Hello everyone, I am trying to develop an app to help those who are suicidal on a regular basis (such as myself.) I wanted to ask you a few questions if that is okay, and from your help this app can actually happen one day. 🙂 (Some of these questions are appropriated from metanoia.org. Check it out if you have time.)
What makes it so hard for you to stay?
What do you view suicide as?
How would you commit suicide?
On average, 6 people are intimately affected by the suicide of a friend, family member, etc. Who do you think would miss you the most? (Can be more or less than 6 people.)
Why would those people miss you so much?
What is the thing that brings you a bit of comfort your everyday life? (Activities, Journals, Talking with Friends, etc.)
What is the main signifier that helps you bring yourself back to reality?
What are 4 positive things that you would miss?
Would you use such an app if it were available?
Thanks so much for your time, and battle strong, warriors! 🙂
13 comments
I’ll answer your questions later because i just noticed how late it is over here, but the idea of making an app like that is great (i used to be an IT guy at some point in my life and i did play with the same idea, but my low attention span won that battle, haha). One thing tho… you might consider making it so that it’s purpose is not so obvious, because i’m guessing some people wouldn’t use an app like that out of fear of being judged (or discovered by friends/other people). Maybe that is pretty obvious, but it was the first (and biggest) roadblock i hit when considering the idea.
Hey Mf, feel free to any time. Thanks a lot for your feedback! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who considered, that’s pretty cool, haha. Oh yeah, of course…it’s a little dodgy with phone accessible options, but veiling it discretely would be a good way to go. I’ve seen only one app like this, but it was not functional. I think the anonymous aspect of SP really inspired me to try this on a wider platform that is non-judgemental and as helpful as possible…:) I have rarely seen people hate on each other here. (so far). Mods help I guess.
The loneliness, never being forgiven, and a hopeless future makes it hard to stay.
I view suicide as a way out.
I’ve attempted on painkillers.
Only my family would (parents, brother, aunts, uncle).
They would miss me because they would want to see me progress in life.
Work brings me comfort (I work at a daycare).
People need me.
Sushi (I know), family, education, and new experiences.
I would use an app such as this.
Hey maybeishouldgo, thanks for answering. Sushi is great, I would definitely stay to try it another day for such a nice meal. :’) Hang in there!
1. I’ve lost the love of my life and have PTSD and major depression.
2. The End
3. Gunshot to the head
4. No One
5. They wouldn’t care
6. I don’t know
7. My Pets
8. Not Sure
Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
1. My extreme anxiety and being a constant disappointment.
2. Relief.
3. Overdose of pills +alcohol.
4. My boyfriend and my immediate family.
5. One less person in their life to ask favors of.
6. Doesn’t really take me back to reality, just makes me happy, but videogames.
7. My kitties, boyfriend, videogames, and some family.
8. If it helped, I guess.
Thanks!! It’s sad that you feel this way. Hang in there.
What makes it so hard for you to stay? <- The fact that i have constant physical pain (which is getting worse, it's still endurable tho), social anxiety, and i'm just tired of trying over and over only to fail or have worse things happen.
What do you view suicide as? <- The final act of shame, but also a relief.
How would you commit suicide? <- A certain drug (nemb)
On average, 6 people are intimately affected by the suicide of a friend, family member, etc. Who do you think would miss you the most? (Can be more or less than 6 people.) <- In my case just one, my grandmother. Maybe my mother but she'd use it to become a victim in other peoples eyes (which defeats the purpose to me).
Why would those people miss you so much? <- Just guessing, but my grandmother: because i've lived with her almost all my life and we just get each other despite of our differences, and no one else seems to have that affinity with her (or with me). My mother: because she'd feel guilt (she really screwed up) and because she couldn't continue trying to make up for things to stop that guilt.
What is the thing that brings you a bit of comfort your everyday life? (Activities, Journals, Talking with Friends, etc.) <- Dark chocolate, coffee, playing guitar and singing (when health allows), videogames, drawing, listening to music, friendly interactions (when i perceive them as authentic), an occasional random deep talk with people.
