There are books about suicide, and I sometimes hear it suggested that a person who is considering killing themselves should read about it first. Often finding out how easily it can go wrong will tend to discourage people from trying it themselves. Legally I don't think that they want to allow medical professionals to help, because so many people manage to do it even without help. Already in many parts of the world suicide is beating accidents, terrorism, and many health conditions. I think in Japan they have the biggest problem with suicide. They even have suicide parties. Their efforts to educate people are beginning to have an effect, and the numbers are starting to go down. Or so I read.

On one hand, if it isn't your life to do with as you choose, whose life is it anyway? On the other hand, it really isn't just your life to do with as you choose because you are a part of other people's lives. People you never knew existed are used to seeing you on a regular basis and they would wonder where you went. This goes double for being online. The more you participate online, the more likely it is that thousands or tens of thousands of people are watching you. That doesn't even begin to address family and friends. Even people who don't like you - and we all have them - still count on seeing you on a regular basis. It is your life, but all those people think that you are a part of their life and they would feel your absence.

Something to think about. There was a rule started about threads where people say they are leaving the forum. They were discouraged because they tend to make people sad. Some people find it triggering even. This isn't suicide; this is just choosing not to come back to the forum. It offers an interesting parallel. It shows you how people feel about losing someone even just from their online life. It doesn't matter that they've never met in person, and it is possible they've never even posted a reply to that person. All that matters is that the person said they are leaving and not coming back and they feel like part of themselves is being torn away, too.

And there are many ways of addressing chronic pain, you know. Unfortunately most people end up having to do a lot of the research themselves, because their doctors are too busy. They do this research and many end up joining discussion and support groups online where they can tell you what worked for them and what was a waste of time. It isn't just you and your local library, all by yourself, anymore. When you do manage to overcome it, you're still around to offer support to people going through the same thing.