Is there a difference between suicidal thoughts and not liking no purpose?

LegacyUser

Basically I'm wondering this.


Anyone can have suicidal thoughts, but whats getting at me is, although not wanting to end my life, I have an issue with there being no purpose to it, that every day, you're a day closer to death. In theory just waiting to die, its so morbid.

This is probably a strange question, I'm not sure, but has anyone else had similar feelings?

Ickle Magoo

[mod hat on]PI is an advice forum, rather than a discussion forum. If you want a discussion then Humanities would be the forum.[/mod hat]

CynicallyCurious wrote: »

although not wanting to end my life, I have an issue with there being no purpose to it

Appologies if I'm looking at this too simplistically but would the obvious solution to that not be....find some purpose?

Best of luck OP.

JuliusCaesar

CynicallyCurious wrote: »

Anyone can have suicidal thoughts, but whats getting at me is, although not wanting to end my life, I have an issue with there being no purpose to it, that every day, you're a day closer to death. In theory just waiting to die, its so morbid.

This is probably a strange question, I'm not sure, but has anyone else had similar feelings?

Yes, I think most people have had this idea. Then they go, I can either wait for death (wait 60+ years) or I can live my life.

ivytwine

I think we all get a bit of that at time to time. Especially if you find it hard to believe in God, or don't believe at all.

However, I think the human race has its thinking on this all wrong. We act as if this world and life is something to get out of the way in order to get some eternal reward later on.

And yet, that we are here at all is the most amazing miracle. Pick up any basic science book and wow, just wow, that there is life on this planet is just incredible. The seas, the earth, the balance between it all, it's wonderful. Don't think heaven, if it's there at all, can possibly match.

I know it's not easy to come out of this way of thinking but you have so much more time left. Or you may not- any of us could get hit by a bus or get diagnosed with something horrible tomorrow. So use it to make a difference.

My purpose here is to leave people thinking, after I go, she was a good person, she made some difference to those left behind.

Don't hesitate to go to your GP about this OP, because thoughts like this can descend into depression. I just want you to know that you are a good person and you can make a difference, you do have meaning.

I saw this recently and I thought it was beautiful:

HalloweenJack

I'm not sure if this is what you mean but I'll give you my spin.

When I was really depressed, I had this constant feeling of wanting to die. It wasn't that I wanted to kill myself, I just didn't want to live anymore. There were a tonne of reasons why and they weren't the same as what you have but it was constant.

Again, I'm not sure if this is the exact or similar feeling you're having but your post immediately reminded me of it.

If this is how you're feeling, my advice would be to go to a counsellor, it worked wonders for me.

token56

I think what you are describing OP is concept of absurdism and I know exactly how you feel. I've been struggling with the exact same conflict for, well a number of years really. In my case however these thoughts and the suicidal ideations have became entwined to the extent where I do suffer from depression as a result. It is complex but I have come to learn there is a clear distinction and I'll try to explain what I mean.

The morbid thoughts of there not being a point to life, etc, initially can be just a certain philosophical view of life so to speak, which in of itself does not mean you are depressed. While I think of suicidal ideations in most cases as being a symptom of depression (although I do believe there are cases where one can be suicidal and not depressed). But these thoughts can lead to depression, and when it does they also becomes symptom of the depression itself, often in a way which acts like a downward spiral. For example, for me, this outlook on life absolutely led to me becoming depressed, and while I was very bad, I would ruminate constantly about those thoughts which dragged me down further and a dangerous cycle developed for me and this did lead me to have suicidal thoughts. But I hope you get the point I am trying to get across here that there is a difference.

If you are having these thoughts though, and you feel they are becoming a problem, then I would advise you do seek help. Unfortunately I dont have a solution myself and for me its an ongoing problem too. I guess I'm trying to get to school of thought arrived at by the likes of Ablert Camus, that if you are going to getting past the absurdism of life, you have to come to terms with it, accept it and use it to motivate you. I dont know how to do this but I do want to try. I hope this is in somewhat helpful to you.