“Suicide is not about dying?”

A short interlude piece for this evening…expect more substantial pieces tomorrow evening. – JV

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Earlier today, I attended a presentation concerning suicide in which a presenter said, “Suicide is not about dying. It’s about making the pain go away.”

Is not the result of suicide, regardless of motivation, death? Does not, with death, pain go away? Is not suicide inexorably linked with death? If one may not really want to die (whatever that means) and sees suicide as the only response to an evaluation that persisting in life is no longer worthwhile because of pain, suicide really does seem to be about dying.

Perhaps the quote intends to relay a message that at least some people who commit suicide would like to have other viable options, but do not, and commit suicide because it is the only perceived option? Perhaps this confusing quote ought to be reconstructed for more clarity: “Some persons who commit suicide have determined that life is no longer worth living because of pain they experience. If they had other viable options to relieve themselves of pain, they would have not committed suicide.”

Feel free to offer your thoughts below. Suicide is not my area of expertise, so I especially welcome discussion.