Criticisms of the Forum

[brokensea]

I read some articles online I'm sure many of you have read that criticized the forum saying that we are all here cheering each other on to commit suicide and encouraging people to commit suicide. That without coming here people could have gotten help and not committed suicide. That the site takes advantage of teenagers and vulnerable people and socially encourages suicide. I read that they're trying to pass laws to get it shut down.

When I joined the site I got a bunch of pills and counted them up and asked how successful I would be. I was told that it was 50/50 and I could die or be a vegetable and wake up to potential horrible health consequences and be alive having to experience that.

So the site saved me from what could have been a horrible experience. If I got assurance it would work who knows what would have happened to me.

If someone seems unsure about suicide I see people on the site encouraging them to take the time they need to be sure. To make a clear decision and not an irrational one.

When someone has made a decision to CTB people here support it and don't judge the person. I have never seen someone on the fence, who hasn't made a final decision being pushed or pressured by everyone into suicide.

When someone says goodbye people offer words of comfort and peace. They are there for them when they have no one in the last moments of their life. The people here care to be with them when no one else is.

The people in the group are the most empathetic, kind, honest people on any forum. If you look at YouTube and Twitter and Reddit with people fighting and telling people go kill yourself this place is actually one of the nicer more positive interaction communities to be a part of.

People can be heard and listened to and understood more here than any other place. People here support you more than any real life family or friends do.

Just because people accept your personal choice I just don't see these criticisms of the site as fair. That people are mindlessly coming here and committing suicide soley because of the site. I feel the opposite about this place. I think it's filled with the most wonderful people I have ever met.

 

[jodes2]

I get really angry when I read those articles. We're not pro-death, we're pro-choice and they even take the term pro-choice and slander it. I hope SS never gets shut down, but there's a lot of pressure. I wonder where everyone here will go once this place closes, if it does?

 

[brokensea]

I get really angry when I read those articles. We're not pro-death, we're pro-choice and they even take the term pro-choice and slander it. I hope SS never gets shut down, but there's a lot of pressure. I wonder where everyone here will go once this place closes, if it does?

I can't imagine if the site gets shut down. This is the only real support I have in my entire life. No therapist or other mental health forum is going to support you and be there for you and your decisions in your life. Let you rant at 3am when you can't sleep or just even knowing when it's your time you have friends here to say goodbye to. I can't imagine that being taken away and how many people can be damaged by not getting help for a successful, peaceful death should they choose it. They are trying to pass laws to ban the site as we speak. Society has failed us and we have no support, get silenced, locked away and mistreated by the mental health community and now they want to blame something else and take away the only thing some of us have.

 

[chronicphysicalpain]

Suicide has always been politically incorrect. It's funny that in many places the punishment used to be... death! There are even 20 countries still, according to this new, where it is a criminal offense.

As you say, here we get support and respect as persons, not support for doing it but for doing what we deem fit in our circumstances, including warnings that a particular method is a crappy one in any case even, as you mentioned...

 

[brokensea]

Suicide has always been politically incorrect. It's funny that in many places the punishment used to be... death! There are even 20 countries still, according to this new, where it is a criminal offense.

As you say, here we get support and respect as persons, not support for doing it but for doing what we deem fit in our circumstances, including warnings that a particular method is a crappy one in any case even, as you mentioned...

Yeah, isn't that ironic you'd be put to death for suicide. Used to be in prison too. Would people rather their loved ones try some horrible method where they're comatose or live with half a face or brain damaged and drooling? People commit suicide and I'd rather someone I love go peacefully than take a chance on their own devices and end up in a horrible state. It happens so much but you rarely hear about it cause they don't have the capability to even post about it. Life should never be so cruel to anyone they want to die. Existence shouldn't be this way but it is and people will make that choice so what would people rather have happen to them? It's so easy to make a uninformed decision in moments of intense pain where you want to try anything to go. The consequence of that can be horrific.

 

[Littlewittlelight]

I read some articles online I'm sure many of you have read that criticized the forum saying that we are all here cheering each other on to commit suicide and encouraging people to commit suicide. That without coming here people could have gotten help and not committed suicide. That the site takes advantage of teenagers and vulnerable people and socially encourages suicide. I read that they're trying to pass laws to get it shut down.

When I joined the site I got a bunch of pills and counted them up and asked how successful I would be. I was told that it was 50/50 and I could die or be a vegetable and wake up to potential horrible health consequences and be alive having to experience that.

So the site saved me from what could have been a horrible experience. If I got assurance it would work who knows what would have happened to me.

If someone seems unsure about suicide I see people on the site encouraging them to take the time they need to be sure. To make a clear decision and not an irrational one.

