News Callie Lewis

[M]

We have been following the story regarding one of our forum users committing suicide.

Her name was Callie Lewis.

They're using her to push censorship of this site.

There was some press surrounding this suicide and she ended up using a method that was allegedly posted on this forum and she took her own life. We gave an interview to a journalist that was going to be used to give a skewed and one-sided view of this whole issue. We anticipated the release of this "media project" and we believe that this is the result of such a project.

Instead of trying to address the problems that she had in her life; they instead want to remove any place of support for anyone that's suicidal. It makes my blood boil to hear that journalists still want to censor information when their job is to do the opposite; To report fairly and objectively, not to play the blame game. We were mentioned in a coroner's report at the end of last year with the coroner (which was biased) recommending that something is done to this very website to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. That date has passed and no visible action has been taken. Callie's parents have hired a law firm to pursue this to no end. This leads us to the documentary about Callie being released very recently. I have not watched it yet as I haven't had the time to do so, but I assume that it's full of the same usual pro-life BS and further attempts to prevent the spread of information.

As per the usual, there's probably no discussion about how many people this forum has probably helped or perhaps saved, but only the talk about those that end up taking their lives. We believe that any individual has the right to take their own life if they so choose, but that has somehow turned into a pro-suicide position to them. They will not accept any less than the total annihilation of this website and websites like this one that does allow suicide methods to be posted. The UK government doesn't give a shit about you. Hell, hardly any government gives a shit about their citizens. Mental health treatments are a big joke almost everywhere and everyone knows this. You can take your SSRI's but if your life situation is still shit; They don't mean anything. Therapy is a joke. Anything else isn't worth giving a mention because it's either ineffective or doesn't work.

There are even mentions in the news from Callie's parents or someone representing them about this site selling goods directly to people to kill themselves. That accusation is simply false and doesn't take long to verify. We should ask why these "journalists" run with this maliciously false information and the editors that allow this bullshit in the first place. There are other claims such as people encouraging people to kill themselves here - which is blatantly false especially in Callie's case. I'm pretty sure they would have pulled posts from here if this was even remotely true.

These people believe that censoring the information is the solution but the fact of the matter is that most of the information posted here is easily found elsewhere on the internet. They'll never prevail with censorship and we will fight every one of their attempts to do so, even if that means having to take drastic measures to do so. We will fight hard to preserve freedom of information and speech.

To end this, I want to present the words of Callie herself. These are the final words that were posted on her Tumblr blog right before she took her own life and it's something that her parents should read and take to heart.

Hi, Callie here

If you're reading this, chances are my attempt to leave the world via carbon monoxide poisoning has been successful. Assuming it was, my death would have occurred in the early hours of the 28th August 2018 in the South Lakeland region of Cumbria, England.

If you happen to be religious, please pray for me to be treated compassionately in my next life, as I will be praying beforehand for this as well, as a relatively quick and painless death, despite my lack of religion.

Many people say suicide is selfish. To those, I would want to ask: is it not also selfish to expect someone to live, when existing seems to them intolerable?

None of us ask to be born, but we can decide when to die and in my eyes that right is fundamental; a human right, just like any other.

People stigmatise death, especially voluntary death, because to them it seems the most terrible thing they can imagine. To that, I say, what is so bad about death? The universe is so very old and will continue to exist long into the future, perhaps indefinitely. So why does it make a difference if someone dies at 20 or at 80, provided their life was not taken against their will?

As an autistic, I long for a world where autistic people can exist happily, but I'm not sure this can ever happen. I have pretty much given up on the world at this point. It's not designed for people like me.

So who am I in this world? An autistic, chronically depressed, jobless, homeless in effect waste of space who was born into a female body but probably isn't. Born to a teenage single mother, raised by a grandmother who is now dead and fated to a life where anything I attach to will be my undoing.

Dying isn't something alien to me. I first began to think about suicide around the age of 7. As a child, I was intelligent and had a seemingly bright future, but that rarely translates into the adult world.

The only thing I really regret is losing the two people closest to me. Mostly, however, I am sad about losing hope, for it is only hope that keeps us going.

I'm also tired. To quote The Green Mile, "I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time."

