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Re:Suicide by chernevik on Wednesday December 14, 2011 @08:19AM (#3351690)
It's an interesting and possibly important point, but I doubt its relevance to most suicidals. It implies a sort of rationality that I expect is "out of scope" for people suffering a physiological mental illness. Clinical depression is a real medical condition, with real impacts on cognition and reasoning. I expect a great many suicides aren't "choosing" anything, but rather responding to complex pains, in a condition of diminished ability to perceive situations and alternatives.

For a person in such a moment, the first advice must be: Hold on. You can, at some point, see more clearly, and then see way out and up. Then: Reach for help. If help fails, revert to first advice. Never stop holding on.

I'm not saying you don't make sense. (And not saying you do, I think you're absolutely wrong about both the morality and possible rationality of suicide.) I'm saying you are trying to talk sense to a population that isn't really in a position to make use of sense.

Re:Suicide by mike-cardwell on Wednesday December 14, 2011 @08:43AM (#3351752)
To pick up on your last paragraph. I don't understand the connection you're making with morality... What has morality got to do with suicide? Are you saying that it is an immoral act?
Re:Suicide by chernevik on Wednesday December 14, 2011 @09:22AM (#3351873)
For most people actively contemplating suicide, the rational validity of _any_ approach is orthogonal to their decision-making process. Even if the parent comment "made sense", I doubt it's helpful to most people in that position.

The comment about morality / rationality was just a reservation of agreement, on a point that I'm saying isn't actually pertinent to the parent comment's stated audience. I wouldn't pretend for a moment that I've offered anything like an argument on morality.