Seeking support for suicidal thoughts

rapidpuma43 said:😁 Oh, please...
What do you actually decide on in life? Everything? Love, career, health, or... just everything else?
Hell? Do you even have proof that you aren't making your own decisions about your life?

I’ve heard stories about people who tried to end it all but survived, and then went on to live these great lives, had families and stuff. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me. But I gotta say... that's a little selfish of you.🙄

Emily Chavez31 said:A lot of people show up here looking for some kind of Hail Mary, a final lifeline. Suicide is just... it's the ultimate tragedy. It's the worst way for anyone to go. And then everyone starts asking "why?" and "how could this happen?" only after the damage is already done. You really have to try and talk someone down when they've hit rock bottom and are ready to end it all.
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So, what would you actually say to someone standing on the edge of a cliff, clearly intending to jump? Assuming you aren't just walking past them without a care in the world and you don't even have your phone handy to call 911.

Even with all the scams, the fake people, and the dreams that just fall flat, this world is still a pretty beautiful place if you look at it right. Just take care of yourselves. Give everything you've got, be who you are, and try to find some happiness.
Despite all the deception and letdowns, love always manages to sprout back up like grass through the cracks. Treat the wisdom you get from the years you've lived with care, and pass that strength on to the younger version of yourself with dignity.
Build up your inner grit so it can shield you when life throws a sudden curveball. Don't let yourself get swallowed by doubt or those dark, negative thoughts; honestly, way too many fears are born simply because someone is lonely or just plain exhausted by the grind.
You're a part of the universe, just like the trees and the stars, and you absolutely belong here. Whether it clicks for you or not, the cosmos moves exactly the way it’s supposed to. So, please, just find your own version of peace—whatever that looks like for you—and no matter what kind of crazy tasks you're tackling in this madhouse we call life, try to keep some stillness in your soul.
Walk calmly through all the noise and chaos, and please, don't go wishing for the peace that only eternal silence brings.
Found in St. Paul's Cathedral in Baltimore, 1692.
Those aren't my own words, per se, but it's exactly what I'd want to tell someone who was about to throw away the most precious thing they own, which is their life.

Emily Chavez31 said:I’ve heard stories about people who tried to end it all but survived, and then went on to live these great lives, had families and stuff. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me. But I gotta say... that's a little selfish of you.🙄

Is that so?
Why act selfishly? Is it just about looking out for oneself, or is there something deeper going on?
Sure, some people did survive suicide attempts, but let's be honest—wasn't the goal often just to grab someone's attention? They didn't actually intend to go through with it. And it worked, didn't it? People felt bad for them, offered forgiveness, and started walking on eggshells just to make sure they wouldn't try it again. Is that really how things should work?
If someone wants to end it, that’s their choice. It’s really that simple. Isn't it? I'm not just talking out of thin air here, either... I actually know a few people who have taken their own lives. This isn't just some random theory I'm posting on a forum.
Yeah, exactly. I'm sorry if I come across as selfish. I struggle to find empathy for people making those choices when, at that exact same moment, there are others fighting just to stay alive—like someone battling cancer in a hospital bed somewhere else. How can you focus on one when so many are struggling just to breathe?If I don't feel anything for these people... does that mean they don't deserve to live? They don't seem to value life at all. They don't appreciate the little things.
Life is a constant struggle. It’s made up of beautiful moments and ugly ones, all mixed together. It’s unpredictable. At the end of the day, life is a gift. If someone decides they want to end it all, why should we stand in their way? Why stop them? Let them... let them do what they feel they must. I just want to help those who are fighting to stay. God, if I could, I would help the ones trying to hold on, the ones trying to save themselves, and those who are suffering through sickness.
And what about those who have everything going for them, yet can't seem to appreciate a single thing they possess? If that's really how they want to live... then honestly, let them go.

I have to ask, are you actually the same individual who posted somewhere on this forum claiming that sexual assault is acceptable and that women are solely responsible for being victimized?
Now, suddenly, you’re coming here looking for sympathy and kind words because you're contemplating suicide?😕

-Look, man, if they actually wanted to end it all, they would've pulled it off... especially working with a crowd like this. Maybe it’s just being suicidal but failing, or maybe it's a cry for help... or just someone trying to force everyone to look at them and their own little drama.👍

Donna Sullivan7 said:-Look, man, if they actually wanted to end it all, they would've pulled it off... especially working with a crowd like this. Maybe it’s just being suicidal but failing, or maybe it's a cry for help... or just someone trying to force everyone to look at them and their own little drama.👍

I actually know this guy who downed a massive pile of pills mixed with booze. They said he only made it because he had an insanely strong heart. Most people wouldn't have survived half that much. So don't sit there and tell me he wasn't trying to kill himself.
He got treatment afterward and hasn't tried anything since.

