I can understand my partner’s concern when he glanced over my shoulder and saw me searching for the 11 quickest, painless, easiest ways of killing yourself. Of course, he didn’t feel any better about my “interest” on the sensitive subject when I responded with, “no need to worry yourself. It’s just for an article I’m working on!”
“So, you’re just helping others who are unhappy with their lives find a way out? That’s still effed up!”
Of course, those are not my intentions and speaking from experience, if one is that serious about ending their life the last thing on their mind is, “Hey! Let me jump on Google real quick and see how I can go about this.” Nope. Chances are, they are going to find the closest toxic substance and start chugging, look for a rope and tie a noose around their neck or grab a gun if they have access and pull the trigger. In fact, according to WHO (World Health Organization), those are the three most common suicide methods across the globe, with firearms typically being the weapon of choice and the leading cause of suicidal death by a whopping 51%. Surprisingly, 25.9% of folks who don’t have access to a firearm will go out by suffocation or hanging and 14.9% will poison themselves. So sad considering suicides are 100% preventable, yet remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Whether you, yourself have suicidal tendencies or not, it is important to know the warning signs of suicidal behavior. Things like, talking about wanting to die; looking for a way out; having no reason to live; being a burden to those around them; feeling hopeless, helpless, trapped or in unbearable pain. But sometimes these warning signs of suicidal intent are not so obvious. Sudden changes in one’s behavior such as severe mood swings, one turning to or increasing the use of drugs or alcohol, reckless or vengeful behavior, extreme changes in sleep patterns, or an abrupt sense of disconnection or isolation can also be an indicator that someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts. And disastrously, sometimes there are no warning signs at all.
Take, for example, a dear friend of mine who coincidentally took his life during the making of this very article. Such a sweet fellow who was always smiling. One minute he was arguing with his girlfriend, and the next he was gone! Surely, not their first argument, but sadly their last. Makes you really think about how one can just snap like that; how one can feel so incredibly shitty about a situation that they do the unthinkable.
Although it may have seemed like a perfect solution at the time, the decision he made that night will forever haunt the love of his life, as well as his loved ones. In that moment, he was probably thinking she would be better off, but he couldn’t have been further from the truth! This is why they say that suicide isn’t painless.
Another horrifying example would be the brother of an ex of mine. Disappeared one day out of the blue and was not heard of for months. Obviously, his family and friends were devastated when they realized what had happened to their beloved son/brother/husband/father, but the two young boys who stumbled upon his frozen body hanging from a tree in the woods will forever be scarred, as well.
When one is in such a bad state and hurting that much, they don’t think about those that love them they will be leaving behind. They don’t think about the image that will be forever burned into the memories of those who find their lifeless bodies. They only think about ending their pain and suffering. They wouldn’t wish the emotional torment they endure on their enemy’s, yet they transfer the pain they felt to their loved ones like a debt and it’s just not fair to anybody!
Trust me, coming from someone who never felt that she was worth the air in her lungs, these thoughts and feeling can be overcome. And although I really like the suggestions Atif made in 10 Easiest, Painless Ways of Killing Yourselves Quickest sometimes talking, exercising, getting high or finding a meaningless lay just doesn’t do the trick. By all means, if you find yourself contemplating suicide don’t hesitate to talk to someone about it. But in most cases, you feel like no one cares enough to even listen. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline has people willing to talk you through whatever it may be that you find yourself dealing with around the clock!
For myself, and many others I imagine, talking to a complete stranger who doesn’t know me from a can of paint means nothing! Overcoming suicidal thoughts was truly something that had to come from within. It was something that a few failed suicide attempts and a near-death experience helped me realize I didn’t want. In fact, many others like me felt a sense of relief upon surviving a failed suicide attempt. And no, I’m not saying that trying to kill yourself and failing will help. Don’t go that route! Just take my word for it!
Ultimately, I had to fight off my own demons and recognize my self-worth. They say that you should understand that you have not always been in this state of mind and will not always be stuck with these thoughts and feelings. For me, that was a lie. I had been battling these thoughts and flirting with the idea of suicide since childhood, always hiding behind a smile and a keen sense of humor. It was all I knew until just a few years ago, and although I envisioned every item on this list of the 11 quickest, painless, easiest ways of killing yourself as a possible means to the end of my misery, I wouldn’t suggest a single one to anyone, and even though these methods are considered to be the easiest ways out, just think of the pain you will be in if they fail, because more often than not they do! Think about that.
11. Jumping from a building
This seems like a horrible way to go out. Although the fall only takes a couple seconds, they will probably be the longest few seconds of your life and you’ll probably regret it the entire time! Even more so if the jump was not from a high enough building, or broken by a hard enough surface. Jumping from a bridge or building into water is even worse, with even more factors to take into consideration.