 

[Thereisnothing]

Thanks for posting this news. If wasn't for SS and support am having here, I think I'd have CTB by now. I dont feel forums are understood by the outside world and its sad and worrying. When I joined I wasn't sure what to expect, that is why was a guest awhile before signed up. I viewed it as a very helpful community, which it is. Why is it there can be help groups/forums and support for all other problems and illnesses, facets of life and yet nothing for suicide help and awareness.
Its sad we are targetted with a brush, as we are not promoting suicide or urging anyone to do so. No one I have interacted with here has ever encouraged me to kill myself. We may get from time to time someone join for Troll purposes, but get that on any forum. I think if we didn't have SS then more people would be ending their lives, you know, it helps to have a community like this for support and strength.

 

[RainAndSadness]

Interesting. I thought they learned their lesson when they tried to push their agenda with the exit of Shatto Shawn exactly one year ago. It's funny how they never listen to the last words of these leaving people, and instead create their own pro-life narrative, completely ignoring what the people themselves had to say about their reasons to leave it all behind. Maybe they should look into these reasons and question how much society contributed to those struggles, instead of trying to blame a website like this, which acts as an outlet and a support net for many suicidal people all around the world. Both members clearly made up their mind, before they came to this website, and they both were adults - they made a decision in their life and we should respect that. You can clearly read in the goodbye thread of both Shawn and Callie that they had made up their mind based on very valid and relatable struggles and the media seems to ignore that. You can't just dismiss that and pretend that this website is the reason for their departure. It's not. I think the media as well as the family members are doing a disservice to those passed people, using them them for such a political campaign. I am very sure they never intended to be a part of such an agenda, yet their own autonomy and dignity is violated after their death with those pro-life campaigns. That's what's really sad about this. That's not just a smear on us, it's also a smear on those passed people.

 

[mr parkinson]

reading this made me cry , I hope your at peace now callie .

 

[nbn]

what the f... is wrong with society. They were not able to help her since she was 7 years and now they are blaming this website. There are million people committing suicide every year without any access to information from this site. Instead of solving the root causes of suicide, society started to invent medicine for mental illness which only increases the desire to commit suicide. If the person feels unbearable to stay alive what is the need to keep him alive. Everyone dies today or tomorrow. What advantage is that going to add to the earth if he stay for one more year? In my opinion humans have far less dignity to die than all living things.

 

[Soulless_Angel]

Please correct me if I am wrong, just a view point I have,
but a *Normal* person commits suicide and families go mental at the forums and try to get them shut down blah blah same old,
Yet so many celebs have committed suicide and its kind of accepted, no blame or question where they got the information from, for all we know they could be on these sites with us!!
No big witch hunt to take us down, instead those celebs are almost idolised, remembered respected for their end as they could no longer cope with society. So why is the average person next door not allowed the same respect?!

 

[Sadddd]

Thanks for posting this news. If wasn't for SS and support am having here, I think I'd have CTB by now. I dont feel forums are understood by the outside world and its sad and worrying. When I joined I wasn't sure what to expect, that is why was a guest awhile before signed up. I viewed it as a very helpful community, which it is. Why is it there can be help groups/forums and support for all other problems and illnesses, facets of life and yet nothing for suicide help and awareness.
Its sad we are targetted with a brush, as we are not promoting suicide or urging anyone to do so. No one I have interacted with here has ever encouraged me to kill myself. We may get from time to time someone join for Troll purposes, but get that on any forum. I think if we didn't have SS then more people would be ending their lives, you know, it helps to have a community like this for support and strength.

Agree with this. Being able to message with people also feeling suicidal has helped me a lot. There isn't anywhere else that I've found to talk about it.

The advice and comments from other users have been measured and have made me feel less alone.

Suicide is such a sensitive topic, there were 6,500 in the uk in 2018 vs 700 murders. But the news will always sensationalise a suicide linked to a site or forum but no focus on the thousands of others (or any thought to people getting support from the site)

 

[56709]

People that come here are not persuaded to commit suicide, as it's already been said, they made up their minds regardless of whether they learned about their method here or through the endless depictions of suicide in mainstream media. There is no evidence that their choice was impulsive... the concept that obscure forums that provide information about suicide methods are 'causing' suicide is beyond belief.

