Personally, I have known several people to have committed suicide and to have attempted it, I can understand some people being unable to take emotional pain and anguish but this is not in the mindset of the majority of the populace.

Sane people do commit suicide, sometimes over silly things, some people do not have much trauma from their birth to their early 20s and are very cushioned by their parents in terms of emotional security, yet when they finally leave home, they have nobody to fall back on or rely upon and when they finally get hurt by something or suffer extreme stress or grief, they do not known how to deal with it as they have not developed coping methods and thus do the first thing that springs to mind for them: Take themselves out of the world and stop experiencing pain and emotion, whilst no longer disappointing their family by asking for help as they believe they must be independent and deal with everything on their own.

People who tell people they are going to kill themselves, generally do not as it deemed to be more of an emotional threat and a plea for attention (In a positive way, they need somebody to comfort and help them).

Some individuals have a lot of emotions bottled up, whilst appearing happy on the outside and strong, inside they are destroyed, eventually when they suffer sleepless nights and are unable to concentrate and feel they have nothing left to offer the world, they take their own lives.

Very unfortunate and sad considering that the majority of cases are sane people who can be helped with some lessons in coping mechanisms.

I agree with your Barry, I don't understand why someone would end their own life. To date, I've had 2 friends commit suicide. Each time, I was angry and frustrated that the friend in question sought to end their life rather than seek help from family and loved ones.

Do sane people commit suicide? Yes they do. But in my experience, it's an impulsive, depressed or angry action. A "temporary insanity" that has drastic consequences.

I understand fully why people commit suicide. If you do not understand suicide, count yourself very very lucky. I almost wish I could say I do not understand suicide and see it as selfish if it meant that I personally never had been in so much pain to consider suicide. Unfortunately, that is not the case and I still struggle with suicidal ideation due to emotional pain. However, at least now I have the compassion for those that have completed suicide and are contemplating suicide. A double edged sword to be sure.

In my opinion it takes so much courage to commit or complete suicide as some call it. The will to live is extremely strong. Do not think that people that commit suicide are unaware of the pain it will cause others. That does stop some people from committing suicide. What should be apparent is the enormous emotional pain that this person has and is enduring that drives them to complete the act of suicide over every other consideration.

It is to me like this; A weight is put on your shoulders, then another, then another and so forth. At some point one will collapse i.e. suicide in the case we are talking about. These are suicides where the individual simply can't handle the pain any longer. Do you not think they are in not in extreme anguish about leaving this world and their loved one. That they are not aware of the hurt that will be caused? The pain is simply more than they can bare.

Yes, sane people kill themselves. It is been notable especially in military defeats. Take the Japaneses in WWII for a good example. Or, take someone with terminal Cancer who chooses to end their lives while they are still able. And to do so in the manner they choose, sometimes with assistance by family and medical professionals. Are these suicides selfish acts? I don't know about the first, the second instance no in my opinion.

The Bible does not specifically speak against Suicide. If one takes the commandment that thou should not kill as including Suicide then there is an argument there I suppose, but not for me.
Then again a thorough examination of the Bible does not specifically condemn homosexuality or slavery and has plenty of stories of murder,pillaging,adultery etc. to make thousands of juicy movies and novels for decades to come. But, God does forgive many of these acts in the Bible. I would argue that Suicide would be one of them.

Western European society has a tremendously hard time with the Suicide issue unlike other cultures. No doubt a large part if not most is based in religion,not the Bible's writings.

Personally, I'd like to see Suicides considered with compassion,understanding and love. A continued attitude of Suicides as evil, sinful, selfish etc. only serves to discount their lives, place them in the "going to hell status" for those so inclined to think this way and stigmatize their families.

For some people who don't understand why people commit suicide, perhaps they have not experience s much pain in their life. Yes there are always solutions to problems, we can always move forward and start a new life and those sort of things. But for someone suffering, we cannot really imagine the pain and troubles, frustrations they have. It could also be attributed to their culture, Japan has a high rate of suicide. There are so many things and it's easy for us to say that you should have done this and that, people get depressed, 'til they no longer can handle. I've attempted suicide. about thrice already, crazy yet but I guess sometimes you just wanted to stop breathing and give up on life. I was just lucky I'm still here and realize that I could still make the best out of life...anyway, those who commit suicide are not crazy and for me it's not a selfish act...if you understand why they do it... then you will know...

On 9-11 I was on the west side of the north tower to see what was going on. There were rumors and it seemed unlikely I'd be able to get to my office on the 101st floor.

