spoiler

I read a story on reddit today - a redditor said he came home to find his brother in the process of committing suicide. The redditor stopped him. The brother still hasn’t thanked the redditor, barely even talks to the redditor any more, and the redditor was complaining about it. It’s just infuriating. I hate the social narrative that anyone who interrupts a suicide is always a hero and the would-be suicidal person owes them thanks. Just like I hate the toxic positivity narrative that suicidal feelings always pass, suicide is always a mistake, and everything should be done to prevent it. That’s how we end up with the shitty situation in many countries where even people living in incurable pain, even those dying in incurable pain, have to suffer to the bitter end, instead of being allowed to be put out of their misery. Who knows why the brother attempted suicide. Maybe he has problems that can’t be solved and are unbearable. Now it’s one thing to act on instinct and save someone who’s dying in front of you, I’m not even really blaming the redditor for that. But the self-righteous and narcissistic whingeing about how he hasn’t been thanked yet, I mean how dare the brother not be grateful that you took away his freedom of choice. What makes it even more infuriating is when someone whose suicide was prevented and is later glad they are still alive, thinks that every failed suicide should feel the same way. Some cheeky removed of a redditor actually said to the saviour brother “As someone who was prevented from committing suicide and is now thankful for that, please let me thank you on behalf of your brother since he’s too ungrateful to thank you himself.” Imagine the level of narcissism you must have to not only think that everyone should feel the same way as you, but to feel justified in thanking someone for interfering in and taking away someone else’s free will to determine their own fate.

If our sick society just accepted people’s right to assisted suicide, for whatever reason they choose, then things like this wouldn’t even happen. People wouldn’t come home and find their brother in the middle of an attempt. It’s precisely because society prefers to force toxic positivity and crap like therapy on people instead, none of which usually works, that leaves people who want to exit with no choice but to try themselves in a place where someone who doesn’t want to see that, will find them.

  • big_spoon@lemmygrad.ml
    11·
    4 days ago

    there’s two factors around the idea of handling suicide:

    1-usually suicide is seen as a “cowardly” way to run of trouble because christianity worships enduring pain without complaining, and taking your own life is seen as an act of cowardice, whatever the reasons are, because “god would be pissed” or smth

    2-suicide is an extreme way to give a solution to an unbearable issue, and try to solve the issues that the suicidal faces is “too much hassle” for society in capitalism, so investing in mental health or trying to be more empathetic with the causes of suffering are usually out of the question, so usually is promoved the idea that suicide is not an option in any way or shape, and stopping a suicidal person is an heroic act worthy of worship, and the suicidal; usually is shamed by its choice, adding a new suffering to the issues that were faced at the beginning

    so, we’re stuck in a society filled of “pain endurers” that want to make everyone “keep the good fight” even when the fight doesn’t worth it. maybe that’s the issue

  • catonion@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    7·
    4 days ago

    in trauma therapy, self-harm and suicide are seen as the mind’s way to try to keep control of one aspect of our lives when everything else feels too grand to handle or feels completely out of our hands. the thought of at least having this option is a huge relief. it brings me huge relief.

    now, with assisted suicide, i will never generalize the reasons and motivations behind the decision. i have 100% thought about it before and see it as my “Last” option if my mind continues to split. onwards, tho: it’s a case by case basis. i would want to figure out if there are material ways to soothe the person that has come to a point where they wanna clock out. bc it is alarming that there are cases where survivors of SA/CSA and trauma are told that this is the only option to soothe their anguish, when the underlying reasons are the patriarchal rape culture that we live in and lack of care and compassion towards survivors. this is what i want to talk about when it comes to assisted suicide. again, i refuse to generalize.

    and yes, it’s completely unserious how OP is more worried about themselves and receiving a pat on the back instead of…being a human and caring for his brother. for a society that worships “nuclear family” this is so funny and ironic.

    “then things like this wouldn’t even happen.” we can’t know this. “People wouldn’t come home and find their brother in the middle of an attempt.” we can’t know this. “society prefers to force toxic positivity and crap like therapy on people instead, none of which usually works” society wants numb, dissociated cattle to keep the capitalist machine running, and yes it uses various ways to ease us into the predatory nature of these systems. my critique is more towards the end-goal of therapy as opposed to critiquing what therapy could be. i dont really want to venture into any anti-science shizz if you catch my drift.

  • opiumfree@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    suicide and self harm are a supreme form of autonomy and self control. so are eating disorders, negative thoughts etc. there is no greater control than hurting your own self, because your body actively fights to not die. i wish more people understood this. happiness is an act of submission.