Is boredom a good enough reason to commit suicide?

I was doing a bit of research into suicide - I am convinced that more and more people are being so 'bored' and uninspired in their daily grind that there are many people out there contemplating suicide as they cannot imagine getting any great pleasure from remaining alive.

I think this is an interesting point:

One man's post summed it up for me:

"I am a 44 year old white professional male. Atheist by the way. Most would consider me successful, and probably even say I seem happy. But here is the thing, for a long time I was very goal driven, but I no longer am. Mostly I am just bored. I am just tired of the game of life. I am married to a good woman, a decent, hard working, kind woman, but one who is not terribly affectionate. But I suppose that is ok. I have three good kids. They are smart and hard working kids and I am sure their future is bright. But they are pretty much on autopilot now. There is not much more I can do for them other than some financial support (can you say life insurance?). So I ask myself; What do you want? I don't have an answer. I don't think there is anything I really WANT. Love? Sex? Affection? Adventure? Travel? Wisdom? Money? Validation? Those are all just mirages - they are temporary at best. I have seen and done a lot in my life. I am not sure that seeing and doing more is going to change my feeling of boredom. So why pursue these things? Why put any energy or effort into the pursuit of things that I am pretty sure will not make me feel any different? I am not really sad or depressed. I am just unimpressed with what life offers. As I think about all this, it just seems silly to keep playing a game that brings me no real pleasure. It just seems like cashing in my chips and letting my wife and kids get some life insurance is an entirely valid option. I know some life insurance policies have suicide clauses (which I do not think mine has), but even so I could probably make it look like an accident. And please do not tell me your religious reason's for not committing suicide. If you want to believe in an imaginary friend in the sky who listens to your problems as you kneel beside your bed, then fine. However, I do not believe. If you want to offer an opinion on this issue please give me one that is based upon rationality. The bottom line is: What is the purpose of life?"

answers.yahoo.com...

Is it that modern day life has no meaning? Have we been "oversold" in our expectations by the media...or is there a growing ennui where people would rather just 'opt out'?



Added 'ex' tags and a link

[edit on 30/9/09 by masqua]

reply to post by chillpill


Alright. To answer your question. NO.

Now that's out of the way, here is a some what good reason if anybody ever had one.

Say you get diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. The doctors give you 6 months to live. Those six months will consist of heavy medication, bed rest and of course, a lot of pain.

Now if one chose to end his life before having to go through such an ordeal, I do not see fault in that.

Anything else, you are an idiot.

I find that the media and others UNDER sell how much fun life can be, and all the things you can do.

It is them who drive people to depression and anxiety by attempting to shape their lives to their standards, versus them tailoring the programming and news to what we want.

There is in all honesty no good reason to commit suicide, but in my opinion the one listed above is acceptible.

~Keeper

I would say alot do, boredom is a very important factor.

If you do not have anything that you want, life can be so boring, thats why you need to have goals. But i know what it is like to not want anything in this world, and that makes life boring, but you should never commit suicide.

Boredom can really get to you, though, but you should never commit suicide. Life is rotten for most of us, and only criminals and scum enjoy life as they enjoy ruining others lifes.

True peace comes from within, and you need to focus in there, and try to attain that.

You're absolutely right.

The fun of life isn't where you end up -- but how you get there. It's the "trip," so to speak, not arriving at the destination.

In short, No.

IMO, the guy should seek out a position manning the phones for a suicide hotline. (!)

By doing so he would most certainly come to the realization that there are others out there with Far more "serious" conditions, situations and/or self-justified "reasons" for doing the same.

At the same time, and by doing so, he would most likely find that "Thing", that "Spark", he seeks in life. (?)

his purpose.

[edit: to add]

If nothing else, he Wouldn't be bored with life nor himself.

[edit on 30-9-2009 by 12m8keall2c]

i think boredom can come from unconscious fears, so that may be a reason behind it.

sometimes i think people just yearn to go home...

love and light

ps

We are all familiar with the Kodak story aren't we.

"I've done my goal in life, why wait".


Personally the guy just needs help.

Not sure if boredom is a good cause to commit suicide.

But his kids and wife, are the exact opposite, they are the reasons he shouldn't!

I'm sure this will pass for him, he's going through one of those freudonian stages...

