Would you stop the Suicide?

[hmnow]

If you came upon someone just about to hang themselves - would you try to prevent it?

 

[superbfrawg]

i think just instinctually, yeah. i know it goes against the philosophy of the forum but i really wish nobody would kill themselves (except for myself), its like, it breaks my heart to see someone go through that, i could never watch it happen

 

[LigottiIsRight]

I'll only consider doing something if the person looked very young. In the case of adults, it doesn't cross my mind.

 

[Anonymousa]

Most I would do is talk to them about how they are feeling but not do anything they wouldn't want to or try to discourage or stop it in any way. If this was in the middle of them hanging tho i I probably wouldn't do anything as I have seen hanging videos and don't feel anything negative when I see them so wouldn't instinctively think to stop it.

If they were using a non-method tho I might suggest or stop them from doing it for sake of preventing more suffering from a attempt that is likely to fail. If they are in the middle of a method that was bloody or gory, I would probably react more instinctively in that case cus of me being squeamish so don't know what exactly I would do in that situation.

 

[peaceplan]

I think I'd want to have the opportunity to listen to them and ask questions. Not to talk them into or out of it, but to help me make the decision of what I would do.
Depending on what they say, I might try to stop them or, and I hope I'd be brave enough to do this… I would offer to stay with them when they ctb so that they wouldn't be alone.
I think that's what I would want, someone to hear me out and respect where I'm at.

 

[Jisatsu]

I'd only help if it was a child or if the person asks for help.

 

[Firefly.Forest]

I believe instinctually I would want to listen to them, if they wanted a sounding board and base my actions on what was stated.

@peaceplan, I would hope to be able to offer to stay as well - if that was desired by the person.

 

[kunikuzushi]

No. I don't have any right to decide if a person lives or dies. Why would I try to stop someone from a decision about their own life?

 

[emptymiku]

i wouldn't beg them to reconsider, but i would try to help them see if there's any other option for them. everyone's situation is different and even if they still go through with it i'd like to offer them any possible comfort in their last moments.

 

[Xiaojiu]

If they're a child or teen, I will try to help them out :( Adults, only if they ask

 

[PI3.14]

It depends on their age, whether I know what they're going through or not and whether their is a solution to their issues that can satisfy them or not.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'd likely ask them if they wanted to talk. I'd probably tell them that I was pro-choice. Had ideation myself but that I would listen if they wanted to talk.

So, not exactly prevention but, not just ignoring them either. It's hard to know in that moment though. Would we just put ourselves in their position and decide that we wouldn't want interuptions? Or, would we worry that they've never had the chance to talk to someone? It would be a horrible position to be in.

 

[FuneralCry]

No and I see it as extreme cruelty forcing humans to suffer in this dreadful, torturous existence, suicide is a personal decision not something for others to decide, I see it as criminal imprisoning others in this existence against their wishes until they die anyway, it's just so horrific to me how we exist in this anti-suicide world where the suffering and torture is seen as to force and prolong no matter what even know it all just leads to decay and death anyway, all that anti-suicide does is just cause more harm and suffering.

 

[JesiBel]

I don't think so, it took prior premeditation to get to that point, so I shouldn't interfere with anyone's decisions.

Someone with doubts wouldn't even be able to stand on the chair/object (and much less have everything ready, the rope with the ligature tied to the anchor point)

 

[Irisse]

I'd offer help and lend an ear, just in case they may need a different perspective, but if they don't want it then I'd leave them alone to do what they want.

 

[kopebaldy]

Hard to answer really.

I don't want to stop them, it's their right to die. But legally, I have to, I'll be in a lot of shit if they investigate later and find out that I didn't.

Maybe I'll just advice them to do it on another day in another location.

 

[CumbriaCTB]

I would stop them. It would only be to inspect the quality of their rope, examine both the noose knot and the anchoring knot, check the sturdiness of the anchor point, and ask them if they know about carotid constriction. If all is well, I'd then walk away and allow them to carry on. I don't really care either way whether or not somebody, regardless of age, intends to CTB; it won't have any effect on me and therefore my opinion on the why of their attempt is irrelevant. It's also best to respect the bodily automomy of others and give them the benefit of the doubt that, whatever the reason, their reason for hanging themselves is a good one.