Regardless of whether this forum exists, the the suicide rate for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder has been incredibly high over the last few years and is on the rise. According to some studies, High Functioning Autistic adults are 9x more likely to die by suicide than the general population.

 

[Jessamine]

Perfectly written post. I looked back over her posts from her first joining the site and I've never read such eloquently written arguments for being pro choice. She was such an intelligent girl and it's clear this site gave her comfort, support and understanding in the time she was here.
I'm in the uk in Kent too and have various mental health issues. The help is non existent. Telling a psychiatrist my exact plans to ctb and being put on a years waiting list! And that's after YEARS of misdiagnosis and fobbing off by Doctors. The nhs and mental health services are the issue. This site provides help and support you can't find anywhere else and for people who make the choice to leave this world, it provides information so they don't end up hurting and disabling themselves with dangerous methods. I'm 100% a supporter of Marquis and this site. Thank you for existing xx.

 

[Indieblue]

As an avid internet user, i feel government is censoring what people google on the internet and i find the more you wait, the less informations and stuffs we get from it. Right now, i can find a place where i can buy a bag of sn in my country, but sooner or later it wil be also banned from purchasing it. I can see it will happen. I honestly surprised this site still existed too.i came upon this site many years ago so i thought it would have been banned already just like many sites that was banned in my country but here it is, just as i was binge looking for the method it is about to be threathen to be shut down... great. Obviously people can't even search their way out in a less messy and painful way.

 

[Thereisnothing]

Mental health care/help in UK is virtually nil. What 'help' there is on NHS is an absolute shower and is very little use.
Go down private help and that's very mixed too. Very little help full stop out there, this is why forums like this are a lifeline.

 

[Heart of Ice]

the concept that obscure forums that provide information about suicide methods are 'causing' suicide is beyond belief.

At the time I'm writing this, there are 453 people online on this forum right now. Hardly obscure. You can find this site on Google.

And the idea that suicide forums (I'm calling this place a "suicide forum" out of no disrespect) leads to suicide is not completely unbelievable. The news, for example, usually doesn't mention details when reporting suicides so that people don't get any ideas. I understand that some people get a lot out of this site: support, friendship, companionship, hope, much more than gritty details on how to end one's existence. But saying that forums like these are complete non-factors in suicide is dishonest, because it very well might be. Hell, Calle might still be alive if this site didn't exist. Miserable, probably, but alive.

Now I'm all for freedom of information and that, but they do have an argument to want this site taken down. Although I guess in the long run the crusade against Sanctioned Suicide causes a lot more damage than if this massive publicity stunt would not take place.

 

[M]

Hell, Calle might still be alive if this site didn't exist. Miserable, probably, but alive.

That's a lie. She would have most likely found another method from another website.

There are hundreds of websites that you can easily find methods and there are other ways that people go to without having to use the internet at all.

Making information hard to find is hardly a deterrent for a determined mind.

 

[Heart of Ice]

That's a lie. She would have most likely found another method from another website.

There are hundreds of websites that you can easily find methods and there are other ways that people go to without having to use the internet at all.

Well I said "might", didn't I? Hardly a lie when I really don't believe it myself.

 

[Carrotcake]

If they would only spend their suicide-prevention budget on actual mental health care.. Would be nice..

 

[Sensei]

I can understand Callie's mother. When someone close dies, it's common to feel guilty and try to find a scapegoat. Her conclusions are unfair in my opinion, but her reaction is natural.

 

[RainAndSadness]

Hell, Calle might still be alive if this site didn't exist.

...or maybe she would have tried to ctb with a shady method that has a high risk of failure, with the result of a painful death or maybe even survival with permanent disability. We all know the horror stories of people who survived their attempt and for most people, a peaceful method is important. Like, it's your last act - your exit should be an act of dignity and peace. So you should have the option to inform yourself about the best ways to go, right? I think we can all agree on that. And that's one of the other reasons why this website exists but as many people already said, one of the most important aspects of this website is the support and assistance, which they don't get from the "real world". I am one of them. This website has helped me more than any doctor, psychiatrist, therapist or family member ever could.

Miserable, probably, but alive.

