An Honest Look Into Suicide, Near Death Experiences, and the Afterlife

reply to post by Dragonsbreaths


Dragonsbreaths, I have to respond to your post.

First of all, I am so very sorry to hear about your diagnosis of terminal cancer. I know this is not an easy time for you, but I need you to know that you are wrong about death being nothing but total blackness and silence. I think you are in for a very pleasant surprise when your time does come.

A number of years ago, I was in a coma in the ICU for almost a month. I had some very interesting experiences during that period of time and the one thing that I can assure you about is that there definitely is life after death. I guess the best way that I can explain it is that dying in this life is actually more like waking up on the other side which is our true life. It's like this life that we have here and now is really nothing but the dream, an illusion if you will, and when we die in this life, that is when we truly wake up to who and what we really are.

You don't need to believe me if you don't want and that's okay. But I hope you won't mind me telling you "I told you so" when I see you over there on the other side some day. I wanted to stay there back then, but it wasn't my time yet.

reply to post by ThichHeaded


Jesus died however to set us free, free to live life more fully, and maybe even have some fun.

I apologize again, and I am just totally greatful that you are still with us.

And we can always agree to disagree.

Yes, Jesus could have walked right out of the Garden of Gesthemene, into the desert, and probably he would have done well for himself somewhere else far away, and he did not. He willingly gave his life for a higher purpose, clashed with the elite of his time, and then robbed the devil blind, true, there was even a robbery!

And Jesus said - I ask for mercy, not sacrifice. He repeated that often.

Jesus loves you dearly, and you do not HAVE to committ suicide, since you have freedom, but you ARE unconditionally loved by God, but it's a waste of time, and wouldn't serve the same kind of purpose.

He's been there so you don't have to die prematurely, and it can't be THAT bad..?

Thank you so much for making a post.

I was worried about you man.

And i will say it again, if the idea is an obsession or an addiction of thought, then like any addict you might not be able to get over it alone. There's so much love in the world, just reach out and you'll see, it's not as bad as they say..

If you do freely choose to stay, that's a big deal you know, a very meaningful suffering indeed, almost like a reverse cross of Jesus in a way, and I don't mean ant-Christ you know what I'm saying.

And your posts and threads are meaningful, and there are even people in your future, if you want them to be there, who will be needing you very much and you them, that's all I can say.

I had a very vivid dream many years ago of being thrown into what resembled a padded cell with a feeling of complete isolation.

At the time I knew "this is what happens if you commit suicide".

Don't know exactly what happens, but although the dream wasn't scary, it shook me up a bit for some reason.

reply to post by sapient


I am sorry I have to disagree. But then that is why I said what you see depends on what you believe. I am non religious so I do not have the preconceptions of any form of after life.
Altho these days I have to admit some times it is hard to define what is real and what is not. I just can go by what I have seen and experienced. I seem to get a lot of audio hallucinations, with no idea if they are drug related or caused by something else. So make me wonder if many things now days are real or memorex to put it lightly.
Bottom line is death can not be that bad not many come back and complain about it.
Thanks for your thoughts tho...

I believe if you don't succeed at killing yourself (an ironic way to put it), then your problem is not fate but your methodology or your luck. I say that because of all the people who do manage to hang themselves or intentionally overdose. It's nice to say it was there time, but I don't believe it. I believe we have a degree of free will and I can choose to take my life or not. I have contemplated suicide in the past but it never seemed a logical choice. Even the most painless methods possible (believe me I researched this stuff and pharmacology-wise and all) are too scary for me to comprehend. I always concern myself with the details. What happens after you die? What if it's nothing? What if it's hell? How will my body look after death (HINT: Never good)? What if I don't succeed and wind up brain dead or paralyzed or something?

Yeah. Suicide is not something I like to think about much anymore. No method is painless and they all scare me. Honestly, if you think a method is painless you're likely wrong. Only a few drug ones are likely to be, the rest and you're in for a gruesome and/or torturous demise.

