They say celebrity deaths encourage copycat suicides but i think the same on here

[Avicii]

When one user dies others are encouraged and copy either the commiting of suicide method or commit suicide

 

[Sayo]

The reason people imitate methods on here is because they see that it succeeds for someone like them. I believe that this is a strong factor in the supposed copycat suicide effect too - some people attribute their interest in partial suspension to Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. I don't doubt some people develop emotional or aesthetic attachments to methods because of people they know using them, but I'm pretty sure most people here are suicidal and in the questioning and researching stages. Many also seem to report failed attempts in the past, which makes you want that guarantee even more.

edit: That being said, being on this forum a lot causes you to ideate a lot as opposed to doing anything that could potentially help (if you are a helpable person), so I don't doubt it amplifies suicidality. Like many others, though, I used suicide research for a very long time as a method of coping with intrusive suicide mechanism - it reassured me that there was a way out if I couldn't cope any more. This is the idea behind this aspect of end-of-life planning, too; supposedly getting their hands on the method greatly eases stress for the elderly and terminal, as they know they won't be trapped and die miserably.

 

[josh228]

Not really. There is no way of confirming any death on here (bar a tiny few maybe) and they are complete strangers. Celebrity suicides are way more impactful, because they are confirmed and celebrities arent exactly strangers in our eyes. Robin Williams for instance hit me hard, I loved his movies as a kid (probably watched jumanji 1000x). Also its what inspired me to seriously consider hanging and it is my backup method.

 

[lostinthedream]

Aye it is nice to know that there is an escape hatch so to speak even if I am not going to immediately jump through it.. I am comforted by the thought..

 

[Desperate_Soul]

All of your posts have a strange vibe to them. They're all mostly trying to discourage suicide... why is that?

Please dont attack me for this question, lol. Just wondering.

@Avicii

 

[Sayo]

By the way, to explain why I think this, I will offer up SN and train decapitation vs. CO. SN is a method of interest here because it's cheap and easily accessed; a lot of people here don't have independence, financial or otherwise, and don't want to or can't jump. Partial is popular for the same reason. Yet people continually debate whether SN is a good method, painful, etc. They rightly exercise caution and assess it for themselves. There does not seem to be a huge amount of people looking to do it by train, even though someone has done it by train here. Train decapitation also has the same access problems as well as a whole other bunch of issues that bother people.

CO is a popular and appealing method because if you do have some of these things (independence, etc.) it's peaceful and historically reliable. The CO cases on here seem to provide extra inspiration only in finding the right equipment. But being able to say 'this person on Sanctioned Suicide was able to ctb this way' does make it feel even more trustworthy, kind of like the word of mouth effect. It just doesn't seem to make other unpopular methods grossly more popular.

 

[TengoK]

Well, people might criticise me for saying this - and I know we're all here because we're interested in or intending to CTB - but I do find it slightly distasteful when somebody posts that they're about to go through it, literally sitting there with whatever they've chosen to use, and somebody immediately asks "what's your method?" I mean, really people, give someone a break for pity's sake...

 

[Desperate_Soul]

Well, people might criticise me for saying this - and I know we're all here because we're interested in or intending to CTB - but I do find it slightly distasteful when somebody posts that they're about to go through it, literally sitting there with whatever they've chosen to use, and somebody immediately asks "what's your method?" I mean, really people, give someone a break for pity's sake...

There's also the ones who only care if the method did work... I'm sure the ones asking 'is OP dead' isn't thinking about OP in a good way, but rather, if the method worked. That really annoys me, having this mindset. I wish I could think they're asking because they really care about OP... but for some reason, I can't.

 

[Sayo]

Well, people might criticise me for saying this - and I know we're all here because we're interested in or intending to CTB - but I do find it slightly distasteful when somebody posts that they're about to go through it, literally sitting there with whatever they've chosen to use, and somebody immediately asks "what's your method?" I mean, really people, give someone a break for pity's sake...