What is the main signifier that helps you bring yourself back to reality? <- The few family i have left.
What are 4 positive things that you would miss? What i do for distraction (food, music, drawing) and those rare moments were people proves you wrong and you realize not everyone acts the same way.
Would you use such an app if it were available? Yup, but if i still had people around me i'd be wary of it due to the stigma associated to it.
Hello Mf! I haven’t checked back here in a while, but thanks for getting back to me. 🙂 This is very helpful. I hope you have some more authentic encounters in the future, I see a lot of people in SP who are authentic.
1. Long-term mental illness (officially depression/anxiety) but I have something else, I just don’t have anything official.
2. An end to the never-ending storm inside my head; suicide is peace.
3. I don’t talk about methods…
4. A close friend, Amanada, who has become somewhat my saviour and my sister. Aside from my sister, I estranged myself from my family approximately 5 years ago. My brother, mother, and father would have to deal with the idea of not ever being able to re-connect with me.
5. Amanda would miss me as she has had struggles her life (not to my extent but I’m not intending to compare). She does rely on me for companionship, without me she would be alone. My sister would miss me for sake that i) I am family; ii) I am the only family member who she is able to connect with; iii) she would feel somewhat responsible
6. Daydreaming. I live in a permanent daydream–it is as close as I can come to explaining the world that I live in. I simply do not live in reality. The realization of this hit me approximately 8 mos ago.
7. See above. My mind is not grounded in reality. I struggle with the idea of what reality really is which causes me distress (seriously) as I haven’t lived in reality for so long (I blame my childhood on that)
8. i) Trees and nature, ii) Amanda (see above), iii) who my niece and nephew turn out to be, iv) ?
9. App… depends on whether or not it is for Blackberry BB10. I would use an app if it were similar to SP in the context of social networking
Awesome Mark, thanks for the valuable feedback. 🙂 Hang in there if you can.
I meant to answer these earlier, sorry – here are mine. 🙂
What makes it so hard for you to stay?
Essentially depression (which I think is true for quite a lot of people who think their problems are mainly in their life). Constant anxiety and ME/CFS symptoms make me feel a lot worse. I experience a lot of physical discomfort and pain at the moment, but in my case the worst part of ME is the cognitive difficulties. I’m always confused and losing track of what I’m doing, what people are saying, who/where I am. For me the worst problems are in the mind.
What do you view suicide as?
Generally I view it as escape from pain.
How would you commit suicide?
There are several possible methods, I’m not sure.
On average, 6 people are intimately affected by the suicide of a friend, family member, etc. Who do you think would miss you the most? (Can be more or less than 6 people.)
My parents. I think my ex might be badly affected too.
Why would those people miss you so much?
I’m my mother’s only daughter/child and my dad’s youngest. They love me unconditionally and seem to like having me around. My ex is in a bad place too, so they probably wouldn’t handle it well.
What is the thing that brings you a bit of comfort your everyday life? (Activities, Journals, Talking with Friends, etc.)
I used to love exercising and cooking, but I can hardly do those anymore. I also loved talking to an online friend, but that ended. At the moment it’s having people around me whenever I can, and getting outside. Going out can be seriously difficult when I have problems walking or light and sounds suddenly make me ill, but I still like being out of the house and watching the world around me.
What is the main signifier that helps you bring yourself back to reality?
There isn’t one. My reality isn’t the same as a healthy person’s. I’m trying mindfulness exercises in the hope that it’ll improve my depression and anxiety, and I can a bit closer to an ordinary reality.
What are 4 positive things that you would miss?
I don’t really experience anything as positive. Sorry to be unhelpful. I think out of everything I have right now (and I’ve lost quite a lot in the past few years, especially recently) I would miss my mum the most.
Would you use such an app if it were available?
I’d use it, but I’d be more reticent if suicide was mentioned in the app name. I wouldn’t want anyone to see it on my phone.