Or take that woman currently sitting in the stroller—you really think she jumped from the fourth floor just to lose her legs? I wouldn't call it that.

Peter Clark75 said:We’re just a tiny drop in the ocean. Just rain, zero, nothingness, nobody...

but those drops make the ocean😁

But if you’re really feeling like life isn't worth living anymore, why not try to leave something meaningful behind?☕

Take organ or blood donation, for instance! There are so many vibrant young people out there whose lives might be cut short by various devastating illnesses, or who might never get to experience the years you have—so wouldn't it be wonderful to give them a fighting chance? If you aren't feeling much of a connection to your own life right now, could you perhaps find purpose in donating an organ, bone marrow, or even just blood to help someone else taste what life is all about? ☕

Donna Sullivan7 said:-Look, man, if they actually wanted to end it all, they would've pulled it off... especially working with a crowd like this. Maybe it’s just being suicidal but failing, or maybe it's a cry for help... or just someone trying to force everyone to look at them and their own little drama.👍

Oh, I totally get that they're just looking for some attention, so why on earth would we deny them that little bit of satisfaction?😍

Emily Chavez31 said:A lot of people show up here looking for some kind of Hail Mary, a final lifeline. Suicide is just... it's the ultimate tragedy. It's the worst way for anyone to go. And then everyone starts asking "why?" and "how could this happen?" only after the damage is already done. You really have to try and talk someone down when they've hit rock bottom and are ready to end it all.
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So, what would you actually say to someone standing on the edge of a cliff, clearly intending to jump? Assuming you aren't just walking past them without a care in the world and you don't even have your phone handy to call 911.

I’d probably take them by the hand and say, "Look, you can always jump after we grab a coffee. What’s an extra hour or two of life compared to the eternity waiting for you on the other side?" 🤣 Then, during those two hours, I’d take them for coffee first, maybe convince them to swap the caffeine for five or six shots of bourbon instead, let them vent everything they’ve been hiding from themselves, from me, or from anyone else. After that, I’d bring in a therapist to sit with them for an hour and work through the heavy stuff. I guarantee they wouldn't want to do it anymore. 🤣

I'm being a bit lighthearted here, but as someone else already pointed out—people just need to be heard. They need to feel seen. It really is that simple.

electrictiger70 said:I’d probably take them by the hand and say, "Look, you can always jump after we grab a coffee. What’s an extra hour or two of life compared to the eternity waiting for you on the other side?" 🤣 Then, during those two hours, I’d take them for coffee first, maybe convince them to swap the caffeine for five or six shots of bourbon instead, let them vent everything they’ve been hiding from themselves, from me, or from anyone else. After that, I’d bring in a therapist to sit with them for an hour and work through the heavy stuff. I guarantee they wouldn't want to do it anymore. 🤣

I'm being a bit lighthearted here, but as someone else already pointed out—people just need to be heard. They need to feel seen. It really is that simple.

Now, could you briefly explain what kind of methods or psychoanalysis therapists actually use besides just sitting there and listening?

Even trying to talk someone out of suicide... isn't there a hidden layer of selfishness in that? Like, a weird little sense of satisfaction in being the one who "saved" them, you know?

stormygardener83 said:Even trying to talk someone out of suicide... isn't there a hidden layer of selfishness in that? Like, a weird little sense of satisfaction in being the one who "saved" them, you know?

Pretty much every good deed ever—if you don't step in when you could, guilt eats at you for a while. If you do step in, you get to feel like some altruistic hero, basking in that romanticized version of yourself for a minute... there's satisfaction in it. It's just human nature. Everything we do is ultimately for ourselves, no matter how hard the moralists and puritans try to deny it. I don't think I'm a bad person just because helping others gives me a little personal boost.😛
And look, I'm not playing the victim here—not to anyone. I did a good thing because I chose to. Every "sacrifice" is really just passive sadism, isn't it?☕

I don't know... if it were even possible, I wouldn't let someone jump, but doing so would be stepping on their fundamental right—the right to free choice. That's one of the few things that actually makes us free in a world where everything else is conditioned. In my view, we should live because we want to, not because we have to.🤷

Still, I'd probably try to pull them back from the ledge...🙏

The whole talk about selfishness really gets under my skin. Honestly, when I'm dealing with a massive migraine, being selfish is my entire personality. Now imagine someone whose sheer suffering has pushed them to the edge... they're just focused on their own wound and wanting the pain to stop. Call it selfishness if you want.🙄