Also, who is to say that it's a good thing? Miserable, but alive? It's a tragic incident and it's sad that people commit suicide but I'm not sure if she would be happy about being alive, considering she experienced suicide ideation from an early age. She said that in her goodbye post. That means she was probably well aware of the implications of life, death and suicide, experiencing years of struggling and probably many attempts to recover. She eventually made her decision and we should respect that.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

We have been following the story regarding one of our forum users committing suicide.

Her name was Callie Lewis.

They're using her to push censorship of this site.

There was some press surrounding this suicide and she ended up using a method that was allegedly posted on this forum and she took her own life. We gave an interview to a journalist that was going to be used to give a skewed and one-sided view of this whole issue. We anticipated the release of this "media project" and we believe that this is the result of such a project.

Instead of trying to address the problems that she had in her life; they instead want to remove any place of support for anyone that's suicidal. It makes my blood boil to hear that journalists still want to censor information when their job is to do the opposite; To report fairly and objectively, not to play the blame game. We were mentioned in a coroner's report at the end of last year with the coroner (which was biased) recommending that something is done to this very website to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. That date has passed and no visible action has been taken. Callie's parents have hired a law firm to pursue this to no end. This leads us to the documentary about Callie being released very recently. I have not watched it yet as I haven't had the time to do so, but I assume that it's full of the same usual pro-life BS and further attempts to prevent the spread of information.

As per the usual, there's probably no discussion about how many people this forum has probably helped or perhaps saved, but only the talk about those that end up taking their lives. We believe that any individual has the right to take their own life if they so choose, but that has somehow turned into a pro-suicide position to them. They will not accept any less than the total annihilation of this website and websites like this one that does allow suicide methods to be posted. The UK government doesn't give a shit about you. Hell, hardly any government gives a shit about their citizens. Mental health treatments are a big joke almost everywhere and everyone knows this. You can take your SSRI's but if your life situation is still shit; They don't mean anything. Therapy is a joke. Anything else isn't worth giving a mention because it's either ineffective or doesn't work.

There are even mentions in the news from Callie's parents or someone representing them about this site selling goods directly to people to kill themselves. That accusation is simply false and doesn't take long to verify. We should ask why these "journalists" run with this maliciously false information and the editors that allow this bullshit in the first place. There are other claims such as people encouraging people to kill themselves here - which is blatantly false especially in Callie's case. I'm pretty sure they would have pulled posts from here if this was even remotely true.

These people believe that censoring the information is the solution but the fact of the matter is that most of the information posted here is easily found elsewhere on the internet. They'll never prevail with censorship and we will fight every one of their attempts to do so, even if that means having to take drastic measures to do so. We will fight hard to preserve freedom of information and speech.

To end this, I want to present the words of Callie herself. These are the final words that were posted on her Tumblr blog right before she took her own life and it's something that her parents should read and take to heart.

I would like to thank you @Marquis and whoever else created and maintains this website. As far as i can tell you all do this for no pay or at least no profit as there are no ads etc. I guess people don't realize the tremendous amount of work and money required to maintain a website like this. People don't realize there are no ads here and don't realize the effort required to maintain a website like this.

I had long ago made up my mind that i needed to commit suicide but if i wouldn't have found SS i would have killed myself with a brutal painful method such as drowning or hanging. Now i have hope for a less painful method. I will die a horrible painful death anyway if i don't do something soon and the only methods i had thought of were hanging and drowning and i probably would have drowned myself. No website no one can change my mind. i was alone against the world telling me i shouldn't commit suicide . I stood against that alone for years. so how is a website going to change my mind?

Most people commit suicide after years of logically thinking about it . They would have done it anyway as almost a million kill themselves each year and we only have a few hundred active members. And that million is underreported imo.

It's wrong for them to censor any website including this one.Who is to say what is right or wrong? They can't allow us one website in the whole internet to talk to like minded people?

 

[56709]

At the time I'm writing this, there are 453 people online on this forum right now. Hardly obscure. You can find this site on Google.

And the idea that suicide forums (I'm calling this place a "suicide forum" out of no disrespect) leads to suicide is not completely unbelievable. The news, for example, usually doesn't mention details when reporting suicides so that people don't get any ideas. I understand that some people get a lot out of this site: support, friendship, companionship, hope, much more than gritty details on how to end one's existence. But saying that forums like these are complete non-factors in suicide is dishonest, because it very well might be. Hell, Calle might still be alive if this site didn't exist. Miserable, probably, but alive.