When someone has made a decision to CTB people here support it and don't judge the person. I have never seen someone on the fence, who hasn't made a final decision being pushed or pressured by everyone into suicide.

When someone says goodbye people offer words of comfort and peace. They are there for them when they have no one in the last moments of their life. The people here care to be with them when no one else is.

The people in the group are the most empathetic, kind, honest people on any forum. If you look at YouTube and Twitter and Reddit with people fighting and telling people go kill yourself this place is actually one of the nicer more positive interaction communities to be a part of.

People can be heard and listened to and understood more here than any other place. People here support you more than any real life family or friends do.

Just because people accept your personal choice I just don't see these criticisms of the site as fair. That people are mindlessly coming here and committing suicide soley because of the site. I feel the opposite about this place. I think it's filled with the most wonderful people I have ever met.

It was written clearly it's for educating and if someone just comes and does something they could have done that after getting info from other source who thinks it isn't available is just brushing everything off and I would make a point noone even supports even after one has made a decision to CBT they respect they only say safe travels and say whatever is needed and even mention if they change their mind it's okay and we are here for the emotional support needed or what we could do that's what I have read and there also is a recovery page devoted to that separately if someone wants help like any other anti suicide that option is available. it's not a forun encouraging anyone if it was it wouldn't be doing it openly. This site is on web the normal web and reddit is much worse and about people saying things out of rahe. I will really mention that people here have their struggles that is why they are here but mostly everytime even if someone is being disrespectful there always have been actions which were quick and they were banned or warned I have seen people step up for others and usually it doesn't even happen all these people here are hurt or whatever they mostly think before saying something. they can check themselves(people calling themselves pro-lifers). I still am not saying anything but what I witnessed and how I was responded to by the others here during my stay of a week or so.
I am sorry about everything I say and I regret when I don't say but what when would they help those who really are helpless apart from making money off these articles online? What do they do to help. I am not against anything I am just a member but it just hurts everything these happy people can do to just get money or get a sense of purpose worsening it for me. I will say for myself as I only have right to say about myself.

Yeah, isn't that ironic you'd be put to death for suicide. Used to be in prison too. Would people rather their loved ones try some horrible method where they're comatose or live with half a face or brain damaged and drooling? People commit suicide and I'd rather someone I love go peacefully than take a chance on their own devices and end up in a horrible state. It happens so much but you rarely hear about it cause they don't have the capability to even post about it. Life should never be so cruel to anyone they want to die. Existence shouldn't be this way but it is and people will make that choice so what would people rather have happen to them? It's so easy to make a uniformed decision in moments of intense pain where you want to try anything to go. The consequence of that can be horrific.

India was one of them I just talked bout it but I have never seen someone imprisoned tho but I still saw the law and this is the reality Western world atleast has accepted it there are places in south America and rest eastern world is still in stone age apart from just covering up everything on news.

 

[[HNO]]

they want to force a notion that adults are some eternal children who can't decide for themself and necessarily need some proxy which decides upon their life matters like psychiatry or some pretentious bullshit ideas folks bring up like 'death is bad you should die of natural cause for [insert moral gymnastics]'. deciding upon voluntary death is excluded from options adult has ofc who will work and do shit for human rat race then while they trying hard in forced living methodology if drug access was like in early XX century w/out any imposed restrictions suicide rates would be so high that it would be impossible to sustain industrial society so this retarded damage control laws and sites shutdown begging comes

 

[AnxietyHangover]

This website is fantastic. Those who don't understand it, well, I am sorry for them. I hope the website is hosted somewhere far away from the western world, with a hoster that doesn't bend over the moment even the slightest complaint arrives.

 

[flightless bird]

People on this site are the wisest I've ever seen. People here actually understand psychology and what it means to suffer, they know how even a single word might affect those who are struggling and I'd rather seek counsel from them. Not to mention, this forum is the only friend some of us have.

Those who dare to judge or criticize this place are a bunch of clueless, thoughtless zombies who are full of themselves and their political word salads don't mean a thing to me. Horrible assholes.

 

[brokensea]

they want to force a notion that adults are some eternal children who can't decide for themself and necessarily need some proxy which decides upon their life matters like psychiatry or some pretentious bullshit ideas folks bring up like 'death is bad you should die of natural cause for [insert moral gymnastics]'. deciding upon voluntary death is excluded from options adult has ofc who will work and do shit for human rat race then while they trying hard in forced living methodology if drug access was like in early XX century w/out any imposed restrictions suicide rates would be so high that it would be impossible to sustain industrial society so this retarded damage control laws and sites shutdown begging comes

Yes they think our brains are ill and we aren't capable of making rational decisions. That no one for any reason should ever decide to die or they are by default unable to make a decision on their own. Even if they've come to the conclusion after 10 years of thinking about it or 50. We don't have the choice over our own existence.

