Do you think people who kill themselves WANT to die?

Question

Or is it simply because they dont feel like they can cope anymore...

They feel helpless and anxious and possible really worthless...

so they just decide to end it rather than deal with it...

Answer 1

Your answer does not fall into one single category as there are a number of reasons people commit suicide. Years ago a young family member committed the act, it dumbfounded the entire family with shock, confusion and guilt. He was nineteen and had the world at his finger tips with good school, grades, friends and an outwardly amazing personality. Why did he do this? No one knows for sure, there wasn't a hint of any anguish mental or physical with his social life simply at peek performance. We have to think something went wrong in his thought process, but that did not relieve the guilt everyone felt not to mention the loss....The unbearable loss. Five years ago my wife's daughter who we loved unconditionally suddenly died from an overdose. We would all like to think it was unintentional but no one wants to consider the fact that although she was an intelligent 28 year old with children, she had one crappy marriage, so suicide could have be the real reason she is no longer with us.

The bottom line for those that are considering suicide or tried and failed or tried and succeeded is; they have no concept of the pain they cause. I'm sure they feel it's the only way out at the time, but to me it's an experience that cannot be forgot with a grieving process by the survivors that is extreme and not so quick to end. My wife cries everyday and there is no relief in sight. I consider her daughter and the family member as selfish, to ease their pain with out one iota of a plee for help. Granted there could be an instant mental malfunction but on the whole I would have to say to anyone considering the act to seek medical help or talk to someone who can make the case for living as there are a bunch!

Answer 2

I think they are in so much emotional pain that they feel they cannot continue to cope with it, and most importantly, they believe it will never get better.   This belief is almost always wrong, as most situations can be improved, even if its just how you are able to perceive it.  But people often need help to get that perspective, and often a seriously depressed person doesn't believe they will get help.

So yes, I think they want to die, but only because they think they cannot feel better, which most can if they can get some help with their feelings

Answer 3

Unfortunately nobody who has committed suicide is available to ask that question to.

You can ask those who have tried suicide, but many times they were just cries for help and half-hearted attempts.

I think suicide is an option when there is no more hope.  If you honestly don't believe things will get any better, what's the point of continuing?

Answer 4

I will answer this from two prospectives...

I have suffered from depression, suicidal depression.( I am totally recovered now.) Unless you have ever suffered with that, then this may be difficult to comprehend. But I will try to explain it...

Depression happens for many reasons. One the brain does not make enough of the chemical Serotonin. Depression is like being plug into a vacuum that sucks the desire to live away. I had no desire to do anything, There was nothingness, nothing gave me joy, interested me.

I had no desire. I remember being in the yard, I felt like this little spot on this huge ball called earth. It was very scary. I had threatened to kill myself before, but now I knew I could do it. I was not scared, I felt nothing. Did I want to die. Yes, I did. I knew something was wrong with me, and know one understood it. I didn't think I would ever be a whole person again. I didn't want to go on, I did not see any reason...

Except for a beautiful little girl named Kimberly, my daughter. She needed me to be alive and well. I sought help, and did it by myself. with the Lucinda Basset Program www.stresscenter.com.  

Secondly, My brother committed suicide, he had alcohol and drug issues and was sick. Mentally and physically.

I had dealt with depression.

Alcohol and drugs, anxiety and depression, and all that goes with them are the kinds of things I have seen that can cause a person to commit sucide.  

No they do not want to live anymore. Life is Painful!

Answer 5

My son committed suicide. I believe he did want to die. But only because that is the only way he could see to stop the pain and mental suffering. I think people get into a mental state that they see no way out of. Or it has been going on for so long that they see no end in sight. The chemical imbalance in a persons brain contributes to this. Some people seem to be able to ignore or deal with life's events better then others. Again I think this involves the balance of chemicals in your brain. I only know what the doctors tell us though. I wish I knew how one person can deal with life so well when it crushes others

It's been six years. I wish I could go back to the day before and let him know that there is hope. Death is not the answer.

Answer 6

They want to not be alive... yes. Its to escape the pain. Some pain is too much to bear.

But it isnt the answer because there is help and things change. When a person suicides this is not something they can see...  

Answer 7

I think it is because all that their life script tells them comes to fulfillment. The end of the play of life is reached and all that is left is the drawing of the final curtain.

People need to be empowered to re-write the life script and thus be liberated from hopelessness.  

Answer 8

I think suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  Most people I have met who have attempted suicide, years later are glad they failed, but as one person here intimated, they were the ones who lived.

Answer 9

No way I don't think they WANT to die... suicide goes against the most basic human instinct... which is to survive at all costs. Suicide is as a last resort.

That being said, we can't generalise why someone may decide to commit suicide. Yes they may feel unable to cope and anxious & worthless; it might be a cry for help or attention which goes wrong; it might be down to biological reasons... for example people with bipolar disorder or clinical depression often feel suicidal and have no control over these feelings.

There are a lot of reasons, but I don't think wanting to do it is one of the reasons.

Answer 10

Actually, a lot (not all) suicidal people have immortalist fantasies - they don't truly believe they will die, or at least not die-die - that death is not the end. They think that things will just be better, the bad feelings will stop (rather than *all* feelings) etc. (Yes, this is irrational. Most suicidal people are irrational). Some aren't thinking ahead much at all, and a few do just want to die (euthanasia especially, although that is very different to healthy, suicidal people)