Now I'm all for freedom of information and that, but they do have an argument to want this site taken down. Although I guess in the long run the crusade against Sanctioned Suicide causes a lot more damage than if this massive publicity stunt would not take place.

sanctionedsuicide.com Competitive Analysis, Marketing Mix and Traffic - Alexa

What marketing strategies does Sanctionedsuicide use? Get traffic statistics, SEO keyword opportunities, audience insights, and competitive analytics for Sanctionedsuicide.

www.alexa.com

I have no idea how calling it a suicide forum is disrespectful when the 'suicide' is literally in the name and is the main topic of discussion.

And the news usually doesn't mention details? I read at least 5 reports last year alone that detail the SN method(ignore the typos, they are confusing nitrite with nitrate)... They may not be the highest ranking journals but still... Also if you read the first link I posted you'd see that a lot of people found the site by searching for a 'suicide forum'... I wonder why.

Student died in his room after consuming more than 100 times the safe amount of sodium nitrate, inquest hears

A STUDENT died after ingesting at least 100 times the safe amount of a food preservative and colour fixative for meats, an inquest heard.

www.dailyecho.co.uk

Devastated family of bright 17-year-old remember his 'irreplaceable spark and kindness'

The devastated family of a 17-year-old boy who took his own life have issued a heartbreaking tribute remembering his “irreplaceable spark,…

www.bucksfreepress.co.uk

Autopsy: Medical examiner rules Florida Polytechnic University student killed himself

Dr. Stephen Nelson, medical examiner for the 10th Judicial Circuit, determined that Joshua Barton intentionally ingested sodium nitrite, an inorganic salt

www.theledger.com

Local artist Juanita Ainsley dies at 80

Juanita Ainsley, a local artist who also worked as an occupational therapist and psychologist, died earlier this week. She was 80 years old.

the-journal.com

 

[calendulo]

Imho, and with all due respect, this thread is a huge mistake.
I do not think it was necessary to doing or acting like speaker. Sounds to me like a justification. And I do not see reason why, this site has to answer on a public way.

Suicide is a personal choice.

 

[M]

Imho, and with all due respect, this thread is a huge mistake.
I do not think it was necessary to doing or acting like speaker. Sounds to me like a justification. And I do not see reason why, this site has to answer on a public way.

Suicide is a personal choice.

There should always be a counter to the bullshit narrative that comes up every so often. There always needs to be people that come to the forefront and challenge these ideas. It's fine if you think it's a bad idea, but I think it's important that we address things like this every so often to remind those that might be reading that there's more than one side to a story.

 

[Throwmyselfaway]

Thank you for posting this. People don't seem to understand how much help can come this site. I don't mean methods either. I mean finding people that you have a common bond with. That you can speak freely with. In the few weeks I've been on here I've found much love and support. If I hadn't found this site a month ago I probably would have eaten a bullet and done it the wrong way and ended up in a worse state.

 

[HopeDiesLast]

Let's not overreact. The BBC documentary's focus was primarily on the failures by the NHS. Yes, it was mentioned that Callie got information for her chosen method from a "suicide forum", but that's not what the documentary is about. It's not about shutting down this forum, but about the lack of mental health services.

Failed by the NHS: Callie's Story

Panorama

Callie Lewis was just 24 years old when she took her own life. She had been in the care of the NHS, but fell through the cracks of an understaffed and overstretched system. For the last 16 months Panorama has been filming with her family as they try to understand what went wrong. Shortly before she died, they learned that Callie was a member of an online suicide forum, where she found detailed advice on how to kill herself. As reporter Ellie Flynn discovers, Callie's death comes at a time when many people with mental health issues continue to complain about their struggle to connect with the services they need.

 

[M]

Let's not overreact. The BBC documentary's focus was primarily on the failures by the NHS. Yes, it was mentioned that Callie got information for her chosen method from a "suicide forum", but that's not what the documentary is about. It's not about shutting down this forum, but about the lack of mental health services.

There are already people (like the coroner) and ofc many other bureaucrats or powerful trying hard to get us taken down or censored and the coroner's report is just more proof of that.

