Cliff, bridge, or building: does it matter where you die?

Sigh. I’m sorry about the provocative nature of this question. I both regret that and seek it. I regret it, because I am really seeking to understand how people might think about where they would choose to commit suicide—what the symbolism might mean. I don’t want people to think this is a cry for help. I’m fine.

But I do think that a dramatic question is kind of shocking and I hope it will get people to think about this weird idea seriously. On the one hand, if you want to die, what does it matter where you die? On the other hand… people do seek out certain destinations around the world to jump from. Why? Why does it matter that your last view be something special? What does that mean about the psychology of a person who is jumping?

Having been in a place where I did want to die, I have lost my fear of this topic. I think it is important to talk about it because I believe that helps people who are thinking about it. I think it is important to demystify this topic. People think about it and I believe we think about it not because we want to die, but because we are in pain and can’t see an end to the pain.

I now know the pain can end without dying. It was a struggle, of course, and I feel a great deal of empathy now for anyone who is in that kind of pain. My question is to help people who feel this pain understand more, and perhaps to give some hope through greater understanding. So please try to give me some in-depth analysis because there is something very interesting going on here, I believe.