by Joshua Mackle

Created on: October 23, 2008

Suicide. The very word is a taboo in itself. It's a topic that no one really likes to talk about or discuss, which is probably why it happens quite so often. It has been called the ultimate aggressive act. It is regarded as a sin in many religious teachings. Most of all, it is the end of a life.

What many people don't understand is while suicide is chosen, the majority of the time it is a spontaneous and sudden act. It's when pain exceeds the resources for coping with pain, when someone feels that they are coping with too much and cannot bear the weight any longer. Suicide is not an 'excuse' for anyone, weak or strong. It's not wrong or right, it's not a character defect or flaw, it's not a moral conflict; it is a morally neutral choice.

Suicide is generally more common in men. In 2006 statistics showed that three-quarters of suicides were among men, and the highest rate were of men of 75 and over. It was a similar case for women; the most common suicide rates were of women between the age of 45 and 74.

The big question is: can we ever justify the act of suicide? It's a difficult question, and one that must be approached with sensitivity and deep thought. Suicide must never be used as a throwaway term and must never be brushed under the carpet. It's a worldwide issue that affects both men and women of all ages.

On one side, no one has any real idea of how anyone else feels. Human emotions, thoughts and feelings are individually complex and the only person who can understand you is yourself. You may reach a point of depression where everything seems to be closing in and you feel you can't bear the pain any longer. Suicide seems the only way out to end the endless grief. I myself have had encounters with suicide, though thankfully none of them materialised, but in a strange way I can relate to those suffering people who reached for the gun, knife or pill and ended their lives once and for all.

On the other hand, suicide is not something that can be undone, resolved or otherwise. People who have taken their own lives and ended their pain have ruined other's lives and inflicted pain upon them. Imagine if you were to die; how many people would you be leaving behind? Stop to think about it: friends, family, workmates, acquaintances. When I think of how many young people we read about in the papers, it fills me with sadness. That person could've easily become someone - a film star, a successful businessman/woman, he/she could've changed the world. The possibilities are endless, and now no one will ever know, all because of one simple action, a simple motion that ended their life forever.

When it's all said and done, I can't find anything that could justify suicide, but I do still think it's an issue that's not talked about enough in the world and is something that's misunderstood in the eyes of many. Suicide is not a coward's way out, it's a cry for help. A plea for someone to reach out a hand and help them up before it gets too far. A voice that calls out for understanding. A cry for help that comes far, far too late.

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