Discussion Are you afraid of inspiring copycats post-mortem?

[Theregoesthatidea]

My worst nightmare would be succeeding with an experimental method( like some previously unknown easily found chemical that peacefully kills for whatever reason) or location (like a new jumping spot), and somehow, be it a news story revealing a little too much, or word of mouth on a forum like this one, somehow inspiring someone who previously was lukewarm about dying to try what worked for me.

There are good reads about how the charcoal method proliferated on the early 2000's internet in east and southeast asia (1% of all suicides in Hong Kong in 1998, 10% of all suicides in HK in 1999, almost 25% of all suicides in HK in 2001). As well as Jumping into mount Mihara (1 suicide in 1933 sparked a contagion of over 940 people jumping into that volcano in that next year alone)

If anyone in chat plans on using a novel method/location (as I am, ill post a thread on that another time), does causing something like this bother you? i understand this may be an irrational fear of mine because the risk of causing a suicide contagion is increased/decreased is on journalists and the internet. other than that, how else can I deal with this?
here are some sources on suicide contagions If you'd like to learn more

Reading Eagle - Google News Archive Search

Charcoal burning suicides in Hong Kong and urban Taiwan: an illustration of the impact of a novel suicide method on overall regional rates

Following the first case in Hong Kong in 1998, the method of committing suicide by charcoal burning has spread to other communities. This aim of this study was to examine the impact of charcoal burning suicides on both overall suicide rates and older‐method ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

BMC Series blog Understanding and preventing copycat suicides

blogs.biomedcentral.com

 

[esse_est_percipi]

You could see it in that way. Sort of being indirectly responsible for other people's deaths, which is hard to accept.

Or you could see it in the light of the fact that other people 'freely' chose to copy it, and they wouldn't have done so unless they were really distressed and wanted to end it. You wouldn't have caused any suffering intentionally or directly.

 

[Ghost2211]

The way I look at it each person makes the choice to live or die. They wouldn't be committing suicide just because they see an easy way, but rather the desire is already there. You might just be showing them a way to leave more peacefully.

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

Media tends to not report on suicide methods too often, exactly for the purpose of preventing copycats. I don't expect my method to inspire others, but I did consider whether offing myself would encourage others to do the same. I think one person *might* want to. It's the person who ruined my life. I used to care and not want him to blame himself or take his own life. After all this time, though, I've grown in anger, and it shames me to admit that I don't care whether he follows suit or not.

 

[rt1989526]

This hasnt crossed my mind at all. My understanding is media does not like to release details of the death for this exact reason.

Obviously anyone who is serious enough about it and digs deep enough will uncover the most popular methods. Such as us finding this place.

What happens after you're gone is not your responsibility in any way, in my opinion.

 

[GrumpyFrog]

I believe that when a new popular suicide method emerges, it doesn't necessary cause more people to commit suicide. It just inspires already suicidal people to choose this particular method. They would probably at least attempt to end their lives anyway if the method wasn't around.

I believe the whole thing with "suicide trends" is, in a large part fabricated by the media, but not in a sense of advertising a method to people, but in a sense of grouping unrelated suicide cases to create some kind of a common narrative, especially when it comes to young people. All the reports of people killing themselves because it's trendy/over some sort of a mass pact/over some piece of media or death of a celebrity always make me think that there must be much deeper reasons for each individual involved to do what they've done, and it's tacky that the media is trying to use their death to forward a more "interesting" narrative.

The bottom line is that even if someone learns of your suicide method and decides to use it, it probably isn't going to be just because your method is so "cool", they will have their own reasons to want to die in the first place.

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

I believe that when a new popular suicide method emerges, it doesn't necessary cause more people to commit suicide. It just inspires already suicidal people to choose this particular method.

This is a good point. The media probably prefers to frame it as causing more people to commit suicide because society still can't understand why anyone would really want to kill themself. They seek for external reasons, and "copycats" seems to be a convenient excuse.