Originally posted by ThichHeaded

Originally posted by NewAgeMan

Oh and Jesus didn't committ suicide that's not what happened there, just for the record

Yes he knowingly walked into that town and knew he was going to die. That is the same thing as me robbing a bank going out in front of a bunch of cops shooting a few rounds in a gun and having them shoot me..

See I would know robbing a bank, being armed and shooting the rounds would lead me to get shot and killed..

Same thing with Jesus, he went into that town knowing he was going to die on the cross for our sins..

So no you are wrong..

I have nothing else to say about this subject I will say out of the from this point on, I wanted to make this clear however.

Jesus willing died out of love so that sinners could be saved. He was being selfless. He knew others would gain eternal life by His death and their belief in Him. He didn't go in to town intentionally to be killed. He was brought there by soldiers so He really didn't have a choice unless He chose to selfisly save just His life and not all of ours.

I don't see it as being the same as suicide by cop or suicide at all. I don't see love involved in suicicide except perhaps for lack of love. Jesus loved us so He died so we may live eternally.

Jesus loves me and Jesus loves you too.

People commit suicide to no longer be a burden and as twisted as that may seem to some, to them it might be done out of love.

Originally posted by ChaosMagician
People commit suicide to no longer be a burden and as twisted as that may seem to some, to them it might be done out of love.

Thank-you for adding that perspective. It is one I had not thought of before and I am sure many others have not thought of either.

I can see why some people would commit suicide. If they are suffering from cancer, for instance. Cancer sometimes leads to a long, agonizing death. The best doctors can do is keep you drugged up. All the while, your family has to watch you wasting away. Ending it can seem like a way to end their suffering as well.

reply to post by Skid Mark


To some dont you think being in this F'd up world is bad enough.
I am just saying..

As you people have noticed i still breathe.. I have a few money related issues and cant be on the net now.(notice everything comes from greed that is a problem for most. If you dont have money you are screwed. what happened to back in the day people would do things out of kindness and stuff like that.)

Prime example of people who cant deal with life as is. greed, hate, power, ego.. Its all there.. why tf would anyone want this life in the 1st place.. I try to change it and nothing happens.. For the good souls out there, this is a problem because no matter what one does to change things for the better, 10 more things bad pop up in its place.. 1 step forward 3 steps back.. meh.... screw it..

reply to post by LAinhabitant


Black and white..
He knew he was going to die, and went into that town knowing he was going to die, provoked them people knowing he was going to die, and got killed knowing he was going to die.

It does not matter if he did it out of love.Those people on flight 93 committed suicide according to the offical report. Why did they do it? because they didnt want to hurt others..
No matter what it is all suicide, no matter it be a cross, plane, or 200 cops.. the end result is the same.. I could classify being a cop in its self a suicidal act if i wanted, or firefighter, or even signing up for war.. why because all these fields have a chance in someone dying in it and signing up for them you know the chance you may be dead.. knowing you might die on the field requires an act of suicide of sorts because you knowingly put yourself in that situation..

I can go on about this forever.. But meh.. I rather not.

There are so many people in the world fighting to live with every ounce of their being, trying desperately to stay a while longer. No matter how bad your past has been, you never know what might be around the corner. You may find hope and inspiration when you least expect it. You may find light somewhere in the darkest corner.

Never close yourself off so completely that you fail to give yourself a chance. That one chance that can make all the difference in the world. That chance that could bring change and something better your way. You are still young and healthy and have potential. You have been through a lot and have been a warrior through it all. You are far stronger than you know.

Something I was thinking about. Would people who smoke, or over eat and have a heart attack be committing suicide? A question I've always wanted to know the answer to.

They know they are killing themselves, albeit a slow death. Why would this be any different from someone putting a gun to their heads, or hanging themselves?

reply to post by ThichHeaded


Feeling suicidal or depressed is such a heavy burden to bear. I have known the feeling myself and thought it was kind of weird that both of our childhoods are a bit similar.

