Rational thoughts of suicide

[UpOnDown]

First, I'm nowhere near suicidal at present. I have PTSD and psychotic depression, and there have been times when I've been unwell and suicidal, and ended up in hospital.

However, I'm wondering whether it's possible for suicide to be the right choice if you've thought it through rationally, and feel that way even when you're well?

I have a number of physical health issues too, and with those as well as the effect of the MH issues, it seems like I'm just marking time/using resources. I'm used to those thoughts when unwell. but can it be a rational decision when well?

Bump, anyone?

I am sure it can be a rational decision when you are well.
Being sure you are well first is not as easy as it sounds....

I'm sure it feels like you are making a rational decision, but having lost a family member to suicide fairly recently, I can only say that from our perspective it seems anything but rational. Please try and get some more help even if you think you are ok at the moment.

I think it's only ever rational if you have something that will kill you soon, and in a horrible way, and if you've discussed it with others who can give feedback as to whether it is rational or not.

I always think my suicidal ideation is rational. From talking to others though, it's not. Have you been talking to people in RL about this? They might have a different perspective.

I've been thinking about this recently OP but I didn't know how to phrase it to start a thread.
It seems to me that it can be but then I think Donki has a god point as well...

I haven't talked to anyone in real life about it, I don't want them to worry or think I'm unwell.

Hugs fluffy, I'm so sorry to hear that.

It can be rational in certain circumstances; you're a Syrian and it's your only chance of escaping being an isis sex slave (many women killed themselves rather than been taken), you have a degenerative illness and want to kill yourself before you physically can't, you're in constant pain....

Now there's the thing. Can we justify it if that pain is emotional/psychological? What if there is no cure for that?

I don't know. I had severe issues for years, I think the only reason I didn't was because I was raised in a culture where it was deeply ingrained that you don't do that under any circumstances. I was worried there'd be a worse hell waiting.

Now I'm glad for that. Although there's no cure for me, I think I have reasonable control now. I still feel it most of the time but it's just a very strong feeling accompanied by intense imagery of what I want to do, what I should do, like a compulsion, it's very intense but I'm somewhat detached from it now. I think logically I don't want that so why do I feel that intense compulsion. I want it the way I may have wanted a cigarette when I gave up smoking only a thousand times stronger but I rationally don't want it. The emotional and rational side exist side by side with no interaction. Like two separate characters in one head. Although years ago there was no rational side to it. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone else.

I think that you have to focus on what can make you happy, find things you are interested in, feel a responsibility to carry on as long as possible. And when there's nothing there, hang on anyway and keep looking. Look at the want to suicide as a compulsion to detach from. Find the lucid, rational self.

Just because you intensely feel something doesn't mean you have to do it. If you have to lock yourself in your room with nothing to harm yourself with, you do it. I see it as never an option unless it absolutely has to be... It's not rational to react to the emotional.

Like Fluffy a close, young member of my family took their own life a few weeks ago and the pain we are now suffering is so difficult to bear. Please know we would do anything to be able to have them still in our lives and it is going to take a long time to recover. Please know you are loved and if you need help and support I beg you to seek this out.