Is suicide a natural response?

[The Transcended Omniverse]

Some say that it is not since we as human beings have a strong survival instinct. However, I say it is natural. Some people value a life of bliss over this survival instinct. In other words, some people don't have the urge and desire to survive (live life). Their only reason for living is to be happy and to enjoy life. They also have no desire to live for their family or for anything else. They only value their own bliss and that is their only reason for living.

When these types of people have a blissful life, they have that survival instinct and wish to live life since it is worth living to them. But when it is a life of misery and unhappiness, then they no longer have that survival instinct and just give up on life. I think this is normal for some people. I don't think it is abnormal.

This is because even during situations where I was only slightly miserable, I still wanted to end my life. I just wanted to give up. So that says this is normal and is not only exclusive to those types of people with severe abnormal mental illness. Some would say that suicide is also cowardly. But what does that matter to someone who doesn't value their strength and weakness of character and only values their happiness and well-being instead?

They wouldn't care. They would just end their lives if their lives were miserable and hard. It doesn't matter to them even if they were the most pitiful cowards. What matters to them is their happiness and well-being and since they did not get that in a miserable life, then it is just simply their time to go.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's a natural inclination, but our physiology is geared towards survival and reproduction.

 

[psychoslice]

We as human beings have a strong survival instinct, but only as long as we derive pleasure from life, we are pleasure spongers, if we don't feel pleasure we may want to end our life.

 

[निताइ dasa]

Adding to what @psychoslice said;

All desires are in a way "natural responses"

in Hinduism, all our desires and inclinations arise from the soul. Now the soul has three fundamental desires, and in scripture this is characterized by sat-cid-ananda.

(sat which relates to the eternal aspect of our soul) means we living entities desire to be eternal, and thus naturally fear death.
(cid which relates to the conscious aspect of our soul) means we have a natural curiosity and as a result desire knowledge
(ananda which related to the bliss aspect of our soul) means we are inclined to pleasure and desire to maximize it (and minimize pain).

Suicide seems to be conflict between the first and third desires (we want to minimize suffering at the expense of our survival).

 

[bobhikes]

It is natural at times for some but it depends on how you are wired. Not everyone has suicidal thoughts like not everyone is superstitious or an addict. Suicide like addiction can be helped and prevented. Nature has a way of changing your situation so why at the time you want suicide everything is bad but tomorrow everything could be good again. Suicide is final.

 

[phenom888x]

im sorry but i have to disagree with that last part. as someone who greatly cares about his happiness and well being and has been on and off suicidal for the past 2 years i believe everyone cares about being seen as someone that can't handle it and what ppl think.. some people just can't make it because they don't have the strength. i personally don't want anyone that doubted me to see my obituary and think of someone that quit at least right now

 

[Thief]

Some say that it is not since we as human beings have a strong survival instinct. However, I say it is natural. Some people value a life of bliss over this survival instinct. In other words, some people don't have the urge and desire to survive (live life). Their only reason for living is to be happy and to enjoy life. They also have no desire to live for their family or for anything else. They only value their own bliss and that is their only reason for living.

When these types of people have a blissful life, they have that survival instinct and wish to live life since it is worth living to them. But when it is a life of misery and unhappiness, then they no longer have that survival instinct and just give up on life. I think this is normal for some people. I don't think it is abnormal.

This is because even during situations where I was only slightly miserable, I still wanted to end my life. I just wanted to give up. So that says this is normal and is not only exclusive to those types of people with severe abnormal mental illness. Some would say that suicide is also cowardly. But what does that matter to someone who doesn't value their strength and weakness of character and only values their happiness and well-being instead?

They wouldn't care. They would just end their lives if their lives were miserable and hard. It doesn't matter to them even if they were the most pitiful cowards. What matters to them is their happiness and well-being and since they did not get that in a miserable life, then it is just simply their time to go.

how about?.....it might be natural to knee jerk
but suicide is not the norm

most of us would be dead

 

[Skwim]

Sure it's a natural response. Obviously it's not the norm or even frequent, but it is common.

"Suicide was the 8th leading cause of death for males and the 19th leading cause of death for females in 2000."
source


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