My family consisted of 2 older girls and 1 younger boy with an emotionally unstable father and chruch going mother. Physical abuse from my dad was extremely rare, as my mom promised to have him arrested, but the violent tirades, cursing, terrorizing threats were pretty devastating for small kids who never know when and if he will flip out and make good on his violent promises. I think it's the worst part, living in constant fear.

He would also go into a violent fit about really trivial things, like no ice in the ice tray. I am not talking about a bit of normal frustration or annoyance. I mean he would go on violently cursing and screaming for like 30 minutes.

It's no surprise that my siblings and I have dealt with depression and/or suicidal thoughts from children and into adulthood.

My brother took our upbrining especially hard and was depressed/suicidal from around the age of 10 and eventually took his life at 21 in 2006. He also felt that the world was a crappy place and said all he ever wanted was a nice family. I suppose if your own family members treat you poorly, how can you expect anything better from strangers?

I am not a religious zealot, but I also came to the conclusion through my own depression that experiencing abuse or evil is part of a painful lesson that has to be learned in order achieve growth and transformation.

I have never diminished the pain that my brother felt and his reasoning for wanting to end his life, but I do not believe some people are predestined for suicide while others are not. Instead, I feel that if a person becomes overwhelmed with some experience, that God will allow us to make our own decisions as he does with all of our other life choices.

I also believe that God will always help us in anything we ask that will help us to better develop in a positive way. A prayer to win the lottery or have a porsche, may not be fulfilled, but a prayer to heal us to make us a better person will not be denied.

I came to a point where I realized the way I was treated was wrong and I would never want to treat another human being that way, even though it was done to me. Even after accepting by my own free will, that it was wrong, I still had the emotional scars. I committed myself and prayed to God and asked to be heal. There was no way I felt I could help anyone or do any good in the world with the huge hole in my heart. It felt like a piece of my heart was missing. I just talked to God honestly about how I felt and asked him for guidance and supernatural love that would heal my wounds and help me get rid of those bad character traits I had learned.

It doesn't matter that you are 37. God's love is so powerful that it can heal you, if you ask, AND you can tell him that you need a companion to help you on the rest of your journey. Of course, if you really want to be dead, then he may not stop you, but there is no reason you can't feel God's love here on Earth. The Righteous God is the God of the Living.

Originally posted by amongus
Something I was thinking about. Would people who smoke, or over eat and have a heart attack be committing suicide? A question I've always wanted to know the answer to.

They know they are killing themselves, albeit a slow death. Why would this be any different from someone putting a gun to their heads, or hanging themselves?

I agree with you and this very argument was bought up in the "Conversations with God" ( By Neale Donald Walsh ) book series. The author expressed the same observation as you have stated.

reply to post by casijones


I have read that story, and a few similar ones before. The religious types want you to believe the biblical version only, or the '___' release, and that you will be judged by Jesus or someone. I have had the NDE experience twice, and have spoken to a few "dead" people about the Afterlife. I also had a chance to examine the famous "Light." and discovered what is is, and does. The Afterlife is much like the Nexus in Star Trek "Generations." Whatever you want is there for you, and you can stay as long as you wish, and leave anytime. The only judge is yourself. After all, who would be a better judge of your life than you?

No one could or would want to argue that your life has not been complete hell. I myself have been abused as a kid and went through things i wish i had never went through. But as to your theory that suicidal people are merely fulfilling a purpose i have to honestly disagree. If you look around you, everyone is constantly making decisions, these decisions are reactionary and they aren't part of some fate, that they are carrying out. I believe in total free will and the complete unstructuring of time. I would say that suicides are a result of a life lesson yet learned. If a lesson is to be learned by a suicide i believe it would be to the person who did it, and they would learn how wrong it is to end a precious gift such as life early. And i would feel comfortable saying it's a mistake ending your life because it's ending a gift you've been given.

This is not even considering if you have any friends or family that will be effected. I know first hand how much suicide can effect someone. I and most people reading most likely know the pain of losing someone.

