Is suicide brave, cowardly, or neither? I've chewed on this one off and on for about 15 years.

TL, I'm sorry for your loss. *Hugs*. As for suicide, I personally think it's neither. Some may say it's cowardly, but I think if you really are that upset, then it's brave. NB-I have tried to kill myself before. I can name two other people on this forum that have too, and they are the bravest people I know.

Timber, I'm so sorry! Suicide has got to be one of the hardest things the survivors can try and understand. :( I know it's hard to talk about it, but it may help you (and your wife) to cope with the loss and make whatever sense you can of it.

I can't really say what those who chose suicide are thinking....I know that for some it's the end of painful life experiences that they just don't see any way out of and somehow they don't get the help they need.

It's very sad, no matter what the reason. :(

It is neither. Usually these people commit suicide because they are ill. A doctor told me that depression and mental illness is almost the same as any other disease and it can be corrected. It usually occurs as a result of a chemical imbalance in their brain. It is usually more difficult because the person, does not know anything is wrong with them so seeking help does not occur to them. The people in their lives do not know they have something wrong with them they just think they are sad. The majority of people think they just have emotional problems. It is no ones fault and you shouldn't always blame the person because they are usually not in their correct state of mind. I know because my Dad had a bout of depression and became a danger to himself and his family. You could tell he was not himself but we managed to get help for him and now he is back to his old self. He has to stay on his medication but as long as he does he will be fine. We were lucky we got help before he harmed himself, he was so sad all the time for no apparent reason. We need to become more informed about mental illness and depression before it happens to one of our loved ones. It is typical of people to just ignore it in our society, and it is esay to just blame the person who killed himself because it allows us to ignore the real problem of mental illness. They think that people who become depressed and are chemically imbalanced are insane people who are locked up with straight jackets. That is not true and it can happen to each and every one of us no matter how happy we are with our lives.

[ 05-23-2003, 04:56 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Perhaps it depends on the circumstances? - certainly the soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save his companions must be called brave; but then would you really call that a true "suicide"?...

The most cowardly suicide seems to be where one does it to deliberately torment those who find him dead... this is basically why I haven't killed myself, even though I have been tired of life for almost 20 years - I think it unfair to make others feel bad on my account, and as all these posts have shown, others DO feel bad when a suicide takes place...

But many suicides seem to be "neither" - as has been said, more of an illness. Rather hard to call an illness brave or cowardly. Still, calling it an illness sure doesn't make the news any easier to swallow... and you've had FOUR to deal with, T.L.? Sorry indeed to hear that.

I don't know if you noticed, but i recently had to go through the same kind of situation. I feel your pain Tl.

I would rather call that a personal sacrifice than suicide.

Sorry for your loss, and hope that all heal rapidly, and well. May you find some peace.

so from what i am seeing here suicide can be of two things: one being chosen with your full cosciousness, and the other something you cannot refuse?

from my personal standpoint, i think it's cowardly, but with some people explanations here, it has become neither. i still don't think commiting suicide is something to be proud of... maybe that's it for me...

either way, it is a very painful thing to experience, to both the one who's going to commit it to every other human being he/she is going to leave behind...