 

[Escargot Shorts]

lol yea like as if one wasn't posting this on a forum where ppl look for information for this exact type of thing; not for inspiration to do it, necessarily, but for trustworthy sources on methods or a place to discuss taboo thoughts. if one wanted to argue that this hypothetical experimental method or new location was safer/easier/more effective and would influence a wavering person into making a more committed choice, then you could also easily say that someone considering a less reliable method can get a better option.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I think the only way you can deal with it as far as influencing others who read the forum, whether as members or guests, is to not disclose the method or location.

As far as people you know, it's unfortunate, but being close to someone who commits suicide does open up that possibility as a solution for pain or difficult circumstances if they'd never considered it before. As the article said, it may also make them more against suicide because they know what it's like to survive the suicide of a loved one. I've been through both.

When I was a teenager, I had a boyfriend commit suicide with no warning signs. My mother was abusive. I never considered suicide as a way to stop the abuse until after he did it, and I almost attempted a few months later, but ended up getting support. Then, I became very vocally anti-suicide for decades because I know what the suffering is like, but I didn't understand what the suffering is like for the one who considers it and does it. For several years now, I've been pro-choice, not because I was considering suicide, that's actually fairly recent and a rational response to the circumstances I experience and do not disclose. Also, I have not been in contact with my parents for several years, but I can imagine that after I die one or both will experience suicidal ideation, however I would be surprised if either attempted, and I don't take responsibility for it if they do.

You have no control over the media reporting your suicide, whether as news or in a medical journal that is searchable online, so I have no recommendation for how to deal with that as it's simply out of your hands.

I assume you're not a celebrity, so there's no concern about your influencing those who admire you.

 

[alexit]

I'd worry about that except I think the right to die is a human right, so methods should be available to all adults. If that leads to increased suicides, that's the person's right.

 

[esse_est_percipi]

I believe the whole thing with "suicide trends" is, in a large part fabricated by the media,

exactly.
In any population of people at any one time, there will only be a small percentage who are actively suicidal. Most human beings want to live, don't want to die, and have a very robust SI.

It is the small percentage of already suicidal people who may try out a 'new' method they may have seen somewhere.
But if they hadn't seen the new method, they would just attempt with another method.

Spikes in suicides occur because of economic and social deeply psychological reasons, not just because of a trend caused by over-exposure of a new method or 'cool' celebrity suicide. The media narrative is used to distract people from the real reasons.

 

[Theregoesthatidea]

true, true. These are all great points. I agree that everyone has their own reasons for killing themselves, and It's good to realize that the pain of others will most likely not come from me. Thanks guys. this is what I needed.

 

[esse_est_percipi]

I'd worry about that except I think the right to die is a human right, so methods should be available to all adults. If that leads to increased suicides, that's the person's right.

And if it leads to increased suicides, then that should say something about the kind of world we're living in.

 

[freefrommybody]

Personally, no, because my planned method is one that's already relatively common.

About people who do inspire copycats, I see them as torch-bearers and heroes. Thanks to the Hong Kong chemist whose suicide made the charcoal grill method famous, many who desired to die, but lacked acceptable methods, were finally able to free themselves from the painful limbo of living only for fear of horrible deaths.

Suicides that inspire copycats are not the root of the problem. People's circumstances, such as health and social issues, are what really drive them to suicide. Some scapegoat-makers ignore this, and act as if people jump on "suicide trends" as shallowly as they would fashion trends.

I'm deeply grateful for every suicidal person whose death, or lack thereof, served an experimental purpose and added to our knowledge about methods. Without them, I wouldn't have the invaluable security of a peaceful death.

P.S: Respect to Stan for his great contributions regarding SN. May he rest in peace.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

There is one person...a girl I liked... but hopefully she will have forgotten about me by then. One of the main reasons I've put it off this long was because of her begging me not to ctb when she told me about someone who ctb'd in her third grade class. She didn't know them very well but it still affected and traumatized her pretty harshly. I don't judge her for telling me that and trying to use that story. She can't help if she's prolife but by the time I'm 30 it will definitely be far too late for me to become a part of it anymore and I can only hope she'll feel grateful that I lasted that long only because of her.

 

[AnnonyBox]

If my suicide inspires others to go too, then I don't really have much right to say they can't do the same. It's their body, they can do with it whatever they want.