Is Suicide Ever the Right Thing to Do?

Is suicide ever the right thing to do?

Imagine you're standing atop a high bridge, you take a deep breath, say one last silent goodbye to your friends and family, and you leap to your death. By doing this, you're making a permanent solution to a temporary problem. You may be solving your own personal problem, but imagine the pain, suffering, and anguish that your friends, family, and peers go through. The people around you are wondering what was going through your mind and why you did it. Maybe you even told some of your friends that you were going to do it, and they didn't believe you, thinking it were a joke. You may have told your friends about your plans, but apparently your parents had no clue as to why you would choose to take your life, but this is the case with most teenage suicides. Suicide is the process of purposely ending one's own life. The way societies view suicide varies widely according to culture and religion. For example, many Western cultures, as well as mainstream Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tend to view killing oneself as quite negative. One myth about suicide that may be the result of this view is considering suicide to always be the result of a mental illness. Some societies also treat a suicide attempt as if it were a crime. . However, suicides are sometimes seen as understandable or even honourable in certain circumstances, such as in protest to persecution (for example, in the tragedy of Julius Caesar Cassius killed himself to make him honourable.) Nearly 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 million to 20 million suicide attempts annually. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people 10-24 years of age. Teen suicide statistics for youths 15-19 years of age indicate that from 1950-1990, the frequency of suicides increased by 300% and from 1990-2003, that rate decreased by 35%. However, from 2000-2006, the rate of suicide has gradually increased, both in the 10-24 years and the 25-64 years old age groups. While the rate of murder-suicide remains low at 0.0001%, the devastation it creates makes it a concerning public-health issue.

Although the reasons why people commit suicide are multifaceted and complex, life circumstances that may immediately precede someone committing suicide include the time period of at least a week after discharge from a psychiatric hospital or a sudden change in how the person appears to feel (for example, much worse or much better). Examples of possible triggers (precipitants) for suicide are real or imagined losses, like the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving, loss (especially if by suicide) of a friend, loss of freedom, or loss of other privileges.
Firearms are by far the most common methods by which people take their life, accounting for nearly 60% of suicide deaths per year. Older people are more likely to kill themselves using a firearm compared to younger people. Another suicide method used by some individuals is by threatening police officers, sometimes even with an unloaded gun or a fake weapon. That is commonly referred to as "suicide by cop." Although firearms are the most common way people complete suicide, trying to overdose on medication is the most common means by which people attempt to kill themselves.

According to my religion (Buddhism) suicide is not the actual answer for the whatever problem you have. Buddhism recognizes the free will, which has the ability to change and undo whatever negative actions done in the past. Even the worst criminal can change to become a pious individual. This is a fundamental teaching of Buddhism. Hence there is no fatalistic attitude, or divine ordination, for life and living.
Committing suicide is an unwholesome act rooted in greed/hatred and ignorance - not knowing the karmic law is a great disadvantage. The Lord Buddha said "we ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own hell and heaven." This bears out that each person is responsible for his own actions good or bad which yield karmic results.

Sometimes when a teen enters a state of deep depression, they see suicide as a way out. They make a final solution to a temporary problem. Well, suicide is not the way to solve a bad situation in your life. Someone will always be there for you. Not only do you suffer when you commit suicide; it also affects your family, friends, and all the people around you. There are many reasons people commit suicide, depression, bad grades, pregnancy, not being able to be with the one you love, the list goes on. Especially with the recent events in Columbine High School with the suicide murder massacre, we see that this has to come to a stop. We need to work together to try to prevent suicide from happening. When a situation gets bad, do not see suicide as a way out. Wait it out, and eventually things will get better.