They can be quite rough.

I learned in life very early, i think in primary school, that you need to have peace within, when the world is such a horrendous place you do not want to live in it.

Anyone here feeling low, go read some books on buddhism, and try to have some goals in life.

Being bored is part of life like i said, only monsters are content with life and how they treat others with disgraceful actions that thats a way to get pleasure in there existence.

Remember people are tortured all over this world, and how do they get through, when they have no one there, its themselves. The people torturing them will never stop and they get great joy out of that power and seeing another person wrecked. So you need to look within.

Its the same for all of us, you should never commit suicide, but you should understand that most people are rotten, and enjoy seeing others destroyed. Its something that people that are tortured learn. Its a lesson for all of us.

Only real peace is within, you will never get it from jerking of, pissing into someone, holding hands, and fooling yourself your in love or whatever is your boat. Yourself is the only way to find peace.

[edit on 9/30/2009 by andy1033]

Ive get the answer...... Start playing Call of Duty. Either one 4 or 5 it dosent matter. They are both good.

Get a dog? Do something. Dont sit there and moan about your success.... Help someone who actualy needs it.

MessOnTheFED!

Originally posted by MessOnTheFED!
Ive get the answer...... Start playing Call of Duty. Either one 4 or 5 it dosent matter. They are both good.

Do not play call of duty from my experience, violence and thoughts of it are the last things you need. If your feeling bad and suicidal, stay away from violent things.

Life doesn't come with a meaning. It is what we chose to make of it.

To be "uninspired" or "bored" or "empty" is one's own fault, not a fault of life.

Besides, suicide being the easy way out and a sorry excuse no matter how you look at it (although I do agree that it is their right to chose such), the quoted person was a father! That means his life is not entirely his to do with as he so chooses. His life partially belongs to his off-spring to which he is accountable to (and the off-spring of his off-spring). I can't imagine someone so deluded with self-importance that they would forsake their obligation to their own children!

It makes me laugh when I see statistics of how the vast majority of people would want to live forever, yet suicide rates are on the increase.

No one is here in this world to babysit you and give you something worthwhile to live for. The whole purpose of childhood is to explore the world and find one's place within it, and to find a life's purpose to live. Life isn't going to hand one to you. There are an infinite number of reasons (or at least 6+ Billion reasons) to live...all one has to do is find one of those reasons that moves one the most. I hardly think that this individual has exhausted all possible motivations. They would rather wallow in their self-pity (again, self-importance) than take the effort to find themselves and their place in the world.

I'm not a big fan of religion, but it almost sounds to me like this atheist either needs to drop his over-inflated Ego or he needs to find himself a religion like yesterday.

After all, what did the Xtian/Jewish/Muslim God do when he was bored and there was nothing but himself? He created! That's sounds like a pretty good example to live by to me! If ever I were to find myself bored and with nothing around me creating something sounds like the greatest way to live, whether it be creating life, creating reason, creating art, creating literature, creating anything!

I do agree a dog might be a good choice for one who is missing an unknown something in life.

The unconditional love and affection of a dog is priceless IMO.

pffffffttttt

get on World of Warcraft and never get off.

the nthey can have a new slogan:

"World of Warcraft, the number one deterrent to suicide since 2005

"Get an e-life!"

im pretty sure depression is a big key in suicide

So boredom is not a good reason? What about no money to escape or get healthy or eat?
I died when I was 17. I have tried to understand why I was sent back. I learned a great deal in that place we call death, but what I have learned since returning is, why bother? No one cares anymore. They say words, with no real meaning behind them. They can't help their fellow humans in need right in front of them out of fear they will be scammed, or that there will not be something in it for them.

So why should we not have the choice to die? If I own my body and I am a free person, then who has the authority to tell me I have to go on living?

For months I have aksed for help, and YET NOT ONE SINGLE HUMAN BEING will help me. As much as my daughter may need me, the oh so high and mighty village, will help her if I am not around.

You tell him he needs help, and that he should want to live. For his family? For your peace of mind? What do you know of death? You only care if someone is dead or dying. You don't care about the living and those in need right now who want to live and survive.

But this man feels done with this plane of exsitence and you aren't even hearing him.

