How do you deal with people who insist there is no hope? I recently tried to talk an anon out of suicide. I don't even know if he was really considering it. At the same time, others were egging the anon on, whether they thought he was serious or not.I

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File: 1445140793772.jpg (400.29 KB, 1024x685, 1024:685, hope.jpg)

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 03:59:53 d1b924 No.124

How do you deal with people who insist there is no hope? I recently tried to talk an anon out of suicide. I don't even know if he was really considering it. At the same time, others were egging the anon on, whether they thought he was serious or not.

I was called out on my attempt to persuade the anon not to commit suicide. Admittedly, I wasn't the best with words. But I had to try. But I was mocked for trying, for being optimistic. They argued it was pointless. They told me not to try to help.

I just don't know what to say when people believe things like this.

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 05:57:48 e9ec71 No.125

>>124

chan culture is notoriously negative, pessimistic and sociopathic when it comes to things like this

bless you for trying to help anon

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 09:20:51 8b3998 No.127

File: 1445160055229.gif (460.4 KB, 500x375, 4:3, therethere.gif)

>>124

I'm not sure there is much to say to those who are so jaded that they would try to discourage you from helping a suicidal person. What board was this?

I would just ignore them, to be honest. The only way someone can come to realize that hope is real is to be shown. That's part of why this board was created; someone needs to be the one to show hopeless anons that, contrary to what they might believe, others can help them with their problems. It's even more convincing when we get no personal gain from it. It's not like volunteering on /hope/ can be written off on your taxes or paraded around in public: we're on an imageboard.

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 11:39:15 2d41de No.128

>>124

from my (limited) experience dissuading suicides on /k/:

>recognize that you're not a suicide councilor.

be with them, but don't act like you know what you're doing. try to get them to contact a hotline or go in for an emergency eval (the latter is easier IRL, the former OTI).

>reaffirm that life is good, even if it seems bad

make arguments from brain chemistry. as a bipolar, I know there are days where I want to leave my gf, burn all my possessions and then run my car off the roads….then there's the next day where I love life. make sure they know brainchemistry can make or break their worldview.

>if all else fails, be brutally honest with them about the mechanical results of suicide.

be it a gunshot, OTC medicine, hanging or even the so-called exit bag: ALL suicide methods are both extremely painful and have a chance of failure that will make you either retarded or severely disabled. make sure they know this, and if need be, show them people who've blown off their faces and lived, or describe blood acidification in detail.

make sure they know that going from hopeless to hopeless, retarded, blind and deaf-mute isn't an improvement.

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 16:09:28 d1b924 No.130

>>127

>What board was this?

It was /v/. This was the thread. https://8ch.net/v/res/6564816.html#q6568732 There was another thread with the identical first post, but that thread isn't up anymore.

I'll admit I came across as really preachy. I had no idea what I was doing. I really didn't think hard enough about choosing my words carefully, and just used a different argument I'd made before. It really didn't fit here. If I'm being honest, I was helping for my own conscience more than anything else, which isn't how it should be.

Post last edited at 10/22/15 (Thu) 14:33:20

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 18:54:43 8b3998 No.132

File: 1445194484078.png (47.86 KB, 333x286, 333:286, toochivalrousforthis.png)

>>130

Wew, lad. I read your posts. You certainly could have been more tactful. Also it looks like it was some kind of joke and OP probably wasn't actually suicidal. But don't beat yourself up about it, you must be blessed with a really strong conscience if your first reaction to a possible suicide is that vehement. Remember that God gave you a conscience so that you'd act on it, friend. Helping for the sake of it is no sin.

Try to calm down and think before posting next time, though.

Anonymous 10/18/15 (Sun) 23:04:21 000000 No.139

The ultimate hope is for life eternal in heaven:

Act of Hope prayer:

O my God, relying on Your almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Your grace and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Anonymous 10/19/15 (Mon) 00:28:47 609a03 No.141

>>124

As an above poster stated, imageboard culture is hugely nihilistic and evangelically negative. Regardless of whether he was serious or not, or whether you had an impact, your actions demonstrate genuine good intentions, and are admirable. If more people were instinctively compelled to help others from the abyss, then less people would slide into it.

Anonymous ## Board Volunteer 10/19/15 (Mon) 03:17:55 d99f28 No.143

>>141

This. The important part is putting yourself out there and being willing to try. Don't let yourself become desensitized to this sort of thing (I know its easy on the internet, and especially on 8chan). Indifference is our greatest enemy.