Given that hanging is also my chosen method, I am more concerned with the how and do believe that my opinions on matters of method are worth listening to. I've had the misfortune of watching quite a few videos of hangings in which the subject thrashes about for several minutes before losing consciousness (windpipe constriction without carotid constriction) or completely failed attempts during which the rope either snaps, the anchor point collapses, or others intervene because the subject made too much noise.

I just cannot stand the sight of a sloppy CTB. That is all.

Thank You,
CumbriaCTB

 

[kazatte]

i think i would probably sit down with them, just hearing them out, listening to why they're in this situation, and asking if there's anything they need. even if they don't want to be helped, everyone deserves someone to at least listen to them

if it's a minor though then there's no doubt i'm going to stop them

 

[woofwag]

As others have said, if it's a kid or a teen I would absolutely stop them. An adult though, I would try to talk to them first, but I wouldn't forcibly stop them. Not my decision to make when it's their life. But I would hear them out first and see if there's anything I could do to help. I think everyone deserves at least that in their final moments. Someone to talk to and try to help if they can. I couldn't watch them do it though. As much as I would like to be there for someone when they die, I couldn't watch them hang themself.

 

[caramelkidney]

i'd try to talk to them and give them reasons not to, but if they still decide to attempt after i tell them why they shouldn't i wont stop them.

 

[sanctionedusage]

In public, I think if they're doing it in a place where someone like me could so easily come and see them, I'd feel very comfortable stopping it. The choice in setting and method in itself feels like a call for help.

Alt, if I knew for a fact that my neighbor across the street was going to kill themselves in the privacy of their own home with the door unlocked (so I COULD go in and stop it), I wouldn't. That feels like overreaching and intruding on something I know nothing about and have no moral right to, and their setting tells me they're serious about it and don't want a chance to be stopped.

 

[MiMif]

I would stop them momentarily and ask what brought them to this. If i feel its something that can be solved....like an emotional response that they might regret laterI i'll try to stop them if not I'll ask if yhey want to do it together.

 

[FadingSnowFake]

I said No, but if the person was about to do it, I would naturally ask if there was anything I could do, maybe call someone or if I could listen. If the person did not want to be seen, they probably would've made sure of it, so perhaps they did not plan or think.it through. I would not try to talk them out of it, but it would feel wrong to do nothing.

 

[fuyuu]

somehow it breaks my heart knowing someone else wants die but i don't care if its me. i wouldn't talk them out of it if they'd thought it through though

 

[wishingonstars]

I would try to stop it, I am pro choice, I absolutely think adults should have the choice to end their lives if they choose to but once someone involves innocent outsiders it becomes unethical.

song I like on this topic: My R by Lollia - it's interesting because though the narrator doesn't care either way she still feels the need to say something, I think some of it is just instinctual.

slam poetry poem I love on this topic: Living Proof by Andrea Gibson - I don't have words for how beautiful I find this poem, their stuff is all so good although fair warning if you don't want messages of hope it might not be for you.

^both of those can found on spotify

 

[plantlife]

A few years ago a man knocked on my door (I lived in an apartment on the 10th floor) and politely asked if he could jump out of my window. I said no. He tried to force his way in, I fought him off, and he left. Few minutes later he smashed a window in the hallway and trying to jump through that instead.

To my shame I called the police on him. They tasered him and took him to hospital.

The reason I called the cops is because, at the time, I believed my state (in Australia) had good samaritan/compulsion laws i.e. that you can be prosecuted if you see a medical emergency and you fail to assist. I didn't want to be charged with manslaughter for ignoring his suicide.

I looked it up afterwards and it turns out my state doesn't have that law. I was wrong. Ever since then, I've encouraged people to learn about good samaritan laws in their area. You never know when you'll need that information.

If it happened today, I'd offer to sit with them, or talk, or call someone, or get a burrito, or take them to hospital. Only then, if they still refused my help, I'd offer to leave. And I'd respect their answer.