Cops were evacuating to the east side of the tower and there werent that many people on the west side.

As I got closer I saw there were debris coming down. It was difficult to see as it was coming from pretty high up. When I realized we were actually seeing people jumping, I quickly left.

I can see jumping to avoid a fire as the heat and smoke can be extremely intense.

Suicide can be the result of a lifetime of bad choices combined with fear. Emptiness and loneliness add to the problem. If you are old and sick then the combination is complete. There are times when death is the only answer because you are almost there anyway.

A friend's husband completed suicide on Father's Day two days after he got divorce papers. He left a note on the door to his home to his daughter that he knew would be coming home to call 911. He was in the house. Those that have attempted.....why would he do it on Father's Day? He was not sick, old or being treated for any mental illness. Hell of a way to leave a legacy to his daughter. I think revenge and control can be possible motivators. He was a controlling person.

You don't understand the rational of suicide until one day you somehow fit into those types of shoes. Let me give you a virtual experience. I'm currently suicidal, and have told no one because everybody who knows me assumes I'm happy go lucky and seldom is seriously bothering me. They couldn't be any further from the word right. The rational of suicide is definable my friend. Like I said, until you're actually a first hand victim of it, you won't have a clue.

For me, i feel like this world is a prison. That we are all ants under a far more superior control. We are living in a boundless universe and yet i feel we can go no further than Pluto. That the only way to explore further into depth is through taking of your own life. What I'm saying sounds far fetched but friend, we all have a more than odd motive for our potential suicidal actions.

As well as the above reason I also have many other personal reasons which I am going to share with you. I've gotten rejected a numerous times. I don't have many people that I call true friends, I'm 17 and have not had a 1st kiss, I'm continuously patronized shamelessly by some so called "friends" in school and I make terrible first impressions making it impossible to so much as redeem myself from the metaphorical pit. Man, I feel suicidal (to a high extreme) and vary between contemplating what is (as you say) the logic or rational behind it. I can only explain it through minor and major experiences and they are a few.

I also used to be somewhat religious but I now spend the night cursing at God (if he is there) to help me as I already don't ask for much. I'm losing my religious belief and think the world and religion has corrupted itself.

I don't necessarily want to die but ament keen on living either (for the most part) and then I end up being overtly and shamelessly pro suicide. Suicide is a very difficult concept friend. It's like swine flu, your life is only at risk with it through underlying complications if you get my drift. I have far too many and am not sure whether my relevance on this earth is applaudable or significant. I want to be able to change what makes this earth a horror to love on at times. But when I voice my opinion it's seldom heard. When they rarely hear me speak I feel a certain confidence but when I cry, I cry alone.

Isn't it strange how when you're on top of the world people will make it their initiative to diminish your only spirit yet when unbalanced and on the verge of breakdown, extreme aid and consolation is immediately lanced in your direction? Isn't life just a painting on canvas of a blurry portrait presenting a picture that only you know of?

I don't have a real life. Something inside me is sleeping and I'm the figment of it's nightmare.

Suicide is truly something ambiguous.

Ambiguous is a good word for it - I have met the extremes of opinion on suicide. I don't think anywhere near the extreme is helpful. I've only seen it (first and second hand) to be frustrating and causing defeatist feelings.

One who will discuss suicide like an elite club that only 'those affected' can understand builds a wall isolating themself from potential help. Nobody truly understands what Anyone is going through - if they did suicide and mental illness wouldn't be such an intangible problem. (Ie. Is it or isn't it a disease? Is a cold a disease? What's the difference?) This does not mean that Everybody understands Nothing about Anyone else - and in fact can be a motivator for key, open-minded people to learn how to approach something their life experiences haven't opened them up to as of yet.

One who instantly names a suicidal person as selfish has labelled them eternally. That's a mighty high assumption to make. I'm very sure there are selfish (and unselfish) cases, but this seems like a moot point to me. Putting the Cart in front of the Horse maybe. Shouldn't the focus be more preventative and positive, if not only for showing compassion for a fellow human being who has died. It may have been a mistake, it may have been to spite an innocent ancillary, it may have been the cause of too much thought and the weight of the Guilt of that thought. Regardless, the brain-wiring in humankind (and most life) is set for survival. Something is disastrously wrong when enough circumstances (situational depression, chemical depression, rage issues, lack of impulse control, etc) have stacked up against this will to live. I think people who jump to the 'selfish' argument won't have considered this point of view. If they had considered it more fully, or perhaps first-hand in their own life, it might not be so easy to write-off tortured and confused pain as thoughtless.

