Regarding suicide, if a person really cannot bear to continue living is it unfair to say they must?

Question

An ethical question: If someone really cannot see any enjoyment in life, and every waking moment is hell for them, the prospect of a lifetime of it just not something a person can face - is suicide justifiable?
Although its incredibly selfish on the one hand, isnt it also selfish to force someone to live a life of misery to avoid our own pain?

Answer 1

Yes, it is unfair and unjust. Suicide is certainly justifiable.

Views about suicide differ from culture to culture. US culture opposes suicide in part because allegedly only god can give life and take it away, so it's a sin to commit suicide. If you don't buy into this malarky, then they change it to say that only the state has a right to kill you. If you don't buy that malarky, they tell you it's selfish because it hurts your friends and family (which, in sense is true), but they seem to feel that the way you feel has no relevance. Another reason the state may oppose suicide is that it deprives them of one more willing slave to work for the capitalist empire.

If you are a young person, you should not be considering suicide just based on your feelings. Feelings are notoriously volatile, changeable, and unreliable...If you are an older person for whom life is a senseless bore, then maybe suicide is a way out. But make sure you don't leave behind a lot of stuff for your family to clean up (your splattered brains all over or unpaid bills, etc.).

Answer 2

The problem with your argument is that a person's life can always get better. There is ALWAYS the possibility that things will change for the better (unless the person is already dying of a disease or something). If every waking moment is hell for a person, and they can't even ACKNOWLEDGE the fact that in the future, they could feel differently, then that person is not mentally sound enough to even make a decision about their own life. The problem with depressed people is that there are depressed people who are actually very fortunate, and have a lot to live for (e.g. Kurt Cobain). And there are also people who have things really bad, who manage to get through the bad parts with a good and optimistic perspective. So being depressed and seeing no enjoyment in life doesn't appear to have any relationship with the actual quality of a person's life. Therefore the answer is yes, they should be forced to live, because they don't have enough credibility to be able to judge whether or not their own lives are so miserable that they should die.

Answer 3

Suicide is a permanent answer to a more than likely a temporary problem. I myself struggled with the thought of suicide so I know where you are coming from. But what if tomorrow you wake up and the best thing in the world happened to you. Life is full of trials, take on one at a time get counseling and if you believe in god pray and he will help. I'm sure you have heard it before but you are not alone. Meditate on the positive; and may God be with you.

Answer 4

If a person does commit suicide would you consider this to be selfish? I mean after all think of the family they are leaving behind. The family that will be in sorrow at the funeral and at ahh! wondering what they did to her/him to cause this. Wondering why she/he didn't tell them how they really felt. Wondering what they could have done to prevent this! Once you have committed suicide you cannot come back and say I'm Sorry! You cannot let your family (children) know how much you really cared and loved them. Who knows they may not be able to live with themselves because of what you have done! Ask yourself that question: Would that be fair? Is that considered selfish?

Answer 5

Good question. However, in letting someone know you don't want them to commit suicide, what you are essentially saying is 'I care.' Oftentimes, suicidal tendencies come from people who are lonely and knowing they have supportive friends can help. Every effort should be made to find out why the person is so depressed or determined to end their life. Professional help should be pursued. In many religions, suicide is an unforgiveable sin. You could say it's unfair for the person to be so selfish as to commit suicide and have his friends/relatives believe he damned himself to hell for eternity.

Answer 6

I would encourage that the person try a serious life change/move and talk with people who are in a support group. Just when we think it is hopeless, some little change or person can make the difference. I would do all I could for someone I love but only they can want it.

Answer 7

First question are you talking about your self??
Every one will have a different opinion........I agree with you to a point, I would have to ask that person if they have tried every means possible to figure out what was wrong so they could find happiness. Every thing in life is choice, your choice about the way you live will dictate if your happy or sad. How you react to something dictates what will happen next and so on.
I think we should be allowed to do what ever we want to our bodies with out prejudice.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

I don't think it is selfish to ask them not to die today, because tomorrow is always another day and whatever it is, that is making them feel soo low, will soon end and life will continue, and joy will fill their heart and lift their spirits. They will soon see that there are people who love and count on them today and in the future. I think we have all gone through this low period of our lives and thank God we endure to see another day. God bless you.

Answer 10

Try getting counseling and treatment for depression.