I have had some viewers write, angry and/or offended because they felt in viewing my sites that I am trying to taking away their right to commit suicide.

In order to clarify my views, here is one such viewer e-mail and my response.

From an E-mailer to Suicidal.com:

"You do a very, very bad thing by trying to convince people that suicide is not an option.

Suicide should be legalized, it should be recognized to everybody the right to choose the moment of one's death.

Everybody should decide for his/her own death. That's all.

More specifically, I think the law should forbid forced confinement to mental-health institutions of persons who don't represent a danger to the society (I mean first of all suicidals).

I am not depressed nor suicidal, but if I was, if someone told me he/she was suicidal, all I would do would be to inform them about the methods, chances and statistics."

Reply From Suicidal.com

I believe in the legal right to commit suicide too.

But isn't it better that it is "illegal" so that the police can at least try to stop someone who is rashly throwing their life away over a relationship break-up or before trying to get help for depression and things like that ??

Would you not be grateful if the police found someone you loved trying to jump off a bridge and saved them ??

At the same time, we all know that no one can really stop a person from committing suicide if they really want to - I knew that when I was suicidal.

I actually tell people on my site that they can always do it later, but I am urging them not to do it now - just to put it off, hoping, of course, that time for treatment will save them.

In this, I am acknowledging that "right" to suicide.

Knowing I always had that choice, that way "out," was of critical importance to me in considering whether I would stay alive for another day or not.

How I Felt: How Bad Was My Depression
http://suicidal.com/siteindex/feelings.html

Many people have attempted suicide and someone found them and saved them. MANY of these same people will tell you now, that they are extremely grateful that their life was saved and they are alive today.

Of course, regardless of the law, a person is always free to try it again if that's what they want - and we know that many do succeed.

If someone you loved was trying to kill themselves, would you not ask, implore, beg, plead, reason, encourage, cry, wail and moan for them not to do it and to try to get help or ask them to wait, give it a chance, etc. ???

That is all I am doing.

People tell me "Thank You" on a daily basis for helping them have hope, or see clearer, or not feel so alone, and often for saving their lives. I don't see that as a bad thing.

Melody Clark
Suicide.com / Suicidal.com