 

[paleperson]

I see both sides. Although I do think legislation towards sites like this are a waste of time. If these conversations were not happening here they would just happen somewhere else.
Take myself for example, I only discovered SN through this site, which will be my method. My previously decided method would of probably unsuccessful. This community would say there helping me avoid future suffering which I've already exhausted every available treatment for. Outsiders would probably say this site aided in my suicide and prevented me from getting better. I would tell the outsiders they just don't understand my suffering. They would say I'm too sick to think straight and are incapable of making an educated choice on life. There might be possible truths on both sides, I don't know.

 

[brokensea]

People on this site are the wisest I've ever seen. People here actually understand psychology and what it means to suffer, they know how even a single word might affect those who are struggling and I'd rather seek counsel from them. Not to mention, this forum is the only friend some of us have.

Those who dare to judge or criticize this place are a bunch of clueless, thoughtless zombies who are full of themselves and their political word salads don't mean a thing to me. Horrible assholes.

I agree. I hardly see anyone and have barely left my house in two years. Where are all these people in my life that are supposed to care so much? I don't even bother telling them how I feel anymore. The therapists I see suck and make everything worse. When I tried to talk to friends before they care for a moment and if I disappear for months after they could care less. The people on this site are better friends to me than any IRL I have ever had.

 

[FuneralCry]

I think that it's a waste of time reading articles about this site. They are just delusional pro lifers who deny the cruel reality of this existence and want to force people to suffer until old age against their wishes. There is nothing wrong with suicide and I think that these pro lifers don't want to accept that for many people life is not worth living. We will all die eventually someday so I see nothing wrong with someone deciding to exit for when the time is right for them, rather than dying at a time out of their control. If the people in the media want to live then that is their choice but they shouldn't force their beliefs onto others. We all view life differently after all.

 

[y'ffre]

Yes they think our brains are ill and we aren't capable of making rational decisions. That no one for any reason should ever decide to die or they are by default unable to make a decision on their own. Even if they've come to the conclusion after 10 years of thinking about it or 50. We don't have the choice over our own existence.

Let's say our brains are ill. So what will they do about that? Will they drug us? Are drugs useful? If so, how much? Maybe drugs can work but in my experience, drugs are useless. So they can't do anything properly for some people (me for example) and they say we can't make a choice properly. So what should we do? Suffer until we die?

 

[Musketeer]

This forum doesn't encourage suicide, we simply accept it when someone does kill themselves. SS on both reddit and this site has at least bought me time. I'm not going to get any better (and this has been confirmed by doctors) and this website has made some of that time at least bearable. We all have a right to die weather or not the government wants to recognize that. Good luck taking us down, another will popup, and another will pop up because they are treating the symptom and not the cause of the problem. the cause of the problem is the government not respecting the individual right to die, and the symptom is sites like these pop up.

 

[hamvil]

I guess that such articles pop up more often when the person committing suicide is a minor that was browsing this web site. It is easy to fall into the narrative that the website pushed or influenced the person in question. This is why minors should not be allowed on this website. I have no idea how to do it technically or if it is even possible.

 

[brokensea]

It was written clearly it's for educating and if someone just comes and does something they could have done that after getting info from other source who thinks it isn't available is just brushing everything off and I would make a point noone even supports even after one has made a decision to CBT they respect they only say safe travels and say whatever is needed and even mention if they change their mind it's okay and we are here for the emotional support needed or what we could do that's what I have read and there also is a recovery page devoted to that separately if someone wants help like any other anti suicide that option is available. it's not a forun encouraging anyone if it was it wouldn't be doing it openly. This site is on web the normal web and reddit is much worse and about people saying things out of rahe. I will really mention that people here have their struggles that is why they are here but mostly everytime even if someone is being disrespectful there always have been actions which were quick and they were banned or warned I have seen people step up for others and usually it doesn't even happen all these people here are hurt or whatever they mostly think before saying something. they can check themselves(people calling themselves pro-lifers). I still am not saying anything but what I witnessed and how I was responded to by the others here during my stay of a week or so.
I am sorry about everything I say and I regret when I don't say but what when would they help those who really are helpless apart from making money off these articles online? What do they do to help. I am not against anything I am just a member but it just hurts everything these happy people can do to just get money or get a sense of purpose worsening it for me. I will say for myself as I only have right to say about myself.