I 100% agree with you, actually. Good on you for saying it. I do think sometimes people ask it because they are concerned about the person using an unwise method though, sometimes you can tell by who it is. (Also usually they say more than that)

I understand a lot of people on here are desperate and in their worst possible straits, but the nature of the forum leads to a lot of sort of 'hit and run' posting that can be draining.

I wasn't trying to justify that kind of behaviour, I was arguing that there isn't a copycat effect on here so much as a method-desperation thing.

 

[TengoK]

Yes Sayo - I agree. I've been on the net long enough to know that people sometimes don't have the best way of saying things, to the extent that it can seem rather curt and rude (especially on a forum). Guess I just need to accept it.

As helpful as this place has been since I discovered it, I've resolved that I won't be sitting here typing in messages when I go. I may not even post for sometime beforehand. I've kind of gone off online communication in recent years, particularly the idea of it being 'comforting' and like talking to an actual person. That's rubbish. (And I realise the irony in saying all that on an online forum!)

 

[Sayo]

Yes Sayo - I agree. I've been on the net long enough to know that people sometimes don't have the best way of saying things, to the extent that it can seem rather curt and rude (especially on a forum). Guess I just need to accept it.

As helpful as this place has been since I discovered it, I've resolved that I won't be sitting here typing in messages when I go. I may not even post for sometime beforehand. I've kind of gone off online communication in recent years, particularly the idea of it being 'comforting' and like talking to an actual person. That's rubbish. (And I realise the irony in saying all that on an online forum!)

I feel the same. Even if the other person perceives you as real, it has an ephemeral and distant quality to it ultimately. Eventually you start to notice the things that are missing in it too. And if they don't, you run up against a lot of people's natural communication barriers in text. I'm grateful for this forum and the exchanges I've been able to have on here, but I mostly wish I could have been friends with people on here in a better world, in person.

 

[TengoK]

[QUOTE="I mostly wish I could have been friends with people on here in a better world, in person.[/QUOTE]

Well, that just made me start weeping. (Admittedly it's one of those often weeping days...)

 

[Sayo]

Yeah, me too on both of those. ><

 

[Avicii]

All of your posts have a strange vibe to them. They're all mostly trying to discourage suicide... why is that?

Please dont attack me for this question, lol. Just wondering.

@Avicii

Really ?? Some not all

 

[Morning Angel]

Well, people might criticise me for saying this - and I know we're all here because we're interested in or intending to CTB - but I do find it slightly distasteful when somebody posts that they're about to go through it, literally sitting there with whatever they've chosen to use, and somebody immediately asks "what's your method?" I mean, really people, give someone a break for pity's sake...

Agreed. Someone on Malice1's goodbye thread was asking about how to get N. I found that thoughtless and odd. Like it's the guy's last moments and you can't navigate your way over to the resources post or ask about it on your own thread? Christ. Have some respect.

 

[Morning Angel]

I feel the same. Even if the other person perceives you as real, it has an ephemeral and distant quality to it ultimately. Eventually you start to notice the things that are missing in it too. And if they don't, you run up against a lot of people's natural communication barriers in text. I'm grateful for this forum and the exchanges I've been able to have on here, but I mostly wish I could have been friends with people on here in a better world, in person.

Trust me when I say the more you allow that kind of bonding to happen, the less people will be ok with you leaving. People get attached and expectations form. It will get complicated. One person I was chatting with complained that I wasn't responsive / around enough.. meanwhile I'm dying.

This forum allows just enough support and the safety/isolation needed before leaving. Maybe it's just me, as I have low tolerance for people in general now.

 

[Schopenhauer]

Agreed. Someone on Malice1's goodbye thread was asking about how to get N. I found that thoughtless and odd. Like it's the guy's last moments and you can't navigate your way over to the resources post or ask about it on your own thread? Christ. Have some respect.

I'd guess *most* people here (myself definitely included) are desperate, and are socially unskilled. No to mention self-centered. Not everyone, I know, but enough.