RE: Read the book Suicide Prohibition by psychiatrist Thomas Szasz. We should only use persuasion, reason, and kindness to reduce suicides. Psychiatric coercion should be outlawed.

I think there needs to be a differentiation between suicides by the elderly verses adolescent suicide. The brain architecture of the adolescent is not fully developed for some people as late as 23 years of age. They have poor impulse control as a result. Some adolescents will magnify events and see them as life long shame pushing them towards self-destruction. If the impulse can be resisted, in a matter of days or weeks they can gain perspective. Examples of triggers would be: a romantic break up, an F in freshman Algebra, being flamed on the Internet because you are gay, or bad in sports, etc. While these events are unpleasant, they should not result in suicide. Looking at adults who have concluded that life is not worth living is another matter all together. If it is due to clinical depression, it can be treated with medication. When people are in constant pain due to a disease or serious injury the prohibition on suicide becomes truly suspect. The societal (legal) ban on suicide is justified under the idea that society has a vested interest in having productive members contributing to said society. For that reason it outlaws both murder and suicide to protect the lives of said citizens. The people in chronic pain or suffering a fatal disease are not “productive” at that point so the rational fails. The true reason then becomes apparent. It is religious doctrine being disguised as public policy. While I personally do not condone suicide except in cases of extreme unyielding pain or fatal disease, that is my personal decision. We should not be pushing our personal beliefs onto others who may live by different standards. As a practical matter, we already have medically assisted suicide in the extreme cases, law be dammed. Doctors and nurses just hide it under the heading of “pain management.” Just my two cents.