What would you do if an aspie threatened to commit suicide?

Post Reply New Topic

I think that one guy went to jail who tried to kill himself by parking his car on the train tracks and waiting for the train, but wussed out at the last second and ran away and his car caused a big train wreck that killed a few people.
The only thing worse than a coward who wants to give up on life is a coward who is afraid to end it.

If an aspie wanted to end his life, I'd completely respect his decision. If he believes suicide will make him happier, then he's knows better. I would never restrain him, tie him up, hold him down, taser him, or have him put into a mental hospital, because there's nothing wrong with stopping your own misery. However, I would try to bring some happiness into his life, at least temporarily. I'd try giving him cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, a dose of Vicodin, or a superpowerful antidepressant. Talk therapy is bullsh*t when a person is depressed enough to consider ending his life. If the person in question felt better after smoking a cigarette and taking a Vicodin pill (as an example), only then would I feel proud of myself for saving his life. I can't understand how doctors put a suicidal person into a mental hospital, make him more miserable in the process, and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

However, if a person, aspie or NT, was threatening suicide to hurt people around him, to get attention, and/or to evoke pity for himself, then I'd have no problem calling 911, and watching him face the consequences. I'd probably be even considered a hero as a result, lol. Suicide for your own reasons is one thing, but using it to extort people around you is despicable. People who do that should be given the usual NT treatments, so they'll reconsider their decision next time.

But that was for killing other people, so that's a different case, if one person puts in danger other people lives while attempting suicide then that's different. But ending your own life is not a crime, ending another person's life is.

Yeah, well, it was related, in a way.

I would offer to buy him/her a cup of coffee and a sandwich and ask them to explain everything. If they take me up on that offer, I would listen to everything they have to say. If at the end of the meal, they still insisted, I wouldn't stand in their way. Call me callous or heartless if you want, but I believe that sometimes we need to let other people make decisions we don't agree with ourselves.

i'd offer to buy dinner that night... rent some entertainment... punch them in the face... the next day say "you're welcome"

First, it takes a lot of courage to kill yourself, so I wouldn't think of it as a coward thing to do

Second, it is part of human nature to have the survival instinct, not wanting to die, people who make that choice they are obviously going through pscyhologically or psychiatric issues, so your assumption is wrong and it comes from ignorance actually, because things are not as simple as that, our brain is complicated you know. I agree that not all people are affected in the same way, some are more vulnerable to some certain states of the brain or mind than others, which is why professional help is needed with people with such tendencies.

By the way, killing another person is closer to being a coward than killing yourself, in a normal state of mind, isn't it?

Last edited by greenblue on 03 Nov 2007, 1:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sometimes life can be hard. I'd try to console them, but if that fails, what idealistic view of the sanctity of life can override his decision?
I believe its his to make. Some people live far too long; some far too short. But really, I would try to talk him out of it.

Other-I was really hurt years ago by an ex who had someone tell me he was going to commit suicide. Turns out it was a joke to make me feel badly. Instead, it enraged me because of all the confusion. So, generally I don't take threats seriously and I get very angry if I feel that someone is manipulating the situation.

I have a nutty NT "friend" who has threatened suicide. She blames her latest exboyfriend for her troubles. No matter who it is at the time.

I generally stay out of that stuff.

Doesn't take that much courage to kill yourself, unless you make it slow and painful. Killing someone else is far from cowardly. When you kill yourself, you don't have to worry about going to prison afterwards do you? You don't have to worry about revenge killing or being wanted, and you don't have to look anyone in the eye as their lights go out. You don't have to worry about a damn thing, you just end it all with no regard for anyone but yourself. When you kill yourself, everyone you know is affected. If you don't know anyone and nobody knows you, then go ahead and do it I guess.

f**k you. I've considered it many times. I am neither a drama queen nor an emo. My older brother actually did it a few weeks ago. He was an idiot and not much good at life, but not a drama queen or an emo.
Why the hell should people not think about themselves? What is more selfish:
1. Leaving a life that you can't stand (and it's not always a temporary problem, I've known people who were just not suited for human society and the world), thus making a few people sad that you're gone.
2. Forcing someone to stay in a life that they can't stand for your sake.

????????????????

(I'm probably going to regret posting this, but people's ignorance about suicide pisses me off.)

It's a waste of a life but if they were dead set on doing it I wouldn't stop them.

I don't see why it matters if the person has Asperger's or not but whoever it was, I'd back off and let them do it. It's a personal choice and I'd have no wish to get involved after last year when a 'friend' faked a suicide attempt and blamed it on me despite me trying to help her.

Ok ok, drama queens, emos, and idiots. That better? I already mentioned cowards didn't I?
All I have are big permanent problems, but how come I'm still alive? Because I'm not a coward, an emo, a drama queen, or an idiot, and like I said, everyone I know would be affected if I did.
So it IS selfish putting yourself before many other people, if you can't see why then thats your problem.
I said once before, if you truly think you have nothing to live for, then your pride is all you have left, so why would you want to take away the one thing you have for the sake of having nothing?
Committing suicide is like quitting a game because you are losing, since when was that ever considered the smart or right thing to do? I keep playing no matter what, I refuse to just quit when things get hard. If it was so damn easy, then what kind of game would that be?
Almost every day I am disgusted and ashamed of myself, and I fear I am a potential danger to society, or I am so depressed that I can't move, and sometimes I am such sever pain that I want to amputate my leg with my pocket knife, and every waking moment of my life I have to struggle to keep terrible thoughts out of my head, but I never consider giving up, I can't imagine doing something so cowardly and pathetic, especially when there are starving, disease-ridden kids in Africa who I never hear complaining or talking about killing themselves.

I would try to talk them out of it but make it clear that it is their decison as are their feelings and reactions to the bad things that happened to make them want to kill themselves.

I would point out that they should consider how it affects other people (even though other people are responsible for their own feelings and reactions). Also that they owe it to themselves to make more effort (however hard) and look at alternative approaches they have not yet considered.

If I thought it might be an attention seeking thing, I would not be my usual direct thoughtless self, I would say someting like 'People often say in these situations that the person saying they want to kill themselves is seeking attention. However, you know your mind better than anyone and you know if that is the case with you better than they - don't you. I don't need to know your answer, it is enough that you know if you are seeking attention or are genuine'.

I would express the loss I would feel if they were someone I cared for and the loss others known to them would feel. But say It is not my business to tell you what to do but I want to make sure that you have thought this through enough.

If I feel burdened with their communiaction to me of the issue I might express that I want no further part in communiaction of the subject having expressed the above and leave them to make their choice using their intelligence.

OMG I can't believe so many people would be content to just stand back and 'let them get on with it'.

I understand that if someone is GENUINE about suicide there is very little you're going to be able to do to change their mind but how could you live with yourself if you didn't at least try? I know I couldn't.

My son is incredibly down on himself and life some days and has spoken of suicide (he's only 14 for God's sake) and I would like to think that if he was feeling particularly bad and wanting to confide in someone other than me, that that person wouldn't just say to him "oh well it's a waste of a life but I'm not gonna try and change your mind".

I am genuinely frightened by some of the posts I have read here.