failure383

failure383

Student
Jul 2, 2024
103
I have thought about this recently and I wanted to know what you think about this. It seems a common discussion topic here, on how to overcome SI and most of the time people answer with benzos or alcohol as a solution, but I think that's the wrong approach to it, because if you have SI telling you to stay alive, I think there is at least something in you that tells you that life might be worth it regardless. This is my personal theory, but I think a common thing in some very suicidal people, is that they take physically dangerous risks in every day behavior (judging from what psychiatrists ask in their screenings and what the vast majority of anti-suicide resources online say, but also from personal experience, I've met those people irl), and perhaps you could argue that those people lack the SI or at least it's not the reason why they haven't ctb'd yet. On the other hand you have people, who are wanting to ctb as well, but have great difficulties overcoming their SI. I personally think, that's because those people deep down have some hope left. Those suicidal-big-risk-taking-people prove that what forum members here refer to as SI, probably isn't as much of a survival instinct, than some hope for betterment left they have.
Therefor I think, that trying to artificially fight this inner feeling with drugs and alcohol, is in some cases very harmful.

Also, an important thing I want to mention, is that I think there is a difference between SI as meant in most cases with "this feeling that you have before you do it" and the very different mind-body reaction you have when you already swallowed the poison, jumped through the noose or bled almost completely out, because the former is the SI I'm referring to in this post, which I don't think you can equate to the latter, which is just a natural reaction all of our lizard brains have to the realization, that we are dying.

Fighting the "survival instinct", in the sense of getting yourself wasted or drugged up enough to overcome this feeling (which I think is in some persons a potential form of hope for the future), is probably harmful, as it might drown any chance of bettering. In some suicidal people, this feeling disappears naturally, as they realize their future is bleak and hopeless (said suicidal-big-risk-taking-people), but I think if you have this feeling and it doesn't go away, than you should act upon it and not try to fight with artificial means it just to do your suicidal ideation justice.

Of course not everything applies to everyone and exceptions prove the rule, but that's what I think in broad terms. Now I've repeated myself a lot, I apologize.
What do you think?
 
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Dingusguy

Dingusguy

I just want to sleep...
Oct 20, 2023
135
It is an interesting theory, and I won't say it is wrong or right but it does sound like it could be plausible and the exact thing happening for some people
 
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Hvergelmir

Experienced
May 5, 2024
220
I'm fully with you on this opinion. Survival instinct and will to live cannot be completely separated. SI is a part of that will to live. High level reasoning and primitive instincts are both part of the wider thought process, and not fully separate.

Furthermore I consider intentional risk taking, self harm, and poor suicide attempts to be misguided ways of compromising with SI. I can't speak for others, but I'm convinced that's how my brain is wired.
 
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Manfrotto99

Specialist
Oct 10, 2023
307
I use to think that way myself, but now that I have lost everything and have absolutely nothing to live for and am ready to ctb the SI is still there, perhaps stronger than ever because I am so very close. I just think it is a biological tendency humans have to ensure the survival of the species. I don't think it's anything more, though I also have a fear of the unknown, but that seems rather appealing in comparison to the certainty of my life.
 
BlackEyedDog

BlackEyedDog

Mage
May 6, 2024
536
This underestimates SI that is hard coded and overestimates risky behavior. People who bungee jump or do wingsuit flying do it for the adrenaline, the rush and most risky behavior can be attributed to this. Even gambling there is a rush, a high when you win.
 
N

nohopenofuture31

Member
Aug 19, 2024
18
I use to think that way myself, but now that I have lost everything and have absolutely nothing to live for and am ready to ctb the SI is still there, perhaps stronger than ever because I am so very close. I just think it is a biological tendency humans have to ensure the survival of the species. I don't think it's anything more, though I also have a fear of the unknown, but that seems rather appealing in comparison to the certainty of my life.
I agree with this. I have zero desire to be alive anymore. But that instinct still stands on the way a little. I'm not do worried about what happens after - more curious than anything. Does it all just go dark? Reincarnation? I don't have any strong beliefs one way or another on that. Whatever it is has to be less painful than this
 

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