Suicide is not chosen; it happens
    when pain exceeds 
    resources for coping with pain.

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

Well yes. We know. That's why it's tragic, horrible, and evil when someone is in such pain that they need to commit suicide. It's a blow for Pain over Joy, and for Despair over Hope, and a life destroyed to make that blow permanent.

OK. I posted it because I didn't always know.

When I was 16, the message I received was that the rest of life would be more of the same and I should just learn to deal with it. I found some solace in the concept of a Final Protest.

Agreed.

Also, it's not even just about money, it's about success and recognition and accepting yourself, win or fail.

Suicide is also about more than just a failed startup. You don't kill yourself because your company failed; there were likely other issues such as depression that she was unable to overcome, though a struggling business doesn't help. If you're depressed, accepting yourself is hard even if you're winning.

In fact, winning can make it worse. When you're successful and depressed, the dissonance between your outward success and your inner self loathing/misery can be very painful. You think, all these great things are happening and I still can't be happy. I must really be a worthless, ungrateful piece of shit if I attain everything I ever dreamed of and that's still not enough for me. If this doesn't make me happy, that means I'll never be happy. bla bla bla depression talk.

Not that this is guaranteed, but I've experienced it and I would imagine others have too.

Yes, well said, thanks. Also "Depression talk" is not you, which is difficult to internalize in the moment.

Yes, depression is usually not about the money, but personal issues. My hardest days personally have been when things were going well and best were when I was unable to keep the lights on/pay bills. When the business was almost failing I had my significant other with me 24/7. After I ruined the most important relationship in my life, the business improved dramatically and I was mentally in a far worse place.

I would happily leave the company to get her back or undo losing her. That's what people don't understand, you're an entrepreneur for the journey not the money (even if only subconsciously). Thus, people shouldn't assume there are money/ startup problems when someone is depressed.

I feel terrible for her family as well, perhaps not even knowing exactly what led her to do this (in which case some people may end up feeling guilty).

I'm wondering if any startup founders actually commit suicide because their startup is failing, or if they are just depressed and suicidal completely coincidentally. I ask this because I've never been in a situation where I could ever see suicide as a viable solution to any problem, and can't really wrap my head around some event happening which drives a previously sane and rational person to suicide, or even though of suicide

This is put really well and I'm sure a lot of people will find solice in it. Thanks for posting.