Survival Instinct

[RazzleDazzle]

I've seen some confusion on here about what survival instinct is, so I wanted to clarify it.

An instinct is "the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn about it." Animals have instincts. They don't sit around and think about what they're going to do if, in the future, they hear a loud noise. They hear a loud noise and they react, without thinking about it.

Survival instinct is something that happens in the moment, without thinking about it. It is kicking out of position in a PSH, it is pulling the bag off your head. It's a reflex, it is not something you are consciously deciding to do.

Having thoughts and feelings about whether or not to commit suicide is not survival instinct. That is thinking through an important decision. That's part of what this forum is for, to give people a chance to talk about this stuff and get feedback and support. But it's not something that you "overcome," because it's not an instinct that happens without thought that you can't control.

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

I still think you can whole heartedly want to die but freeze up and not able to put your head in the noose, pull the trigger, or jump from the ledge. I believe this still to be survival instinct. It doesn't just have to be bailing out on the method halfway through.

 

[RazzleDazzle]

I still think you can whole heartedly want to die but freeze up and not able to put your head in the noose, pull the trigger, or jump from the ledge. I believe this still to be survival instinct. It doesn't just have to be bailing out on the method halfway through.

Agreed, I was just talking about people calling it SI when it is making plans or thinking about it prior to the attempt. Freezing up is an instinctive response that isn't based in conscious thought

 

[3rdworldsadness]

It's a natural thing build in animals, we are too animals and it's really frustrating cause this SI is million years old and it's still in our brain to make sure we can have a beating heart.

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

Agreed, I was just talking about people calling it SI when it is making plans or thinking about it prior to the attempt. Freezing up is an instinctive response that isn't based in conscious thought

I still think fear (SI) gets in the way of actually making the plan as well. Many people are passively suicidal and wish they would just die or never wake up. But they know they would never have the courage to go through with it, so they don't bother with the planning.

 

[Intoxicated]

Survival instinct is something that happens in the moment, without thinking about it. It is kicking out of position in a PSH, it is pulling the bag off your head. It's a reflex, it is not something you are consciously deciding to do.

That's an interesting theory. So you think that people tried to kill themselves using PSH and plastic bags for thousands of years and evolution selected some genes responsible for escaping from such specific situations? Or there was some conscious designer who programmed such instincts in our brain?

 

[miserabledeath]

I've seen some confusion on here about what survival instinct is, so I wanted to clarify it.

An instinct is "the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn about it." Animals have instincts. They don't sit around and think about what they're going to do if, in the future, they hear a loud noise. They hear a loud noise and they react, without thinking about it.

Survival instinct is something that happens in the moment, without thinking about it. It is kicking out of position in a PSH, it is pulling the bag off your head. It's a reflex, it is not something you are consciously deciding to do.

Having thoughts and feelings about whether or not to commit suicide is not survival instinct. That is thinking through an important decision. That's part of what this forum is for, to give people a chance to talk about this stuff and get feedback and support. But it's not something that you "overcome," because it's not an instinct that happens without thought that you can't control.

Maybe I'm thinking of something else but isn't there a drug that makes you less afraid of death?

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

That's an interesting theory. So you think that people tried to kill themselves using PSH and plastic bags for thousands of years and evolution selected some genes responsible for escaping from such specific situations? Or there was some conscious designer who programmed such instincts in our brain?

I think evolution has programmed SI into every human because all evolution cares about is the continuation our species. I think suicide is attempted through sheer will power and the ability to override the system is because the mental and or physical pain becomes intolerable or incapatible with life. Maybe it is evolution itself that has also given us the ability to override SI in these cases? As most people would choose MAID if there life became unbearable for whatever reason. Maybe evolution is kinder than we think by offering the possibility to be able to end our suffering? Just my thoughts....

Maybe I'm thinking of something else but isn't there a drug that makes you less afraid of death?

I could have easily jumped off a bridge on Ketamine.

Maybe I'm thinking of something else but isn't there a drug that makes you less afraid of death?

I could have easily jumped off a bridge on Ketamine.