This is just my response and personal opinion to this thread. I believe we do come here to learn lessons. I just don't believe that comitting suicide teaches others anything but how to cope with intense sorrow. But we learn that from other things, and naturally. Through old age deaths, etc. In closing and to recap my statement. I believe suicide will only teach the person who comitted suicide that they should not commit suicide.

Quoting ColbyNathan:

This is not even considering if you have any friends or family that will be effected. I know first hand how much suicide can effect someone. I and most people reading most likely know the pain of losing someone.

This is just my response and personal opinion to this thread. I believe we do come here to learn lessons. I just don't believe that comitting suicide teaches others anything but how to cope with intense sorrow.

I have to agree with you, first hand experience speaking here, when a person commits suicide, they cause pain and suffering among those left behind, trying to cope. The only way I could ever see suicide as a viable option is if one had a terminal illness and was going out anyway. We are here, on 3D Earth, in these carbon based, biological/mechanical/electrical bodies for a reason. To LEARN.
I strongly believe that suicides are ran right through, and sent right back here, with no rest and relaxation at all. And no doubt in the same situation as before. Plus, now the person has bad Karma to serve too.

reply to post by ThichHeaded


Where people go when they die, or more accurately, what they perceive when they die, is bound to the beliefs that one carries with them when they perish. This includes committing suicide. If one believes they will enter the void, whether consciously or subconscious (via not knowing where else they could go), thats where they will end up. On the other hand, if they believe they are simply exiting the body, and know of the other realms of existence (which are infinite in number and scope), they are more likely to be able to freely travel to mostly where they wish to go.

Having practice with OBE/AP in life dramatically assists in death. Even having lucid dreaming skill helps a good deal.

Reality, wherever that is, is largely shaped by what we believe. This is true in the physical, but the physical is slow to respond, and also responds only to strongest force shaping it, which is usually the added total of all those who believe the same thing. However in the Astral (or whatever you wish to call the adjacent realm to the physical), reality is shaped much more readily, and is in general very responsive to thoughts, emotions, beliefs, etc, but especially beliefs. If a person believes suicide is wrong, they will enter the reality that best matches their belief. If a fundy christian kills themselves, they will emerge in a hell that they believe is suitable for suicides. If an atheist kills themselves, they will appear in the great void, as they believed they would.

If someone kills themselves who believes they will be free of their body, has no powerful attachments to the physical (including unresolved karma (which could be generated via suicide, beware)), and believes in the sovereignty they have over their own eternal being, they will find themselves in a situation corresponding to that belief.

I believe it is all our rights to end our lives when we see fit. No life is the property of another, no matter what form either side takes. No one is obligated to live "just because", and there is no objective or intrinsic moral failure in killing oneself.

Death is only a gateway. However we reach that gateway is irrelevant; we all will find ourselves standing before it at some point. What is relevant is the direction we choose to go after passing through it. Most are not ready to walk through that door, hence fear of death from perceived incompletion. If one is ready, and knows the terrain, nothing is beyond their reach.

If you are ready, your future will be yours to command.

Hmmm... this is an interesting thread, although I'm not sure how to begin to reply.

I think all I can do is document my own experiences with suicide and death.

When I was 16, I tried to kill myself. Although I don't remember much of it. Apparently I was so physically ill at the time that my mind just stopped functioning normally. I started getting sick when I was about 13... so after three years of throwing up daily, passing out at least weekly, and tons of incompetent doctors not being able to tell me what was wrong, I finally gave up on all of it. Although most of the memories I have of my attempt is from a third person point of view. I ended up taking a lot of aspirin and then slicing open my wrists (even typing it out makes me shiver now, I'm actually scared of razors now because of my experience).
Anyway, I ended up bleeding for over 20 hours and when I was finally hospitalized I got over 57 stitches. I ended up in 3 different psychiatric hospitals and it wasn't until the third hospital when they finally figured out what was physically wrong with me. Apparently I had two very common and simple things that went unchecked for so long they almost killed me: GERD and anemia. Because I have piercings and am naturally thin, my previous doctors never tested me for anything... they just assumed I was some anorexic angsty preteen. Anyway, the GERD prevented me from eating normally (or keeping anything down) for years, which led to the anemia. My blood iron level at the time, was 3 (it should be over 50). So yeah, my physical ailments caused me to go completely insane and eventually led to my suicide attempt.