 

[calendulo]

Disagree, sorry. In fact I see it as means to tell whoever may read this at some point how we feel about it, and that's something we've been denied completely in this whole debate.

PS: Gonna edit this in a sec, still busy writing.

I think that who is talking about feelings right now....is making a mistake, maybe, in my opinion that is a lost battle.
It is an interesting point of view.

 

[Cheshirecatx]

In similarity to Callie Lewis, I am autistic and have been under a mental health team for over a year, I was sectioned on a 136 and told them I was okay and released, the AMHP was made aware of my plans and bare in mind I was caught just before ctb attempt (thanks to my phone tracker I didn't realise I even had).

I was told by services if I wanted to be dead, I would've died by now. Okay, partially true. But CTB is complicated and I'd rather know I chose the right option and that I was ready myself.

They've put my mental health issues down to transitioning from childhood to adulthood, when I'm not having any difficulty with that transition, and I am aware of the difference in responsibility. They've said that my issues are just me struggling to manage and offered therapy, taken off medication, pretty much just told it's just me. Diagnosed with EUPD and Autism and thrown away into the sea of people.

I've told them how much I was struggling, when I was in crisis, my partner even revealed to them about plans in regards to CTB that he found that I had. They pretty much forced me to hand over everything then discharged me. Bought more, and left to do it all. Stopped attending and they presume that's because I'm doing "okay", whatever that actually is?

She didn't end her life because of the forum, she ended her life because of the failure of the services and she clearly wanted help before coming to that decision.

Being Autistic and then being ignored and forgotten about, just worsens somebody's emotions in that state. She would've figured out a way to ctb without SS anyway, it's not realistically hard to google methods anyways and just type in the correct terminology.

Personally I found that I'm still alive because of SS, because I am so much more aware of the failures, consequences and the risks involved and others experiences, and if I weren't a member here I probably would've found peace a long time ago. The worst part is that Callie was from the same area (approx.) to me. (I no longer live there) and the experience was the same. Media need to stop twisting ways to stop a helpful community, that stops people feeling so isolated. The worst thing is having someone preach that life can get better and just to think positively when that's such an unrealistic perspective.

The UK is failing people so badly, I know so many who have been sectioned and are worse, and others who have been ignored by a system and ctb. This community has been such a big help to me and I hate to see this storyline focus so much on SS and not on the mental health services instead.

~ just my views. If your struggling please make sure you are making that decision wisely and try and speak to someone and get support. There are still opportunities out there! ~

 

[charlottewilts]

may you rest in peace, Callie.

i can name 6 other sources off the top of my head where one could find useful information for self-deliverance. by shutting down this site, the problem is only swept under the rug instead of addressed, vulnerable people are shunned even further, and in the end such sites will always find their place on the internet. perhaps we should put aside our pitchforks and torches? alas, a society that relies on quick-but-ineffective solutions rather than doing a thorough elimination of the root causes of suicidality such as poverty, inequality and nonacceptance is sure to collapse. i am glad i have the knowledge to end my life with dignity so that i do not have to see it happen.

 

[HopeDiesLast]

The UK is failing people so badly, I know so many who have been sectioned and are worse, and others who have been ignored by a system and ctb. This community has been such a big help to me and I hate to see this storyline focus so much on SS and not on the mental health services instead.

Well, that's what everyone here seems to want to believe. However, the documentary DOES focus on and specifically details the many failures by the mental health services. It even is in the title of the documentary. SS is only a small part of the picture. The primary blame is placed where it belongs: The shortcomings of the mental health system.

 

[calendulo]

There should always be a counter to the bullshit narrative that comes up every so often. There always needs to be people that come to the forefront and challenge these ideas. It's fine if you think it's a bad idea, but I think it's important that we address things like this every so often to remind those that might be reading that there's more than one side to a story.

I am aware you are under too much pressure from the media. I support you as much as possible.
It is true, always there is another side of a story, but they never are going to show that side, This side is the real side, people registers here on a free way and later, they to do or not to do what them want to do; there is nothing more. Always I have been pessimistic against public opinion establishment.

As I said I think that is a lost battle. I think you had a so hard road ahead. Hopefully I was wrong and you got a win.

 

[jgm63]

Along a similar line, there is this :

Spoiler: post-583794

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/tomorrow-is-the-day.31730/post-583794