I know what he is saying, what is the purpose? If the world is going to go through mass upheavel in 2012 and there is nothing we can do to stop it. If the Government is going to force us into a socialist country and we can't stop them. Then where is our power?

If we can't stop anything or change anything, then shouldn't we at least have the right to our own fate? Regardless of being diagnosed with cancer or some other dreadful disease, his feelings are just as real as a physical issue.

We talk about our rights, then deny them to others. Christians call others heathens and yet the do the same things under different names.

And one other point, he is asking, not proclaiming. He wants to know , he wants to understand, And if in all of your responses he gets nothing, it is the answer. And in the end the choice is always ours to make. Because regardless of whether you believe in a God or not, we are not to judge, but to love.

Rev, if you make that choice, all I ask is don't take anyone with you and leave a detailed note so your family is not left with unanswered questions. As your right to decide is respected, respect theirs to stay alive.

reply to post by phi1618


woohoo! thats what I did...cept with everquest a few years ago. lol. GO GAMING!

Thanks ladies and gents

I am blown away by the mix of views - for, against and the humour behind it.

Originally posted by spiritwomyn
So boredom is not a good reason? What about no money to escape or get healthy or eat?
I died when I was 17. I have tried to understand why I was sent back. I learned a great deal in that place we call death, but what I have learned since returning is, why bother? No one cares anymore. They say words, with no real meaning behind them. They can't help their fellow humans in need right in front of them out of fear they will be scammed, or that there will not be something in it for them.

So why should we not have the choice to die? If I own my body and I am a free person, then who has the authority to tell me I have to go on living?

For months I have aksed for help, and YET NOT ONE SINGLE HUMAN BEING will help me. As much as my daughter may need me, the oh so high and mighty village, will help her if I am not around.

You tell him he needs help, and that he should want to live. For his family? For your peace of mind? What do you know of death? You only care if someone is dead or dying. You don't care about the living and those in need right now who want to live and survive.

But this man feels done with this plane of exsitence and you aren't even hearing him.

I know what he is saying, what is the purpose? If the world is going to go through mass upheavel in 2012 and there is nothing we can do to stop it. If the Government is going to force us into a socialist country and we can't stop them. Then where is our power?

If we can't stop anything or change anything, then shouldn't we at least have the right to our own fate? Regardless of being diagnosed with cancer or some other dreadful disease, his feelings are just as real as a physical issue.

We talk about our rights, then deny them to others. Christians call others heathens and yet the do the same things under different names.

And one other point, he is asking, not proclaiming. He wants to know , he wants to understand, And if in all of your responses he gets nothing, it is the answer. And in the end the choice is always ours to make. Because regardless of whether you believe in a God or not, we are not to judge, but to love.

Rev, if you make that choice, all I ask is don't take anyone with you and leave a detailed note so your family is not left with unanswered questions. As your right to decide is respected, respect theirs to stay alive.

I am very interested in your point of view - I love your attitude towards men and their lack of empathy and action...I am also interested in your experience with death.

Do you feel comfortable sharing?

I am always bored, I would say to the point where it could be seen as an illness. If there was such a thing as chronic boredom I think I would have it. It has been this huge weight on my shoulders since I was young that started in school. I would just sit and stare at the clock. I hated time. Sometimes when I think about living for another forty years or longer it seems like a long prison sentence while being mentally tortured.

The other day I was just sitting there and this feeling of ultimate peace came over me. It was like this state of contentment, blissful forgetfulness. Time no longer mattered. There are no words to describe it. I wondered if it would last forever, but it only lasted about thirty seconds. I was wondering if this is how some people feel all the time? If I could feel like that for only a few moments, then maybe that's how normal people feel when they are able to lead normal, happy lives?

Unfortunately it went away, and it is only a memory. I feel relieved to know that it is a possibility, but unfortunately I'll probably never feel that way again.

I don't think it's a good reason to commit suicide. But I could totally understand why someone would, especially if they were worse than me. I don't think anyone could really understand what it's like without being there.

Originally posted by fraterormus
Life doesn't come with a meaning. It is what we chose to make of it.

Thats a 100% wrong statement. Your life is not in your control, you cannot choose to live your life the way you want.

What about all the innocent people in jail, who have never commited a crime, but someone just hated them.

Life is not what you make of it.