Emily Chavez31 said:but those drops make the ocean😁

whereas I was thinking... more like a waterfall🤷

analogsailor98 said:Pretty much every good deed ever—if you don't step in when you could, guilt eats at you for a while. If you do step in, you get to feel like some altruistic hero, basking in that romanticized version of yourself for a minute... there's satisfaction in it. It's just human nature. Everything we do is ultimately for ourselves, no matter how hard the moralists and puritans try to deny it. I don't think I'm a bad person just because helping others gives me a little personal boost.😛
And look, I'm not playing the victim here—not to anyone. I did a good thing because I chose to. Every "sacrifice" is really just passive sadism, isn't it?☕

I don't know... if it were even possible, I wouldn't let someone jump, but doing so would be stepping on their fundamental right—the right to free choice. That's one of the few things that actually makes us free in a world where everything else is conditioned. In my view, we should live because we want to, not because we have to.🤷

Still, I'd probably try to pull them back from the ledge...🙏

The whole talk about selfishness really gets under my skin. Honestly, when I'm dealing with a massive migraine, being selfish is my entire personality. Now imagine someone whose sheer suffering has pushed them to the edge... they're just focused on their own wound and wanting the pain to stop. Call it selfishness if you want.🙄

Look at it this way. Our fundamental right to make our own choices gets trampled on every single day anyway, so nothing is really new there.
By stepping in, I’d just be buying them a little more time to rethink things.

Btw, about how the question was framed... standing at the "edge of a cliff"... I wouldn't do anything. I wouldn't even get close out of pure self-preservation. I wouldn't say a word to avoid causing some sort of backlash, and honestly, I feel like I'd be the hand that pushed them 🤷

Sandra Parker3 said:Look at it this way. Our fundamental right to make our own choices gets trampled on every single day anyway, so nothing is really new there.
By stepping in, I’d just be buying them a little more time to rethink things.

Btw, about how the question was framed... standing at the "edge of a cliff"... I wouldn't do anything. I wouldn't even get close out of pure self-preservation. I wouldn't say a word to avoid causing some sort of backlash, and honestly, I feel like I'd be the hand that pushed them 🤷

Like I said before, we're all conditioned somehow. That’s exactly why, in these extreme scenarios, you end up questioning if anyone should even interfere with someone's freedom to choose. It's the same deal with addiction. We all know addiction is hell, right? But imagine being mid-argument, passionately attacking someone's slavery to substances or habits, and they hit you with the line that their "addiction" is actually one of the few things making them feel free... because hey, it's their choice.😲

The truth is, our fundamental rights are trampled on daily, which is why there are certain extremes where you just shouldn't touch them or challenge them.

I’d love to steal just a few more minutes from someone standing on a ledge, just to give them a chance to think... plus, the view from the top can be pretty damn beautiful.😉

What really gets under my skin are these endless lectures about selfishness. Honestly—when I’m dealing with some absolutely brutal migraine—selfishness is basically my default setting. Now, just imagine someone whose suffering has pushed them right to the edge... They aren't thinking about anyone else; they're just focused on their own wound and this desperate, singular need for the pain to stop. That's just survival. It's selfishness, sure, but whatever.

Yeah, exactly. I mean, if selfishness comes from egoism, then a person wouldn't even want the pain to end, and they wouldn't take their own life because that would effectively kill their own perception of themselves as someone who is suffering.

It’s just like any other good deed, really. If you sit on your hands when you know you could have helped—well, guilt is going to eat at you for a while. But if you actually step up? You feel like some kind of altruistic hero, and for a little bit, you get all enthusiastic and romantic about yourself—it’s a rush, and there's satisfaction there. It’s just human nature. Everything we do, deep down, we do it for ourselves, no matter how much the moralists and the puritans try to claim otherwise. I don't think I'm a bad person just because I find personal satisfaction in being helpful to others.
I'm not playing the victim here, either—not to anyone or anything. I did something good because I chose to do it. To me, acting like a martyr is just a form of passive sadism.

That isn't even normal behavior; it's just a byproduct of your environment and how you were raised. Capitalism is basically wired to function exactly like that.

stormygardener83 said:

It’s just like any other good deed, really. If you sit on your hands when you know you could have helped—well, guilt is going to eat at you for a while. But if you actually step up? You feel like some kind of altruistic hero, and for a little bit, you get all enthusiastic and romantic about yourself—it’s a rush, and there's satisfaction there. It’s just human nature. Everything we do, deep down, we do it for ourselves, no matter how much the moralists and the puritans try to claim otherwise. I don't think I'm a bad person just because I find personal satisfaction in being helpful to others.
I'm not playing the victim here, either—not to anyone or anything. I did something good because I chose to do it. To me, acting like a martyr is just a form of passive sadism.

That isn't even normal behavior; it's just a byproduct of your environment and how you were raised. Capitalism is basically wired to function exactly like that.

Just tell me—if you help someone, do you actually feel better?
You don't help, and then you know you could have... doesn't that leave you feeling pretty crappy?
And honestly, can anyone even define what compassion actually is?