Hiromi_X

H, I think what it comes down to is how impressionable the human race REALLY is... Quite frankly, I found out a long time ago how to kill myself and make it work as well as become anorexic. And it wasn't that I read it anywhere or watched a program on it or saw it on the 'net... Little girls talk. My best friend's dad killed himself when she was 4. She said (at the age of 7!) "Now I know if you want to make it count, you cut with the vein, not across it," and proceeded to draw a line with her finger up her inner arm. Finding out about anorexia was just as easy: My babysitter was a binger/purger. I learned all about how to make yourself throw up, including chemicals that induce it.
I'm still here and I'm not anorexic. Does that mean it didn't influence me? No. It simply means I haven't used my knowledge. The suicidal person is going to want to kill themselves regardless of who's talking about it or where they find out about it. The anorexic is still going to feel an inch tall and out of control and emotionally basket-cased, regardless of what or how they learn about anorexia. People talk. It doesn't matter where it's 'found out about'. It took Karen Carpenter's death for anorexia to even become a widely recognized word in 1983. Does that mean we blame her for the widespread anorexia problem? No. It means we strike against the effect, not the cause, which is (IMO) a completely self-centered 'What do I get out of it?' society bent on its own destruction, no matter if it's suicide, smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse, anorexia or a plethora of other ills. Western society now is quid pro quo, and THAT is the problem.

Why should the people who provide information be any more or less culpable than the people who act on the information? To suggest that someone would never have gotten some idea without the internet or any other media is kind of a wild claim, which probably doesn't give enough credit to human imagination.

Pretty sure all deviant behaviors (and ideations thereof) predate the words for them.

Back in the 70`s it wasn`t totally unusual for crowds of people to chant JUMP to someone out on a building ledge....that doesn`t seem to happen anymore but now there is encouragement comming from stangers on the web. It`s disgusting either way but probably far more effective when reaching an isolated teen through thier pc. Japan has always had a huge problem with suicide but to have internet groups devoted to it like sports or music has certainly raised the number of groups of people that "off" themself together. I totally believe in Freedom of information and content on the web but can`t stomach those that encourage the vulnerble.

When I was suicidal

Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am that you're not anymore?

Since you speak of the fear of a suicide gone wrong, would having less easily accessible information on how to commit suicide successfully have made you less likely to try (even if it didn't change your desire to do so)? (honest question)

I think that's why people want to shut these places down, they feel it encourages the destructive behavior. I don't know where I stand on the issue. I find the websites disturbing, but as a matter of principle, I don't like censorship. Like Tom wrote about, Japan has gotten serious about looking into banning them due to suicide circles/pacts. People who might be suicidal but didn't have the resolve/ability to go through with it finding support in the pacts...although this might be more media fear mongering than anything else.

I remember in 2001 or so, pro-ana sites were a big deal. Some of the free hosting sites even quit hosting them and then the other sites kind of went abandoned. The thing about the internet is, it brings together people from all over the world who have similar interests, even if they are self-destructive. I'm glad you're no longer suicidal too. Even though I don't know you, I want you to be safe and happy.