People Who Hang Themselves

[LaMont Cranston]

Gawdzilla, It's very interesting that you came up with that example, but you didn't name the person or the place. I'm curious to see how many people pick up on that reference.

[Feck]

I would never have the nerve to kill myself. I can hardly cut my own toenails. And I know just how often I change my mind. ( or do I ? )
But if I actually did decide to, I would see it as an opportunity to get revenge on as many of my enemies as possible.
Buy a big gun and take 'em out, one after another, keeping one bullet for myself.
Polite, pleasant replies are advised.
.

Going postal ?

[Bella Fortuna]

I imagine that's the Texas tower where Whitman went on a rampage...

[Feck]

I imagine that's the Texas tower where Whitman went on a rampage...

Yep

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I imagine that's the Texas tower where Whitman went on a rampage...

Origin of George Carlin's "Twenty dead and they blame Marine training."

[Cunt]

I think there has to be better information available about how to do it correctly. With all the pain and suffering which would bring a person to the decision to end their lives, they don't need another dose.

I do think that everyone has the right to 'spend' their life. Including dying.

I have offered words of encouragement to those who have told me they are considering it, but would feel awkward helping them to find a reliable way.

There was a story I read some time ago, where there was a tall building (which presumably would tempt the odd suicide attempt). On the roof of this building they put a diving board.

I think that is a good intervention. (though I would still suggest there are ways to get more out of a life than suicide offers)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I think there has to be better information available about how to do it correctly. With all the pain and suffering which would bring a person to the decision to end their lives, they don't need another dose.

Remember the scene in "Full Metal Jacket" where R. Lee Ermey hands out a book on how to kill yourself properly?

[Feck]

There are books and online info ..I have a good book on the subject ..but as I have said by PM to other members I think Explaining easy, sure and painless methods is slightly irresponsible ,I'm not sure I would like to find out that a member took his or her life over a broken heart or a depressive episode using a method I had recommended .

[mistermack]

I imagine that's the Texas tower where Whitman went on a rampage...

Oh no, I could never take out an innocent stranger. To get on my list you would need to really deserve to die. Here's my first 'stab' at a list:

1) The Pope. Not very contraversial I would have thought.
2) The man who designed the refillers for gas lighter.
3) The man who puts the perforations in toilet rolls. Badly.
4) The British royal family. ( By guillotine I think ).
5) Michael Jackson. ( Damn, too late ).

I think I would leave the world a better place, and have fun at the same time. The danger is, I might enjoy myself so much, I would change my mind. Again.
.

[Cunt]

I think there has to be better information available about how to do it correctly. With all the pain and suffering which would bring a person to the decision to end their lives, they don't need another dose.

Remember the scene in "Full Metal Jacket" where R. Lee Ermey hands out a book on how to kill yourself properly?

No, sorry. (it's on my 'to see' list)

[Cunt]

There are books and online info ..I have a good book on the subject ..but as I have said by PM to other members I think Explaining easy, sure and painless methods is slightly irresponsible ,I'm not sure I would like to find out that a member took his or her life over a broken heart or a depressive episode using a method I had recommended .

I think if someone is rationally suiciding, they will find what information they need, and if they are less rational about it, they are more likely to fail. Based on that, you would be 100% correct.

But that diving board, as I see it, would filter out many 'cry for help' attempts by letting people know that they ARE allowed to end it all. Once no-one is going to stop you, screaming 'you can't stop me' gets a bit redundant...

I still don't want to install a diving board, but if someone really wanted to, and my encouragement to find another reason to live didn't work, I would have to find a way to respect the decision.

There is a man I liked in my area who refused cancer treatment. He would have certainly extended his life by accepting treatment, plus had a better time that May. He declined treatment and while I consider it suicide I will NOT disrespect his decision. Mainly because it's a bit late for that, but I would like to think I respected his decision while he lived as well (though I did encourage treatment...selfishly...I miss him)

[Cunt]

I just got a PM about a comment I made here.

I will answer it here, as discreetly as I am able.

If you want to discuss something with me, I am glad to. If you want to only communicate privately, I won't be involved.

It's a sensitive subject, I am not willing to take any of it behind closed doors with anyone here. Anything worthwhile you have to say can be said publicly. (which means if what you have to say IS worthwhile, you are denying many of the benefit of your words)

I do think your words are worthwhile, by the way, though they likely deserve their own thread.

Happy to discuss it with you, if you wish to do so less privately.

[hadespussercats]

My best friend's cousin died by auto-erotic asphyxiation. And of course, all the local papers had to write about that aspect of it in condemning ways while my friend and his family were in the first stages of grief. Fucking papers.

But I imagine the reason a lot of people go by hanging is because it is cheap and easy to get the necessary supplies and a place to do it.

I found the depiction of it in "Dancer in the Dark" to be particularly horrifying, though quick.

This is a grim thread.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I think there has to be better information available about how to do it correctly. With all the pain and suffering which would bring a person to the decision to end their lives, they don't need another dose.

Remember the scene in "Full Metal Jacket" where R. Lee Ermey hands out a book on how to kill yourself properly?

No, sorry. (it's on my 'to see' list)

It's quite funny in places. R. Lee is over-the-top crazy. Too bad they didn't have the budget to film in an actual jungle.

[Cunt]

Maybe it's popular because it's popular...

There is clear evidence that the media may affect method specific suicide rates. In Britain an excess of about 60 suicides by burning occurred in the 12 months after the widely publicised political suicide by burning of a woman in Geneva.1 The evidence concerning the media's influence on overall suicide rates is less clear. Increase in suicide rates, following the reporting of real life suicide, have been described both in Britain and the United States. 2,3 The methodologies for these and other studies are questionable, with the examination of changes in rates over apparently arbitrarily selected periods of time and a failure to show overall increases over linger tome periods. Schmidtke and Hafner have, however, produced more robust evidence by examining suicide rates after two separate broadcasts of the fictional portrayal of a young man's suicide on a railway line. An imitation effect leading to methods specific and absolute increases in the number of suicides was seen. The imitation effects were greatest in those of the same age and sex as the fictional character, and the numbers of suicides closely corresponded with the audience figures for the two broadcasts. Effects were observed for up to 70 days after the broadcast; an estimated overall excess of 60 suicides occurred.4 The effect on suicide rates of a television series dramatising the work of the Samaritans has also been studied. Although the series led to a rise in new client referrals no effect was seen on the number of suicides.5

D Gunnell

1 Ashton JR, Donnan S. Suicide by burning as an epidemic phenomenon. Psychol Med 1981;11:735-9. [Medline]
2 Barraclough B, Shepherd D, Jennings C. Do newspaper reports of coroners inquests incite people to commit suicide? Br J Psylnatry 1977;131:528-32.
3 Phillips D, Cartensen L. Clustering to teenage suicides after television news stories about suicide. N Engl J Med 1986;315:685-9. [Abstract]
4 Scmidtke A, Hafner H. The Werther effect after television films: new evidence for an old hypothesis Psychol Med 1988;18:665-76.
5 Holding TA. Suicide and "Befrienders" BMJ 1975;iii:751-3.

Emphasis mine