Szasz On Suicide

Philosopher Thomas Szasz goes further, arguing that suicide is the most basic right of all. If freedom is self-ownership - ownership over one's life and body - then the right to end that life is the most fundamental right of all. The belief that death by one`s own hand is always an option and frequently more honorable than a life of protracted misery is held by Stoics. Stoicism accepts that suicide was permissible for the wise in circumstances that may have prevented leading a virtuous life. The common denominator in the previously mentioned organizations is the concurrence that although death may be the most effective method of escaping suffering, whether suicide is the best way is certainly questionable. Florida State University psychologist

Roy Baumeister captures the six primary steps in the suicidal escape theory in his article, “Suicide as Escape from the Self”. The author gives a uniquely detailed glimpse into the intolerable and relentlessly egocentric tunnel vision that is experience by a genuinely suicidal person. When all criteria of his conjecture are met, suicide is considered likely.

In considering people`s motives for killing themselves, it is essential to recognize that most suicides are driven by a flash flood of strong emotions, not rational, philosophical thoughts in which the pros and cons are evaluated critically; Alaska was obviously not in a stable state of mind due to her intense emotions and intoxication. Step one is defined as falling short of standards. Statistically, suicide rates are higher in nation with higher standards of living. Such idealistic conditions heighten suicide risk considering the creation of unreasonable standards for personal happiness. Step two is attributions to self. For a suicide to occur, it is seen as a necessary for one to loathe themselves for facing the troubles they find themselves in. For example, Alaska mercilessly accepts complete blame for her mother’s death. Alaska demonizes herself in response to negative turn of events. Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, and inadequacy leads suicidal people to dislike themselves in a manner that, essentially, cleaves those who are suicidal from an idealized humanity. The self is seen as being enduringly undesirable; there being no hope for change with the core self being perceived as

rotten. Step three is high self-awareness. The essence of self-awareness is comparison of self with standards, a ceaseless and unforgiving comparison with a preferred self. Alaska experiences this awareness when mentioning her “ghosts” from home; comparing her current situation to the alternative American dream family she could have participated in with two present parental figures. Negative affect is step 4.

Seemingly needless to say, suicides tend to be preceded by a period of negative emotions. “Y’all smoke to enjoy it, I smoke to die” (Green 44). Alaska constantly mentions her discontent for life, again foreshadowing her intentional crash. The appeal of suicide is loss of consciousness, and thus the end of psychological pain being experienced. Those who are suicidal generally only see three escapes from painful self-awareness: drugs - for Alaska cigarettes and alcohol, sleep and death. And of these, only death, nature`s great anesthesia, offers a permanent fix. Step five of the escape theory - cognitive deconstruction - is perhaps most intriguing. Step five illustrates just how distinct and scarily inaccessible the suicidal mind is from that of our everyday cognition. Pudge repeatedly expresses his dislike for Alaska`s intentional vagueness and air of mystery, yet another sign of her eventual suicide. For those with suicidal thoughts, the present seems endless and vaguely unpleasant and struggle to visualize the future. The failure to think beyond is seen as a defense mechanism helping the person to cognitively withdraw from thinking about past failures and the anxiety of an intolerable, hopeless

future. Alaska`s Life Library is further displaying her state of depression. Her voracious reading can be viewed as a coping mechanism to replace her own thoughts with those of the writer`s. The final stage is disinhibition. The previously mentioned stages discuss the mental state of those who are suicidal, but it is of course the final act that separates suicidal ideation from an actual suicide. Those who commit suicide must acquire a lowered fear of death, impulsivity and fearlessness - all traits Alaska possessed. While suicide is the most lethal escape from suffering, the choice of suicide is lethal in its effect on loved ones. The choice to end one`s own suffering through self-demise leads to greater suffering for those affected by the deceased. In Alaska`s case, her suicide not only impacted an entire high school, but also her home town and remaining family members. Due to suicide`s devastating effect, the act is seen as a cowardly and selfish response to a problem that could likely be solved. Green provides Alaska as a prime example of who to avoid becoming. The message the author is conveying to readers is perhaps if Alaska had been able to forgive herself for past faults, she could have avoided her horrific fate.