I hope anybody reading this for help finds it. Personally, I've some experience and it's possible somebody could benefit from my positive changes.
I learned more about the EPBC Cognitive Behavioural relationships - how your senses, thoughts, physiological reactions and active behaviour are all interrelated.

I also became a bit more acquainted philosophically with the 5 stages of grief. These stages did not even represent death for me, rather addiction & a major life change. Consider that there may be something to learn about yourself.

If you suffer from the vulnerable sharing dilemma, where after you talk with somebody about something deeply personal and meaningful or pleaful - you feel embarrassed, angry, frustrated, stupid, resentful and especially lost; try to quiet your mind on how your friend has let you down. As this blog will show you, people can't help but have their own experiences and they may not be able to help you in the way that you need - but chances are very likely they will want to more than they seem. It's an awkward topic that many people register very badly to, so try to have some thick-skin when sharing something personal. If you find somebody who responds well to your darker thoughts, talk as openly as you feel to them - but perhaps keep in mind it can be very overwhelming for anybody who isn't a trained professional to hear constant conversation that is dark and possibly terrifying for them as well.

All my un-invited, but hopefully welcome thoughts. I would say that sane people do commit suicide, but generally the emotions and environment of potential suicide seem to tip the scales on the side of one less in control of their thoughts and behaviour.

And of course, there's my more real belief that sanity is as ambiguous as suicide.

I've been suicidal, on and off, since I was 12 or 13 - I'm now 24, so I guess it wasn't terminal ...

I found this blog just because I googled 'committing suicide'. I dunno why, I just felt like it. I think maybe the act of searching for info about suicide, or tying a noose, or cutting yourself etc is a type of release, so you can get a bit of relief from the feelings without having to do anything irreversible. It's a way of knowing that there is a way out, if things get too bad.

I don't know if only 'insane' people commit suicide. I've had a 'mental illness' for almost as long as I can remember, but I don't consider myself 'insane'. I'm no doctor, but as far as I can see, insane people don't or can't recognise reality, while sane people who are also mentally ill can see reality, but can't participate in it. We can see what's normal, but can't be part of it.

I dunno.

Anywayz, I see your point, about suicide being selfish. At times it's only been the knowledge that my mum would suffer that's kept me from offing myself, and believe me, I've had reason enough to do it.

Sometimes, just talking about it helps, even if it's just on the web with strangers, so thanks.

I think the concept of gratitude and suicide are highly related, and quite philosophical ! In my world view I dont believe I should feel grateful for having been born !!  Its not something I wanted, and I regard the "god power"'s ***involuntary birth mechanism***, in play for all of known history, affecting everything that has ever lived, plant or animal, as a slavery mechanism, and chickenshit. Otherwise, why cant the god power be fair and allow spirits the right to choose if they want to be born ? The reason why the "god power" doesnt do this is clear - only about 2% would then make that choice. There goes 98% of the project, they all declined. The most likely reason how things came to be - we are merely a forgotten science experiment - created by some distant extra terrestrial intelligence - this would most plausibly explain life on earth and thus also the mechanism.

However, all that being said, once you are unlucky enough to be "born" - might as well make the best of things. However since we have no control over where we will be born - one's life can start out rather harshly - esp in places where there is insufficient water / food - it is simply ok at any point on ones life to reject the god power's involuntary slavery mechanism without guilt or fear. 

"Being born is a step down".... 
"Kids occur to people who have not yet learned that the path to spiritual improvement lies in rejecting slavery. "
"True love - the deepest kind - occurs at a level higher than "planet earth existence"
"Suicide is, for some, realization that the creator is long gone and could care less - a return to the pre life-on-Earth existence" 

It's difficult for someone to imagine the deep feelings of hopelessness, despair and being trapped in their life unless you have had the misfortune of being there. You end up with the cursed feeling that your very soul and your spirit have perished before your body is ready to depart this earth and that you are thus trapped to either endure this feeling of living death or to equalize your mortal being with your deceased spirit.

I believe that the general thinking that seeking help through counselling and psychiatry is nothing but pure foolishness. I hope it does work for others, but I find the notion that "words" can solve such dark feelings of hopeless and despair impossible to accept and hopelessly naive. When things get this bad, no one can help you and seeking help only makes things worse because you can legally be incarcerated and then isolated like a leper by those who don't understand you.

I believe that each person has the right to end their life to eliminate the tortune and pain that plagues them. I've been suicidal for five long years now and have been living with this intense and unending pain only because I am scared of the pain that my death will bring to my wife.