The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the unconditional right to life, but does not indicate anywhere that it is an obligation. On the one hand, people are free to dispose of themselves, on the other hand, they are dominated by social tradition, upbringing, religion, and much more. Unfortunately, the answer to the question “what to do if there is no energy to live?” Is not so simple.
The spiritual side of the problem
Such a phenomenon as suicide is a big ethical problem that has become practically insoluble since the moment when religion ceased to exert a fundamental influence on public morality.
It used to be a lot easier. The Christian church is categorically negative about suicide, not listening at all to the questions of its parishioners about how to live if there is no strength to live. It is believed that more serious sin does not exist, since suicide combines both murder and despair, and in addition, the sinner deprives himself of the opportunity to repent. Suicides are not buried and not buried in the consecrated land to this day.
State outlook on things
Since European civilization, by and large, is built on Christian morality, a specific attitude to suicide was reflected in the official legislation of many countries, where suicide has long been considered a criminal offense.
Perhaps this will surprise someone, but in Great Britain it ceased to be such only in 1961, when the numerous appeals of human rights defenders forced the parliament to revise the relevant law. Up to this point, for a wrong answer to the question “how to live, if there is no strength?”, A significant fine could be paid, and at the end of the 19th century even be executed by hanging. In Ireland, the criminal punishment for suicide was canceled only in 1993 (!).
Psychiatric position
Now with such wildness can be encountered only in Africa (Ghana, Uganda). However, in society itself, the attitude towards suicides is ambiguous and varies very widely - from acceptance to condemnation.
For a long time it was believed that the problem: "How to live on if there is no strength?" characteristic only of mentally abnormal people. This stereotype lives and lives today. Once, a study was conducted at Harvard, asking psychiatrists to make a diagnosis based on medical records. All patients committed suicide, but not all participants in the experiment reported this.
The results showed: in the case when the cause of death was known to experts, they diagnosed mental disorders in 90% of cases, and if unknown, only 22%.
Among the medical reasons for suicides are called severe depression - more than 70% of patients visit suicidal thoughts, and about 15% make corresponding attempts.
Norma is a shaky concept
The question of the mental norm, in principle, can be considered open. Therefore, the cry of the soul: "How to live if there is no strength to live ?!" doesn’t mean that a person is crazy. In the end, for suicide reasons, statistics also do not clarify the situation too much.
So, according to WHO studies, the causes of 41% of suicides are not known at all, 19% commit it out of fear of impending punishment, 18% - because of personal turmoil, the same number (18%) - because of mental disorders.
It is characteristic that only 1.2% of people commit suicide because of a serious illness, so this reason cannot be considered massive, and in fact it is the main argument that sounds from the camp of citizens loyal to suicides.
In this regard, the practice of legalizing euthanasia in many European countries with a high standard of living deserves attention. So, in Belgium, a young woman who has not reached the age of 30 recently received the right to her own killing with the help of doctors. The cause was depression - she has no other diseases. This state of affairs is considered by many to be abnormal.
In search of fame
More worried about how to live if there is no strength to live, young people: with age and desires to take their own lives, it decreases, and the reasons take on different traits. It is disappointing and discouraging that among teenagers in the last decade the number of suicides has tripled.
Sociologists and psychologists sound the alarm and tend to blame the Internet, believing that suicide for some young representatives of humanity is an occasion to express themselves and get their “moment of glory" among like-minded people.
In many countries of the world there are sites devoted to suicide, but despite the fact that some states have found it necessary to ban them (Japan), they still grow and multiply like mushrooms after rain.
It must be understood that the idea of ​​suicide that came to mind necessarily indicates the presence of a problem (problems). If an idea becomes obsessive, comes back again and again, you should seriously think about ways to get help.
In the post-Soviet space, psychiatrists are not too favored, but this practice is vicious. It is difficult to say how many people could be saved if they turned to specialists on time. If a person is not able to independently understand the motives that compel him to think about where to find the strength to live, he must visit a psychotherapist or find another way to discuss his problems.
Traumatic factor
As a rule, the idea of ​​the meaninglessness of one’s existence is visited by those who have suffered a bereavement - a trauma works in this way: the loss of a loved one, social status, a large amount of money or work. People who do not have a family are in a special risk zone: according to statistics, it is more difficult for them to answer where to get the strength to live on after the loss.