India was one of them I just talked bout it but I have never seen someone imprisoned tho but I still saw the law and this is the reality Western world atleast has accepted it there are places in south America and rest eastern world is still in stone age apart from just covering up everything on news.

I agree 1000 percent and everything you've seen on the site is what I have seen as well. People say it's ok to change your mind we won't judge you. Is there anything that can help. Do you want to talk? We all as fellow sufferers have deep compassion for others. If someone has gotten to a point they are going to drink something in front of them or whatever method is moments away all we can offer is words of support in those moments. Most other places or IRL friends and family would try to stop you so you have to die alone with no one there? This is the only place you can go to receive compassion at the end.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Completely agree with you. I'm so grateful for this place and the people on here. It makes me feel less lonely when I can interact with you guys. These subjects really aren't the sort you can risk bringing into conversations with 'normal' folk.

I totally agree- this site has likely saved a huge amount of lives, or at least prevented a lot of very risky attempts.

We're all stuck in this weird limbo and I suspect the majority of us are afraid of the many aspects of ctb. I think we have a unique viewpoint because, while we respect one another's choices to end it, we also realise how frightening and difficult it is. I really feel like people here support each other until the time feels right for that individual.

If this site does get banned, it won't reduce the amount of suicide attempts- people will always want to kill themselves in a world like this. It will just mean that it will be harder to find relatively peaceful means to do it and people with little to no support in everyday life will be left with none at all... If they succeed in banning it, we should all ctb on the same day in protest ... Hmm, just realised that probably sounds like I'm trying to incite a mass ctb event... I'm not... That WOULD get this site banned. Meant it jokingly. Still, have you ever wanted your death to 'say' something?

 

[Endex]

I need to belong to a place like this with like minded people. I feel I'm not alone and not the only troubled person out there. I don't know if there are other sites out there like this, so if this site disappeared it would be a big loss to me.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Suicide websites have been around since before the modern Internet and there have been cases that have gotten attention and yet the sites weren't shut down. There is nothing new here. People try to get others to think long and hard about their suicidal desires and always push for ways to make life better before suicide.

I do think on balance sites like this have saved more lives than helped end them.

 

[Littlewittlelight]

Rea

I agree 1000 percent and everything you've seen on the site is what I have seen as well. People say it's ok to change your mind we won't judge you. Is there anything that can help. Do you want to talk? We all as fellow sufferers have deep compassion for others. If someone has gotten to a point they are going to drink something in front of them or whatever method is moments away all we can offer is words of support in those moments. Most other places or IRL friends and family would try to stop you so you have to die alone with no one there? This is the only place you can go to receive compassion at the end.

Really all everyone wants is a peaceful death in the end and if someone has no way left would their families still let them choose it. I don't know really if I said I need you here but they wouldn't be able to see me do it so I would still have to be alone which really makes me anxious but that's the only way and I was accepted here noone says anything more than needed and it's to the point most of the times whatever maybe the reason so I am really fine with it and thankful because outside they would call me a psychopath or something or coward straightforward without hearing or just brush it off you are making excuses.

 

[brokensea]

Completely agree with you. I'm so grateful for this place and the people on here. It makes me feel less lonely when I can interact with you guys. These subjects really aren't the sort you can risk bringing into conversations with 'normal' folk.

I totally agree- this site has likely saved a huge amount of lives, or at least prevented a lot of very risky attempts.

We're all stuck in this weird limbo and I suspect the majority of us are afraid of the many aspects of ctb. I think we have a unique viewpoint because, while we respect one another's choices to end it, we also realise how frightening and difficult it is. I really feel like people here support each other until the time feels right for that individual.

If this site does get banned, it won't reduce the amount of suicide attempts- people will always want to kill themselves in a world like this. It will just mean that it will be harder to find relatively peaceful means to do it and people with little to no support in everyday life will be left with none at all... If they succeed in banning it, we should all ctb on the same day in protest ... Hmm, just realised that probably sounds like I'm trying to incite a mass ctb event... I'm not... That WOULD get this site banned. Meant it jokingly. Still, have you ever wanted your death to 'say' something?

Lol on our Jim Jones suicide statement lol. Seriously though. I can't tell you how low I've felt nothing in the world could make a difference and I received so many kind words from people here. I think there are a lot of lives that are saved here. Those people writing articles have no idea about suicide and suicidal people and that's the problem and the problem with society. Even talking about it to the wrong person can get you locked up but we're supposed to all be getting help from these great imaginary resources. Or reach out to a friend or family member and take the chance they might freak out and call to have you kidnapped to a psych ward where you're pumped full of meds and held against your will. Or if you're lucky the least will be to have them just say stupid unhelpful things, empty platitudes or tell you to go exercise, eat berries and lay in the sun or some complete bullcrap that you can will yourself better. Then they pat themselves on the back and go back to their life pretending the conversation never happened and never ask how you're doing again. It is so isolating to feel suicidal and the people here are the only ones who get it.

