Recommended Posts

Guest LiterateParakeet
12 hours ago, NightSG said:

Later research shows that such consideration is fairly common in planned suicides, (things like doing it in the bathtub or on a concrete floor, or unloading the gun except for one round so it will be safe afterward) which suggests it could be used as an indication of a lack of anxiety.

I don't know that it shows anxiety or a lack thereof...I personally don't think that most people who are suicidal (and have a plan) are in their right mind.  I had a friend who told me about his suicide attempt.  He sat down at the kitchen table with his father's valium and a beer.  Then he thought, "I can't drink this beer.  It's against the Word of Wisdom." So he didn't drink the beer, but he did take the pills.

 He told me this story many years after the incident so we both laughed about how illogical his thinking was.  When I was suicidal, I was not rational either.  Someone I know took a long drive into "the canyon" and shot himself there. I think he didn't want his family to be traumatized by finding his body. (Protecting my family was a major concern of mine as well.) That does show some care and prep as you described, but I think there is usually some irrationality to it at the same time.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, LiterateParakeet said:

He told me this story many years after the incident so we both laughed about how illogical his thinking was.  When I was suicidal, I was not rational either.  Someone I know took a long drive into "the canyon" and shot himself there. I think he didn't want his family to be traumatized by finding his body. (Protecting my family was a major concern of mine as well.) That does show some care and prep as you described, but I think there is usually some irrationality to it at the same time.  

The closest I got was over the pain of a dental abscess that really felt like my skull was going to split open from the pressure.  ER doc gave antibiotics and Norco, (of course things like that always happen on the weekend) but they wouldn't even try to drain it.  The first dose wore off that night and I didn't have the coordination to get into my backpack and find the bottle.  I saw the gun and thought "that will fix the pain," but luckily couldn't control my hands well enough to load it either.  At some point, I must have passed out, because I woke up in the floor a lot more coherent, found the Norco and went to bed.

There was no thought whatsoever of what would come after, just that the pain would go away.

Now this guy, OTOH, needs some serious help.  Three tries with a single shot flare gun.  I don't even want to think about how much the first ball of burning magnesium being driven into his flesh must have hurt.  Whoever has to gaze into that abyss to help him has my utmost sympathy.

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/police-man-shoots-himself-in-the-head-3-times-with-flare-gun-along-i-295/142951869

Edited by NightSG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest LiterateParakeet
1 hour ago, NightSG said:

The closest I got was over the pain of a dental abscess that really felt like my skull was going to split open from the pressure.  ER doc gave antibiotics and Norco, (of course things like that always happen on the weekend) but they wouldn't even try to drain it.  The first dose wore off that night and I didn't have the coordination to get into my backpack and find the bottle.  I saw the gun and thought "that will fix the pain," but luckily couldn't control my hands well enough to load it either.  At some point, I must have passed out, because I woke up in the floor a lot more coherent, found the Norco and went to bed.

There was no thought whatsoever of what would come after, just that the pain would go away.

Yes, exactly! You are in so much pain that you just aren't thinking rationally.  Of course, now you look back and realize it would have been a huge mistake to shoot yourself over an absess. But for that moment, it seemed like the best solution.

That guy with the flare gun...I don't even want to think about it.  Phew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, LiterateParakeet said:

Yes, exactly! You are in so much pain that you just aren't thinking rationally.  Of course, now you look back and realize it would have been a huge mistake to shoot yourself over an absess. But for that moment, it seemed like the best solution.

Yeah...stabbing myself was a much better option.

(Sunday morning the swelling was finally down enough to peel my lip back and see where I needed to lance the darn thing.  Revolting, but ~90% of the pain was gone within minutes, and the dentist couldn't find any fault with it Tuesday when I could get in.  This is why I keep a few types of sterile scalpel blades around and a needle-type bottle of peroxide.  Good thing I didn't spot those right after I got back from the ER or I might have carved off a chunk of my face to lance it from the outside.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest LiterateParakeet
42 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Yeah...stabbing myself was a much better option.

(Sunday morning the swelling was finally down enough to peel my lip back and see where I needed to lance the darn thing.  Revolting, but ~90% of the pain was gone within minutes, and the dentist couldn't find any fault with it Tuesday when I could get in.  This is why I keep a few types of sterile scalpel blades around and a needle-type bottle of peroxide.  Good thing I didn't spot those right after I got back from the ER or I might have carved off a chunk of my face to lance it from the outside.)

Yikes!  That makes me feel faint just reading it, but you know, my hubby would have done the same thing.  You guys are nuts!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, LiterateParakeet said:

Yikes!  That makes me feel faint just reading it, but you know, my hubby would have done the same thing.  You guys are nuts!  

One stinging stick and a few minutes of trying not to barf compared to spending another two days waiting for the swelling and accompanying ache to go away or the dentist to do the same thing.  (Although if the dentist - or that ER doc, for that matter, since that's what I was hoping for when I went in - had done it, I wouldn't have been looking in the mirror at what was flowing out.)  Not a hard choice to make.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share