Question: Is there a scientific reason to why people want to commit suicide?

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  1. There may be but I would suggest there are social reasons that play a bigger role in this decision. If you ever feel like this please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or check out this website http://www.lifeline.org.au/.

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  2. Hi Eleanor,

    This is a very interesting question, and no one answer is going to be correct in all cases.

    So following are a couple of reasons why people may want to end their lives.

    The most common reason is due to depression. There are a number of things that can cause depression, from life events through to medical treatment and even disease. The upside though, is that in most cases there are treatments for depression. So organisations like Beyondblue and Lifeline are really good places to start in finding out more information.

    A second reason may be due to a psychological disorder. Bipolar syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder are examples of psychosis which could be brought about due to events in a person’s life, but also psychosis can be brought about due to the use of drugs. However, most psychological disorders are treatable as well.

    A third reason that someone may wish to die, may be due to them suffering from a terminal illness and are in constant pain. This is generally referred to as euthanasia. While it is illegal at current in Australia (though was legal for a period in the Northern Territory) there are some countries that euthanasia or assisted suicide is legal.

    So there are a couple of reasons, and I am sure there are more. The important thing is that in many of the cases it is avoidable and help is available.

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  3. Hi @eleanor. I’ll have to agree with James and Dustin on this one. Please, though, if you are feeling down or need to talk to someone, do so. There are people around who can really help. hey, even talking to us crazy nerd scientists could even help.

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  4. Hi eleanor,
    I’ll just add something to what Dustin has said. Sometimes the balance of chemicals in the brain can be not quite right, so having a chemical imbalance can affect the way people feel, and in extreme cases can lead to suicidal thoughts.
    Like the others have said, if you ever feel upset then please remember that help is available and please talk to someone about it.

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