On Suicide.

On Suicide.
____________

Nearly everyone in today's society
knows someone who has committed
suicide, or have at one point considered
taking their own life.

Yet in spite of it's prevalence, it is still
one of the most highly mythologized
social phenomena in many societies and
cultures.

Religious Fundamentalist types with no
obvious medical knowledge or understanding
of mental disorders, favor taking the spiritual
view that Suicide is a Sin, and declare that those
who take their own life are destined to perish
in hell. (regardless that most of those who
commit suicide suffer from a sickness,
which would imply that a Loving God
punishes the Sick and infirm for something
they did not choose to experience and
ultimately cannot control.)

Other misinformed types who are unfamiliar
with the multitude of causes, and contributing
factors which lead to suicide, consider it a
"selfish act" and say that it's taking "the easy
way out." They consider suicidal types to
be weak, or socially inferior somehow...
unable to handle the harsher realities of
life.

Such types are (often unwittingly) responsible
for perpetuating the misinformed views that
so many have concerning suicide, and it is
up to us, as civic minded, evolved persons,
to shed a light upon the darkness of these
antiquated notions.

Suicide is an act which effects many
people aside from just the individual
who chooses to take their life.

Fathers and Mother lose sleep at night,
wondering if something they did may have
contributed to their child's despair, or
if there was anything they could have
said, or done to prevent it.

Arguments break out between family
members, placing blame on one another
for not Being There enough, or noticing
the "tell tale signs".

Children of parents who commit suicide
often wonder if it was something they
did, and often feel abandoned, or that their
Mother or Father did not Love them enough
to stick around.

These are but a few examples, and
the list goes on,..but the main point
is SUICIDE IS A SOLITARY ACT
which creates several devastating
repercussions that effect MANY
People. (often in unforeseeable ways.)

Those left behind are left to suffer
without any real answers, or comfort.

This brief work is intended to expose
some of the most prevalent Misconceptions
concerning Suicide.

Misconception 1)
SUICIDE IS A SELFISH ACT?

This has always been a popular
argument for many, and I will
be the first to say that in certain
social contexts, committing suicide
can be considered selfish,..when
the individual in question is a criminal
who kills him or herself in order to
avoid prosecution and incarceration
for their crimes...BUT, for non-criminal
types, it isn't really a matter of
selfishness so much as a means to
escape what they feel to be a hopeless,
painful situation.

The definition of selfish
is : lacking consideration for others,
or concerned chiefly with ones own
personal pleasure or profit.

Most who commit suicide are NOT
concerned with their own pleasure,
or profit..they are concerned with
ending their physical and/or emotional
pain and despair. For whatever reason
they are no longer able to Live with
themselves and see death as the only
alternative. (many suicides even leave
behind notes explaining themselves,
and apologizing to loved ones. Does
this strike you as selfish?)

2) THEY TOOK THE "EASY WAY OUT"

The absurdity of this statement
should be self evident to anyone with
half their wits.

Suicide is NEVER easy. Nothing
about it. Most suicides contemplate
it, and even experiment several times
before they gather the courage to
go through with it. It's not like they
just wake up one day and say "well
gee, life sure is hard. I think I'll
blow my brains out, or eat some
pills!"

It is something that the majority
of them contemplate, and mull
over in their minds. Weighing
the pros and cons.

Few suicides are Spontaneous,
spur of the moment affairs.

3) People who commit suicide
are going to HELL.

While I am far from religious in
any sense of the word, this misconception
never fails to annoy me because anyone
who has actually READ the bible,
instead of just rambling on about
whats In it, without ever opening one,
know that there is NO MENTION
of Suicides going to Hell.

There is a reference in corinthians
chapter 6 verse 19/20 that says "do
you not know that your body is a
temple of the holy spirit who is
in you, whom you have received
from God? you are not your own 20)
you were bought at a price, therefore
honor god with your body.

This is in no way  an indictment
to hell for those who commit
suicide, and while I am not religious,
I felt the need to mention it for those
who are, because it is one of the
greatest burdens upon many who
have thought about suicide, or
known others who have died by
their own hand. And it is irresponsible
on MANY levels for spiritual leaders
and common Laypersons alike to
instill fear and despair into the minds
of people by telling them their loved
ones are going to suffer for an eternity
because they succumbed to a mental
illness.

The problem with scripture is that
it is too often twisted to Justify the
personal beliefs of those quoting from it,
and the person in question often takes it
out of it's generally accepted
context in order to support their own
Agenda.

Of god, I will only say that
by my understanding of
God, (a supreme, all knowing,
all powerful being, with an
awareness of past, present,
and future events.) if such a
Thing Exists, then Everything that
occurs would be an extension
of it's Will to some degree.


_________

There are many contributors which
lead people to consider, or commit suicide;
ranging from mental illness, physical
illness, criminal evasion to avoid
prosecution/incarceration, existential
anxiety etc, Yet whatever the reason, it can
(in many instances) be Prevented.

So be vigilant, an unafraid to lend your ear
to your fellow man whenever he or she is
lost in their own despair. For just by Listening,
and offering compassion, your choice to do so
could make all of the difference, and mean life
or Death for one who is SUFFERING.

J.Stephen.H.