Discussion If you come across a suicide, would you stop it?

[Its time its time]

I'm curious.
If you come across a suicide, would you stop it?

Example, you walk into a room and your best friend/sister/brother is trying to call themselves. What would you do?

Or you are walking along a bridge. And a stranger is sitting on the ledge to jump. What would you do?

 

[ArtVandelay]

I would stop a family member or close friend, for selfish reasons. But I would only stop a stranger if I could see that they might not succeed. I would talk to them and tell them how to use N2 lol.

 

[Escaper Boy]

In stranger scenario, if you ask this question 15 years ago, I would definitely try to save them. Right now, I think I just walk away ignoring them. Because, I know ctb required ton of resolve and bravery, and I don't want to "dishonor" those fortitude with my selfish interruption.

In family scenario, I would always interrupt the attempt. Not because I genuinely want to save them. I must do it to keep the "status quo". After all, family is "supposed" to care each other. I need to keep my face, so to speak. If I didn't save them but they ended up surviving the ctb, I would be in big trouble later on. It would turn into big scandal/gossip in the family.

I am already a black sheep in my family. Let's not change that into something worse.

 

[Davy]

If that person is sitting on the edge and contemplating it, I would try to talk to them first. They might be in a tough spot and crying for help.
I won't harass them on their choice, I will just try to understand them and let them make a decision for themselves.

 

[Sick Boy]

Definetely not,if someone who wants to jump from a bridge and i try to "saVe" him what if this person ends up with permanent brain damage and/or living the rest of his life in a wheelchair all because of me

 

[GeorgeJL]

I didn't vote because it depends on what kind of suicide it is, if I know the person etc. Let me put it this way I probably would stop it if it was an undignified suicide of if they were young.

 

[Raggas]

Yeah I would try to save him or her. It's just a basic empathetic view I hold that anyone putting their life in danger should have someone to talk to.

 

[color_me_gone]

Very difficult question to answer, as there are many scenarios.
Some methods require a certain amount of time before death,
but interrupting in the middle of that, could leave the person alive, but brain damaged.
That would be worse than death.
I wouldn't want to do that, so I probably would not interfere.

And after all, we are pro-choice, are we not?

I would most likely stop a young child, assuming I can assess whether it would not leave them brain damaged, but that is a tricky call, since it is unlikely I would know how long since they started ctb.

 

[Youthanasia]

With no information on the person? Yeah, im pro choice and my choice would be to help Lol

Only exception would be guaranteed harm situations like hanging. Then i wouldnt be helping at all.

 

[Dead beat dad]

I think I probably would intervene, not because I would particularly want, I have maximum respect for right to choose. I'd intervene probably for the same reason a lot of us are still here: SI, it is instinctive to try and prevent harm as a reaction (well I think it would be for me), also this person might be putting others in danger and that's not really cricket.
I'm not saying that I think this is the right thing to do, just being honest about what I think I'd do.
Peace everyone
DBD

 

[housecat]

It depends. I might try and stop it if it were someone I care about and wasn't certain about their reasoning or frame of mind. I might also stop someone in a public place because of how it may affect other people, and/or if it seems they are doing it in some sort of crazed state. I'm certainly not going to rush into euthanasia clinics to "rescue" people who have clearly planned. I guess my short answer would be yes, but I'd hate to fuck up someone's well planned attempt, and I wouldn't want to leave anyone with permanent damage or suffering.

 

[Lady black]

I´d try to go away and hope that this person woul succeed with the plan. Cause I think everybody has the right to die

 

[DepressionsAHo]

Welp. I just got back from the bridge
Got out my car
Looked over the ledge
Bout 15 cars passed me and nobody stopped except an ambulance when he was already a ways ahead. Wasn't unsober enough to do it right then and there. That should give you some semblance of an answer as to what strangers would do

 

[Koal]

If it's a stranger then I would just leave them be, but if it's someone I cared about then it would be really hard for me to just let them go. At least I'd find solace knowing that I'd be joining them soon enough.

 

[Querry1]

It's that type of question that you can't answer, unless you encounter the situation

 

[Soul]

There are too many variables. Would I be liable for criminal neglect if I did nothing? Does the attempt seem likely to succeed? Can I (without screwing up the attempt) talk with the person to find out if they're sure?

