Unless you have actually dealt with the horrid, disabling conditions that mental illness brings forward you should not speak on this. Even as a friend or family member you do not know. For most who actually attempt suicide they are at the bottom rung, off the ladder...and for many it is the final call for help assuming they survive. The signs have been there, and many are/had been in treatment. Usually the individual is not thinking about anyone else at that time, they just are done. Get educated, individuals with mental illness do nothing to ask for the condition. It is a hard road to come back from, and usually lifelong and these individuals need your support.
I don't believe many would argue your reasoning. Sounds like you have some experience dealing with suicidal people.
Just MY stance, and means nothing. Suicidal people are not easily understood. Whether it be in the life they live and are lost in or by the mourners who see them buried.
Been a question I have wanted to ask since this thread got started. How about honor? Culture? I'm talking otb here but didn't Japanese Samuris consider suicide more honorable than defeat? The men who crashed their planes into Pearl Harbor were on a suicide mission. I don't believe any of them had a choice. It was dictated by some wacked out form of honor.
But when a person with no "honorable" reason takes their own life. I'm not always sure it is mental illness or a loss of the need to live life.
I have thought in my worst times about suicide, but never would do it. To selfish, very selfish.
Man, now that I re-read my post I'm not sure if you have a better point about mental illness than just emotional reaction. Most of us control our emotions to an extent. I truly believe anybody that commits suicide is mentally and emotionally drained, and it becomes there only end.
I'm not huge on any one or anther denominational faith. I was brought up Christian in a Presbeterian denomination. I'm not really a presby any more and rarely go to church. Would probably be better if I was. I think the Catholics are on to something though. Near immediate forgiveness. Confess and repent and all is good. But that's not my point. Believing in something good, having some basic rules enforced, and being surrounded by people who care makes a difference. That's my opinion and any one of them taken to an extreme could be damaging.
This post is not about religion.
I've pretty much lost my train of thought in this point of my ramblings. Suicide sucks. Any of us would stop another person from doing it, if we knew how.
All I can do as a person is try to be a good person to others and maybe recognize when they are having a hard time. Try to help them, be a friend, make tough calls if needed to drag them out of their tough times.
Smurf... if a person can't at least do that for their brother man/ sister. The world will fall apart faster than it is now.