Every six minutes, somebody is trying to kill themselves in Germany. Every 40 seconds, somebody is committing suicide all around the world. In what kind of world do we live considering this morbid fact, considering the frightening fact that every 40 seconds, someone in this world doesn’t endure existing anymore? Humans belong to a very rare group of species because we can bear suicidal thoughts. There are only a few living beings which actively commit suicide. To be precise, the majority of attempted suicides are committed by females, while it’s mostly men who actually “succeed” in taking their lives because men principally act more directly and aggressively than women who prefer pain-free and softer ways to kill themselves.
Well, now many of you will ask themselves who can be so egoistic to kill themselves? Who is so self-regarding to prioritize their own sorrow over that of other people? Well, but let’s consider the perspective of the one who is killing himself or herself. How can you be so egoistic to want somebody who you love to continue living although he or she has become weary of life?
We don’t have the right to judge and decide how much somebody should endure before he or she can take their life and choose death.
All these questions should be raised if you deal with the topic euthanasia. What kind of role does the free will of the single individual play in all these extremely delicate aspects? Can we actually determine a gauge or scale which is able to measure pain, sorrow and disappointment? And at which point is suicide justified? A society where maximum performance and perfection is everything will surely give birth to individuals who can’t keep up with the desired standards. Some of us just seem to fail and therefore decide to commit suicide.
Nevertheless, you should see into the life of the individual before you are judging their decision to take their life. While person A has experienced terrible things in their childhood, person B enjoyed a blissful past and childhood.
In general, everyone is different. Everyone can take a different amount of pain. While person A who has endured a terrible past is able to hold onto life in all kinds of situations, person B will break at a point which doesn’t seem logical to us. In the end, we can’t understand person B.
But can we understand a retiree suffering from dementia? What about a juvenile who can’t find a way out of their depression, a schizophrenic who doesn’t want to lose themselves in the chaotic abyss of their mind, a burnt-out mother who can’t stand the pressure, a business man who realized that money doesn’t make him happy or a homeless person who simply can’t take life anymore?
What can we do to help these people? What can we do to prevent them from committing suicide? I really recommend talking to your loved ones if you notice that he or she is about to break apart. Don’t let them fall into the abyss of hopelessness and loneliness. The first symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts is the lack of appetite, a disturbed sleep pattern, alcohol and drug consumption, weariness, lacking interest and tiredness. People suffering from depression usually withdraw from familial and amicable activities, they reject praise and recognition, they neglect their personal hygiene and stop caring for their looks.
Depression is anything but romantic even though many movies and music videos and platforms like Tumblr seem to idealize and aestheticize this severe disorder. Don’t get me wrong. I love Lykke Li’s beautiful melancholic music and music videos and I’m spending half my life on Tumblr. But in the end, depression paired with suicidal thoughts is like a tumor, which can absolutely ruin a life. Someday, you realize, that this tumor is dictating your life, devouring your energy, your drive, until you seem to reach a dead end. Every 40 seconds, somebody on this planet is feeling this way.
Well, there is nobody who has the right to decide over life and death. Nevertheless, those who choose death shouldn’t be judged before knowing their life.
Copyright and Source: gregmcgregor.tumblr.com