 

[Jean Améry]

Given that in my country it's considered a criminal offence not to render aid to someone in dire need and not doing something to stop a suicide would probably result in such a charge I'd probably at least try to make it seem as if I was trying to do something. Unless I was absolutely sure there was no-one else around. In that case I'd probably try persuasion as it could very well be that this person was acting irrationally. If they didn't want to listen I'd walk away.

As for a family-member in a non-public setting: if they had the decency to tell me first and I'd know they were acting rationally I'd make sure I was somewhere else. If I walked in on it I'd probably instinctively try to rescue them.

 

[NextSummer]

I want suicides to be like a public event, or at least something the family and close friends know about and what is being done in their midst. It shouldn't be criminalized to be something secretive. This just means a lonely death and nobody deserves that. That's why I think suicides that I bump into are mostly the "bad" ones that ideally ought to be stopped.

I'd not want people close to me suicide, because farewells always hurt. But if there are good reasons and if it's done within people, I'd be much more okay with it. Those you'd not "bump" into.

 

[color_me_gone]

you can't answer, unless you encounter the situation

Best answer here!
Really, I'd like to think that I would not interfere, but faced with the actual situation, it is like survival instinct, you are instinctively forced to do something you don't want to do, even if it is somebody else's life.

 

[tor100]

If I find selfish reason then yes if can't then no..

 

[TAW122]

I am a pro-choice person, so no I would not actively intervene. If I am a mandated reporter or someone who has duty to inform, duty to intervene, then I would, but only by law and requirement, however that's irrelevant because I would never take a position as a mandated reporter. For people who are young and choosing impulsive methods that would very likely result in failure, well I would strongly dissuade them from doing so and use facts to try to convince them only because I don't want to see them fail and regret it (as well as become a vegetable). Similarly, the same goes with those who are on the fence about whether they want to CTB or not, since once again, I'm pro-choice.

In a realistic scenario, chances are, I would not know if someone was going to CTB (most likely they'll do it discreetly or without warning) and also even if I saw someone about to jump or CTB, it is likely I would not be fast enough to stop them physically (I'm not really athletic or physically fit).

 

[seekingoblivion]

I've "saved" a family member despite being suicidal. Was wondering the whole time if I'm a hypocrite. You never know what you'll do til you face the situation.

 

[BridgeJumper]

Id like to imagine I wouldnt since its that persons choice to kill themselves, but in reality - yeah I would. Ive heard from people attempting suicide before and had one of them actually go through with it since I talk to lots of depressed folks and it made me freak out each time. Totally different energy comparing to myself (hate myself and would be glad if I died)

 

[Ryath]

More than likely in attempts at preservation, I would prevent a suicide.

I would attempt to talk to the person involved, but not talk him down or encourage him. If the person decided that there was no alternative help and that this was a completely logical manner to resolve his issues, then I'd continue on my way and let them.

Not all people, but some people do it as a suicidal gesture to gain attention or unconsciously seek help - it's essentially a cry for help. I've had a few ex-partners do that and they were never completely serious about it - it was to gain my attention.

 

[Vivian]

If it was family or strangers younger than 20, I would definitely stop them. If it was a stranger 20 and older, I won't stop them.

 

[AH-93]

It's a very hard question to answer with so many contributing factors. I used to work as a support worker for people with personality disorders and a lot of these guys tried to CTB and as part of my job I had to do everything I could to prevent this. I honestly think if I came across someone attempting and I had no idea why, my instincts would compel me to "save" them... the guilt after would be crushing but even though I'm pro choice, I couldn't just walk away from someone else. Sounds hypocritical but it's something I've done for years.

 

[Jen Erik]

I would never interrupt a suicide in progress; doing so could leave the person in a vegetative state.

 

[k3v3r]

I would talk to them, but i wouldn't physically stop them.

 

[JadedGray]

I don't think I would. I'm not the type to intervene in other people's lives and mind my own business. Knowing how I feel being suicidal, I wouldn't want to stop that person from doing what they feel will end their pain and sorrow.

 

[Worndown]

You could stop an attempt, but not the end result. Talk to them and find out if they are agreeable to an alternate solution.