TAW122
Emissary of the right to die.
- Aug 30, 2018
- 7,535
This is not an new statement, but rather a very common anti-choice, anti-CTB phrase that is often said by many forced lifers (people who insist on everyone to live regardless of choice or circumstance, aka pro-lifers). It is often a cornerstone value of CTB prevention, in it's previous forms and even to the present day (and ever-growing) paternalistic overreach towards human rights and personal civil liberties (individual freedoms). It is all done in the name of safety and wellness and such. However, such statements and sentiments only serve to kick those who are down and even invalidate, discredit those who are genuinely suffering by reducing their suffering to just mere labels based on prejudiced and sweeping, broad generalizations. As a result, it only makes things worse for people who are already on the edge and wanting to go, and only serves to reinforce the notion of being 'trapped' in a situation where one has even fewer options and less being able to leave on one's own accord. In this article, I will delve into the reasoning to explain how and why.
As a quick disclaimer: I am NOT a mental health professional nor mental health expert or work in that field.
So with that out of the way, here is an example to explain why such a phrase or statement is harmful and only reinforces more hopelessness within one's situation. Imagine that something that is forbidden and instead of good reasoning or rational reasoning as to why, one is given an imperative statement of not to do it and then it is enforced through consequences (detainment, detention, locking one up (if caught), fines, or other social and legal consequences). This is very prevalent especially for adolescents, when they are told NOT to do something, a fair amount (and of course, not all!) will end up doing the thing that is forbidden or prohibited. To another lesser degree, even children do things that they aren't supposed to, but I digress...
Anyhow, the point is because the act of CTB (or even the ideation and thoughts, let alone planning and acting on said plan) is treated like such a taboo, and then reinforced by stating that one should not do it (e.g. "Don't do it!" or any similar statements), this results in one's already limited options to feel even worse, while having their problems swept under the rug and/or even made to be trivial. Society (of course) wouldn't do so for various social issues, culture issues, and more, yet when it comes to the one 'taboo' act (which doesn't have to be taboo, or stigmatized) is infact treated as such and the more anti-CTB rhetoric is spread about, it only reinforces (especially to those who already feel even more trapped and desperate) the drive to actually go through with it, whether they succeed (in CTB'ing) or not.
It is ironic how in the recent half decade (or even before, historically) there has been talks and initiatives to destigmatize CTB, mental health, and similar topics, yet ironically they are still holding an iron fist to controlling the narrative (only when it is convenient and socially approved perspective - which is that CTB is never an option and is always the result of an defective, unreasonable unsound mind), which only exacerbates things further. If anything, especially with higher CTB rates in the last decade or so (according to various data sources including WHO and CDC), that should already be evidence enough that CTB prevention and rhetoric, especially with it's paternalistic and aggressive, heavy-handed approaches are only making things worse for people! But I digress..
As a quick disclaimer: I am NOT a mental health professional nor mental health expert or work in that field.
So with that out of the way, here is an example to explain why such a phrase or statement is harmful and only reinforces more hopelessness within one's situation. Imagine that something that is forbidden and instead of good reasoning or rational reasoning as to why, one is given an imperative statement of not to do it and then it is enforced through consequences (detainment, detention, locking one up (if caught), fines, or other social and legal consequences). This is very prevalent especially for adolescents, when they are told NOT to do something, a fair amount (and of course, not all!) will end up doing the thing that is forbidden or prohibited. To another lesser degree, even children do things that they aren't supposed to, but I digress...
Anyhow, the point is because the act of CTB (or even the ideation and thoughts, let alone planning and acting on said plan) is treated like such a taboo, and then reinforced by stating that one should not do it (e.g. "Don't do it!" or any similar statements), this results in one's already limited options to feel even worse, while having their problems swept under the rug and/or even made to be trivial. Society (of course) wouldn't do so for various social issues, culture issues, and more, yet when it comes to the one 'taboo' act (which doesn't have to be taboo, or stigmatized) is infact treated as such and the more anti-CTB rhetoric is spread about, it only reinforces (especially to those who already feel even more trapped and desperate) the drive to actually go through with it, whether they succeed (in CTB'ing) or not.
It is ironic how in the recent half decade (or even before, historically) there has been talks and initiatives to destigmatize CTB, mental health, and similar topics, yet ironically they are still holding an iron fist to controlling the narrative (only when it is convenient and socially approved perspective - which is that CTB is never an option and is always the result of an defective, unreasonable unsound mind), which only exacerbates things further. If anything, especially with higher CTB rates in the last decade or so (according to various data sources including WHO and CDC), that should already be evidence enough that CTB prevention and rhetoric, especially with it's paternalistic and aggressive, heavy-handed approaches are only making things worse for people! But I digress..