10. Anesthesia
On an operating table, the odds of actually dying from the anesthesia is relatively low. It does happen, however, and more, now than it did years ago, apparently. But we’re not talking about dying on an operating table. Honestly, anesthesia is so touchy and can be so dangerous, that if not given by a professional, so many things could go wrong that it would be hard for it not to be fatal!
9. Poisoning/pesticides
One could poison themselves with any one of a number of different toxic substances. I don’t see why they would, though. Although it is one of the most common methods of suicide, it certainly seems like a horrible way to go. One’s organs could shut down immediately, or they could suffer a number of different horrifying side-effects. Our bodies are pretty resilient and will try to fight the poison off, so one could suffer for days before their body gives up. One could pass out and choke on their own vomit. But chances are, you will regret your decision and call an ambulance, or someone will find you and call one for you! Survival is often accompanied by brain damage or damage to other vital organs.
8. Lethal injection
There is no one true substance that is used in all lethal injections. In fact, any harmful drug or substance injected into the body intended to cause immediate death can be considered a lethal injection. But most commonly, a 1 to 3 drug concoction is used depending on where you’re at in the country. And actually, some countries solely use a lethal dose of anesthetic to get the job done. Midazolam, pentobarbital, sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride are all commonly used in different combinations. Although many will feel like their bodies are burning from the inside out or even gasp and choke for some time prior to death.
7. Drug overdose
I won’t get into the number of different drugs one could overdose on. Aside from marijuana, they can all be fatal, and it depends on what type of drug one overdoses on that would determine what kind of physical and/or mental symptoms they will encounter. However, the side-effects of drug overdose are much like that of self-poisoning. Depending on the type of drug one may find themselves in a short sense of euphoria before their body starts to shut down on them. But typically, one’s body will start to shut down immediately. They may have a very hard time breathing or even vomiting profusely. Sounds like fun… NOT!
6. Gunshot to the head
I know what you’re thinking. How is a gunshot to the head not in the number one spot of the 11 quickest, painless, easiest ways of killing yourself? Believe it or not, I know someone who shot them self in the head—and lived through it! He was, actually in better shape and recovered more quickly than another friend of mine (coincidentally, his cousin) who had an accident on a construction site. Granted, the odds of surviving a gunshot to the head is a low 5%, but even that seems surprisingly high.
5. Jumping in front of a train
You see in the movies people jumping in front of trains and that’s that. But sometimes, that’s not that! It’s one of those things that don’t seem like one could survive… but they can! You ever wake up in the morning and feeling so sick that you feel like you have been hit by a train (or a bus)? Yeah, well, imagine lying in a hospital after actually having been hit by a train and lived to survive it. That head cold you woke up to last week won’t seem so bad!
4. Hanging
I always thought that when one hangs themselves they break their neck and die. I guess that’s a best-case-scenario, and typically, not the case. Hanging is actually a form of suffocation which not only cuts off the supply of oxygen to the lungs but restricts the arteries that carry blood to one’s brain. Both can cause asphyxia. The pressure can also cause cardiac arrest.
3. Carbon monoxide inhalation
I almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning when I was a child. Not on purpose! I felt no pain, and in fact, it went undetected in my body with hardly any side effects for so long that it almost killed me! This was from a small leak in the furnace and it did not affect my mother as severely as it did me in the end. When one inhales large amounts of carbon monoxide at once, their body’s oxygen begins to be replaced with this harmful gas and eventually become unconscious. Obviously, this can be fatal, but it can also lead to severe brain damage if it’s not.
2. Shotgun to the head
A gunshot to the head and a shotgun to the head, while seem the same, are two different things. As mentioned, one can survive a gunshot to the head. A shotgun, however? WAY less common. I wouldn’t want to be the one who finds someone who used a shotgun as a method of suicide. I wouldn’t want to be the one to find ANYBODY dead for any reason, but this seems exceptionally gruesome. Almost as gruesome as the next…
1. Decapitation
This is the only form of death I could really find that there is zero chance of survival. It is also the most gruesome. For one to cut off their own head with or without the use of a guillotine… I don’t even want to imagine! One would almost need another party there to aid them in their decapitation in order to make it quick and painless. But then, it wouldn’t be the quickest, painless, easiest way of killing YOURSELF, would it. One could still pull it off alone, but they may also realize just how much they would be missed if they bring up the idea to someone else. Even if a complete stranger offered me a million dollars to chop off their head, I’d let that stranger know they are special in many ways and their life is worth more than that.