 

[Littlewittlelight]

Suicide websites have been around since before the modern Internet and there have been cases that have gotten attention and yet the sites weren't shut down. There is nothing new here. People try to get others to think long and hard about their suicidal desires and always push for ways to make life better before suicide.

I do think on balance sites like this have saved more lives than helped end them.

True that's how I found this and didn't know about anything until two weeks ago but a stupid Article which was written after two teens committed suicide and their parents found how that stupid article posted about it and the name clearly they thought it ended but they created another group with the same name although it's not like a big one it has so less members but it was the one of the first and biggest it was working in 1995 now what? And from there I couldn't find anything but you know about webarchives? Someone also copied and complied the info from that Yahoo group and posted it there now what that dumb person did made me come here I think sometimes people just do stupid things still and think they are saving here I think that person wanted to get attention knowing there would be archives with the same name or there is a risk of the group getting created again but they did it anyway disregarding everything and tbh this kept me from doing it I was just thinking of running away and doing something but today I am here so everything you said seems true to me. I will repeat that the person who wrote that article didn't want to better anything they created a mess doing it by giving the name thinking it was banned it wasn't.

 

[brokensea]

Suicide websites have been around since before the modern Internet and there have been cases that have gotten attention and yet the sites weren't shut down. There is nothing new here. People try to get others to think long and hard about their suicidal desires and always push for ways to make life better before suicide.

I do think on balance sites like this have saved more lives than helped end them.

Sadly a lot of sites like this have been shut down. It has restricted access in some countries already.

 

[Littlewittlelight]

I need to belong to a place like this with like minded people. I feel I'm not alone and not the only troubled person out there. I don't know if there are other sites out there like this, so if this site disappeared it would be a big loss to me.

I actually found it through someone complaining about these sites and they just mentioned the name of a site which was banned even searching for its name lead to so many such websites they really had no idea I swear people don't know how things work it was upsetting to see they failed to do what they claimed. They claimed this is bad and should be punished but mentioned the name without thinking the people can create the same site or a group on another platform with a little bit of changes in name or a little group then there is web archive where the whole info from the biggest website was posted I read about that site a lot. Some parents got it banned in first place those parents had no idea what their kids did and then just went to give away the names of the sites when they found it on their phones without considering it would actually add to finding such sites. I don't know what that fuss was for I was just having a bad day again and having ideations but I would thank them personally if possible because they actually helped me find this indirectly without knowing.

 

[theboy]

"It all depends on the glass with which you look"

 

[Littlewittlelight]

Even this one was banned in some countries I think if I remember correctly but some people used vpn and maybe putting their safety at risk but I don't know much yes there have been and there still are it just needs a little bit of searching or some connections. Once you have connections the same people can meet on different platforms so they just keep coming back.

Sadly a lot of sites like this have been shut down. It has restricted access in some countries already.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Sadly a lot of sites like this have been shut down. It has restricted access in some countries already.

That's very unfortunate. That way of babying citizens help nobody.

 

[Sammie]

I see both sides. Although I do think legislation towards sites like this are a waste of time. If these conversations were not happening here they would just happen somewhere else.
Take myself for example, I only discovered SN through this site, which will be my method. My previously decided method would of probably unsuccessful. This community would say there helping me avoid future suffering which I've already exhausted every available treatment for. Outsiders would probably say this site aided in my suicide and prevented me from getting better. I would tell the outsiders they just don't understand my suffering. They would say I'm too sick to think straight and are incapable of making an educated choice on life. There might be possible truths on both sides, I don't know.

I discovered both this site and SN from a news article....of course I then went straight to this site. Yes, any impulsive act would probably not fair well. And this site will teach you that very quickly. I feel better knowing that if the day ever came where I just couldn't hang on anymore, likely in a few decades as a real "end of life decision", but who knows...." it is nice to have control over it and to be able to make rational decisions and actually think things through thoroughly.

I guess that such articles pop up more often when the person committing suicide is a minor that was browsing this web site. It is easy to fall into the narrative that the website pushed or influenced the person in question. This is why minors should not be allowed on this website. I have no idea how to do it technically or if it is even possible.

Yes, I agree. People with entire lives ahead of them, who haven't even taken a chance yet....this is very sad, should never happen

 

[Hollowillow]

This forum is the only thing that comforts me & keeps me alive. Thank you.