But that's just the facts, let's get to the conclusions. After my mind and body started to repair itself, I started to hate the fact that I tried to end everything. In my mind, suicide is the worst thing a person can do. I'm a believer in God, so I also believe that God gave us our lives. In a sense, my life was a gift, and by trying to end it, I was throwing that gift back into the face of God. After all, it wasn't my life to get rid of. I believe that even now, and it's been almost 7 years since my failed attempt. Even as I type this out, I feel guilty for the attempt. I feel like a selfishly ignorant person for even thinking that I had the right to end my own life. And all I can hope is that God forgives me for my shortsightedness.

I believe that I survived for a reason. I wasn't much of a believer in God or an afterlife before the incident. I remember lying in my bed, bleeding out, and not caring whether or not I was going to wake up (and when I say "wake up" I include waking up in some kind of afterlife. At the time I didn't care if it turned out that death was just nothingness.) And I think that's what caused my obsession with theology, death, and the afterlife. If I had died that night, so many accomplishments wouldn't have happened, so many people wouldn't have been met, and so many good times wouldn't have been had.

Interestingly enough, I ended up studying death in college. I have a B.A. in philosophy and Catholic theology - I chose those specific topics specifically because they offered the most information about death and the potentiality of an afterlife. Right now I'm dealing with the whole grad school application process. I want to get my M.A. in theological studies and eventually teach in Catholic schools or work in a hospice.
It was my suicide attempt which led me on this path. Failing to end my life and realizing what a horrible decision it was in the first place (when my physical illness finally left and the cloudiness in my mind dissipated) inspired me to learn more about the things in life that we can't possibly know. (Hah, I know it sounds silly - "learning about things we can't possibly know".)


Although I wish that I had never tried to end my life, my existence changed for the better after-the-fact. My advice to you is to continue to learn. Unlike me, it seems you're interested in educating yourself on the afterlife before you consider any kind of attempt (whereas I didn't educate myself on death until after I almost experienced it). That shows me that you are concerned about where you're going to go. If death was the only thing you wanted, 1. you wouldn't have posted your thoughts on an open forum, because other people's opinions shouldn't matter, and 2. you wouldn't care about where your soul ended up (if it even ended up anywhere).
So I recommend that you remember that. If anything, it's a good sign. Instead of putting your energy towards contemplating your own death - put your energy towards enlightening your mind. Killing oneself (or even trying) never does any good. At least, in my experience it doesn't.

Regardless, I hope you find the answers you're looking for, without hurting yourself in the process.

reply to post by xFloggingMaryx
I too have came to the edge of suicide, for physical pain, not the emotional pain of suffering through a horrific childhood. The only thing that stopped me was the emotional pain that I would inflict on all my loved ones who would suffer - and YOU CANNOT put a bandaide on emotional pain. I made it through, doctors helped me to walk again without pain, but now some 35 years later, i'm unable to walk-mainly hobble.

What I've learned through my bible study group is a wise fact.

I would rather die knowing there is a GOD and finding out there isn't; then
die believing there isn't a GOD and finding out there is.

Please think about that statement.

There have been so many instances of people dying and miraclously being brought back to life - sometimes even hours later - that should prove that GOD is intervening. GOD has both our birth dates and death dates in his book.

I know you were told to pray, but you've been let down. Even though I'm a Catholic, I LOVE the LDS (Mormans). In my darkest moments, they were at my house offering to help me in any way possible. If you need to reach out to anyone, please seek out the Mormans. I don't totally agree with their religious studies, but they are IN FACT hospitable and loving.

Please continue to reach out and study, and may GOD please ease your pain and suffering.