If the reason for the suicidal thoughts was a certain event, you need to know that the human psyche is quite flexible and capable of adaptation. The hardest time is the first six months after the injury. After this, the person is more or less able to return to normal life.
Sense of ownership
The experience of Western countries can do a good job. This form of therapy, such as support groups formed from people with similar problems, is quite effective.
Firstly, it will not be superfluous for a person to find out that there are people who have suffered a similar loss, but still continue to live on.
Secondly, staying with a one-on-one problem is excluded. It is noteworthy that among the suicides, only 24% talked with many people, 60% - with a few, and 16% were completely alone. Such statistics speak in favor of the fact that the ability to develop social contacts plays a key role in deciding how to live further if there is no strength.
Special thematic forums on the Internet can serve as some kind of analogue, but one should be careful here: on the network, people often behave much tougher than in real life.
Virtual space leads to irresponsibility, because there is no need to see someone's chagrin (which is unpleasant for almost any person), and there is no likelihood of punishment. Personal communication is preferable in any case.
A good help is the so-called helpline, which the desperate can dial. The empathy of a stranger can help prevent disaster.
Search for a tool
Many of those who have suffered misfortune find an outlet in religion: the problem is solved by the church and the clergyman. In principle, to help a person, it is not always necessary to have a diploma - sometimes ordinary compassion is enough. In the case of the priest, all the centuries-old wisdom of the church and deep faith in the Lord help.
In the search for answers to the question of how to find the strength to live on, all means that bring reassurance are good. Good results are given by your favorite pastime. If there is none, try to find it.
Numerous volunteer organizations provide an opportunity to distract from one's own problems by switching to strangers. One helps the realization that "someone is even worse," the other can find the meaning of life in mercy.
There probably isn't a single recipe. Even smokers, quitting a bad habit, are guided by various methods. There are those who are reassured by a pack of cigarettes lying in a bag: “If I’m already completely unbearable, I will smoke it.” Others know that they are better off staying away from tobacco and are using different strategies. In the same way, people who have suffered a heavy loss and do not know how to live with it should find their remedy.
Change to change
If there was no bright traumatic event, but you still attend suicidal thoughts, you need to sit down at the table, take a blank sheet of paper and list the reasons why you want to quit. This method is good on either side:
makes you systematize your own thoughts and feelings;
gives the problem visibility;
makes you penetrate deeper into its essence.
Once the factor that forces us to think about where to take the strength to live is discovered, it is necessary to outline ways to deal with it. In this direction, even the tiniest step will be a success. Of course, it is good if an experienced and friendly therapist helps. When there is no opportunity to resort to the help of a specialist, you should try to involve a loved one or the same Internet in solving the problem.
There are special psychological portals where you can discuss your problem and listen to what others will say about it. Judging by some reviews, this method has a right to exist. The main thing is to be ready to change and listen to advice.
Caution: Children
Adolescents are a special category of people asking the question how to find the strength to live. It is unfortunate that they ask him not the parents. And all the more sad if they do not find understanding among the older generation.
Adults, in part, can be understood: Shakespearean passions performed by 13-year-old girls are really capable of causing both laughter and irritation. Of course, mother knows perfectly well that first love is not the end of the world, “shame on the whole school” is not a stigma for life, etc. But it is important to understand that the teenager actually thinks that everything is over, and he may well make a decision that will make his loved ones feel a constant and hopeless guilt.
In the end, an analysis of the vast amount of data collected by suicidologists suggests that often the indifference of others becomes the cause of suicide.
No need to commit irreversible acts
Many discussions about the problem of suicide contain almost contemptuous remarks that “they simply try to draw attention to themselves in this way.” And indeed: from 85 to 90% of suicide attempts fail, and among the survivors, four times more women than men. But doesn’t the fact that a person has to draw attention to himself in this way deserve sympathy?
People should be kinder to each other, especially since this, as a rule, does not require large expenses. Say a sympathetic word and abandon a stinging one - what could be easier? Perhaps then the suicide curve will surely creep down.
You can give up and give up at any time. It is much more difficult to continue to search for the meaning of existence. Nobody knows what will give strength to a person to live on, and when this happens - you need to try to maintain hope.
B. Strugatsky, once giving an interview, said to his fans: “You should never commit irreversible acts.” And this is very good advice for all of us.