her, and I still miss her . Her death even affected my kids who never knew her. My kids wonder and worry if I might kill myself too one day. THey have a fear that I will be gone and they will be left with only memories of me, just like I do my mom.
Of course the thing I try to keep in mind is a person who acutally commits suicide, is determined , sees that as their only way, and not in a normal state of mind, not talking about the terminally ill here, that is a different matter in my mind.
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gitasatsangha
I considered it several times. Several in my family have attempted it, but to date no one has been successful.
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gumby
it seemed like a nice solution to the speed-induced psychosis I was in, I'd probably feel better in the morning if I DIDN'T jump and wouldn't feel better if I DID.
Abaddon,
You said a lot! How many have considered it....but at the present are glad they didn't follow through?
I am one of those. I won't say I won't feel that way again though. Part of my problem is winter time depression and when that hits....the family shunning and the whole dub scenario, the whats life about a thing......all comes around then. When spring hits.....most of that vanishes and I wonder if I've grown enough that the next winter will not bring the same feelings back, and I will or can, move past that point.
Gumby
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Billygoat
I've attempted twice in my life. Once in 1990 when I was first DFed. Once again in 2000 when I had a lot of terrible things going on in my life. I never really wanted to die. I really just wanted the pain in my life to go away. And I didn't know how to handle that pain other than die. Am I glad I didn't succeed? Absolutely. My life today is completely different and I've now got tools that help me cope in the bad times. I still have bad times. I still have depression. At times I've been suicidal. Winter times are much more difficult than other seasons. No matter what, the length of time it takes me to recover from those blues is totally different than 3 years ago or 13 years ago. I have a much stronger support network, I have a stronger faith in God, and I have a stronger faith in my ability as well.
I've come along way in 13 years. I'm very proud of that!
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gumby
Billygoat,
I think I'm onto something!
I'm thinkin the society put some crap in those hogie sandwiches we used to eat at the assemblies that doing all this stuff to us Apostates. They were thinkin ahead! Bastards!
Actually I am rather shocked from comments from this thread and similar threads.....how many here have considered this due to post-watchtower trauma. Not all are due to that reason, but many ARE.
Gumby