is suicide selfish?

Answer 1

Not nearly as selfish as it is to expect someone to go on being miserable so you won't have to deal with their death. Forcing someone not to kill themself because you don't want them gone is the ultimate act of controlling their life; it's the most extreme version forcing your children to pursue a particular career path or marry a particular person.

Suicide is tragic. It's most often the result of an illness that could have been made managable. But one thing that it is NOT is selfish. People who kill themselves, or try to, more often than not believe that the world would be better of without them. Even if they're not thinking that others would be better off without them, if someone is in so much pain that they want to end their own life, saying that it's selfish for them to kill themselves is like saying that it's selfish for a health person not to give up their own life to save a stranger from a broken arm.

Saying that suicide is selfish implies that the victim just decided to do it. But suicide is effectively dying of a mental illness. Would you say it's selfish of a cancer patient to get cancer? Would it be selfish of that patient to refuse treatment that they knew wouldn't cure them but would prolong their suffering another month or two? The mental illness behind a suicide may be curable, or at least managable with proper care, but the victim doesn't believe that it is. Their judgement may be clouded by mental illness, but what's going through their mind is similar to the reasoning of the cancer patient: there's no hope that things will ever get better, and they'll just go on suffering for the rest of their lives, so why prolong the suffering? While that's obviously not rational, it's the result of mental illness. Selfishness implies intent, and control. It implies that they had the resources to consider others and chose not to. People don't choose to develop mental illnesses any more than the choose to develop cancer. While suicide is tragic both for the victim, and anyone close to them, it's not selfish.

Answer 2

B W..... I'm currently 16yrs of age, but I have already endured abuse, mental illness, rejection, death, and being moved from my family to a home.
And i have also attempted to take my own life...
but as for so many people it isn't a wham bam; easy as pie situation.
I would like to remind others that although i agree that these sufferers are victims in one sense, i don't think the word 'victim' should be used in a way to devalue anyone.
Suicide may be seen as selfish to the outsider, who may be treading through their own problems equally. but for people who are going to attempt something that is final, is it a completely different matter...
you are the only person in your life that knows you 100%, and all of the world that you perceive; is personal to you only, including your surroundings, and all the people which you will encounter throughout your lifetime....
So therefore for a person who is struggling with diagnosed/undiagnosed depression or other, will see the world in a completely different way that you will.
And saying to anyone who needs help and support for their illness; that they are selfish, will only heighten their feelings of insecurity, self-loathing and guilt.
Which many people will agree with me, that would be the most likely result, if 'selfishness' is mentioned in an undiplomatic/unfair manner.
I believe that suicide can hurt the ones that the sufferers have left behind, but equally suicide is not only a cry for help, but also a state of real trauma. Especially when a suicide attempt is actually successful.
I would say suicide is not selfish.

Just a note for those who wish to take their life, PLEASE talk to someone, even if you think it won't be worth your while; and you may have a long way to go, but trust me, you can get there.... xxx

Answer 3

From a distance and, I suppose in reality, suicide can be seen as being very selfish. This is typically the response that people will have to it (if they have lost a loved one, and possibly in retrospect after recovering from a suicide attempt) and it is normal and to be expected as it would appear that the individual was only thinking of themselves. This just isn't so. I personally know of many people who have attempted suicide (myself included) and believe it or not, wanting to somehow relieve their family of the burden that they felt they were putting on them was a factor in these attempts. Sounds twisted, I know, but to the suicidal and depressed person, it makes total sense.

I think that it is important to know that the person who tries to commit suicide is not being selfish. They are committing an act because they are in great inner pain and see it as their way to escape it.

I think I always cringe when I hear someone describe suicide this way as it oversimplifies what goes on when someone tries to commit suicide or succeeds. I often hear it when someone is trying to explain to someone why they should not commit suicide - that it is a selfish act that will hurt others. But, although I agree with this on the surface, I do not think this is something the suicidal person really considers or hears when they are in complete crisis. I also believe that the last thing a person in suicidal crisis needs is further guilt heaped onto their plate - that's what these types of comments are about - guilt. I believe that this attitude of attributing suicide to "selfishness" adds to the stigma of suicide as it implies many things including that the individual did not care about their family and potentially that somehow their family did not do enough to prevent their family member from taking these actions.

So, in summary - there is no way it can be as easy as being selfish or not. This is not their intent... simple as that.

And ... last but not least ... I'm not suggested suicide is right. It is a drastic and permanent measure to something that can be resolved other ways. If anyone feels like hurting themselves or taking their lives, they need to reach out for help - NOW! Call your doctor, crisis line, talk to a family member - anything, just don't do it.

Answer 4

Having attempted suicide several times years ago I can honestly speak from experience. Suicide is THE most selfish thing a person can EVER do in their life. But that doesn't make them wrong. Your life is own and its your choice to continue with it or not. Time is the worst enemy of suicide, give anyone enough time and they won't go through with it. Hence why the majority of suicide attempts don't get completed as they are often rushed without real planning. Sometimes a persons life can be so painful you can't imagine continuing with it. I'm glad to say my attempts were rushed and I didn't succeed but I wholly understand why many people attempt it.

Answer 5

It is selfish to want a person to continue on in pain to save yourself grief from them ending their pain, I have been researching suicide methods for 2 years now as I want a method that won't leave a gory mess, is effective and relatively pain free.
I have heard it all from friends and family: "You won't kill yourself, if you were going to you would have done it already, you just want attention, wah wah wah, you're like a baby", "it's not your right to kill yourself", "if you're going to do it then do it, **** or get off the pot", "you're a coward, running away from your problems when the rest of us suck it up", "Whats so bad about your life? I wish you were me and had 2 kids to take care of, you have an easy life, you've just had it too easy", "you have too much time on your hands, what you need is a good hard job then you wouldn't have time to feel sorry for yourself".

And this came from the people who are my friends and family, with friends like this who needs enemies? You can see why I want to die.

Answer 6

In my opinion, yes. People who are successful don't stop to think about the people they are leaving behind. Problems need to be faced head on. If suicide is a thought, help is needed. If this is you, please talk to someone or call your local hospital. They will have the resources you need to get help.

Good Luck & Take care.

Answer 7

yet you may evaluate and comprehend that suicidal human beings generally definitely have self belief that they are valueless and a burden upon the international. they generally have self belief that no-one loves them, or that the international would be greater valuable off without them. all and sundry could have somebody who cares approximately them, yet perchance they do no longer are attentive to it or sense they do no longer need to stay. now and back, via events mutually with abuse or death of a kinfolk member, they'd sense like there is not any longer something well worth residing for or grow to be confident that the finished international is unfavorable. generally, there will be indications that they p.c. help, yet they won't say it outright via fact they are going to be judged with issues like "Oh, guy up!" "provide up being egocentric" or "flow forward, you will no longer do it." that's a hell of so lots greater durable to "guy up" then it sounds, and it is incredibly something you may journey to comprehend totally. A suicidal individual would additionally argue that that's egocentric to stress them to stay in a international the place they are so deeply unhappy that they'd provide something basically to depart. So is it egocentric? perchance. yet having mentioned that, are not all of us?

Answer 8

Yes, just think of the people left behind. They have to put up with all the grief & guilt. Their lives are changed forever while you are resting in peace six feet under.

Answer 9

Yes, although if you are contemplating it, I feel your pain. The effect it would have on those who love you would be poor trade off for ending your own pain. Go to you doc or nurse and get some help. There are going to be better days!

Answer 10

Of course it is selfish, all the people that love you are the only people that really get hert by it.