Detergent Suicide
I posted last week about how Aokigahara Forest in Japan was a popular destination for those wishing to commit suicide. Another suicide fad in Japan is "Detergent Suicide," which involves gassing yourself by mixing common household chemicals:
A few cases of Detergent Suicide in the US have experts concerned that the fad may be catching on over here.
An interesting article by sociologist Kayoko Ueno argues that suicide is actually one of the defining features of Japanese society (think of hara-kiri and kamikaze) and one of its major cultural exports:
At least 500 Japanese men, women and children took their lives in the first half of 2008 by following instructions posted on Japanese websites, which describe how to mix bath sulfur with toilet bowl cleaner to create a poisonous gas. One site includes an application to calculate the correct portions of each ingredient based on room volume, along with a PDF download of a ready-made warning sign to alert neighbors and emergency workers to the deadly hazard.
A few cases of Detergent Suicide in the US have experts concerned that the fad may be catching on over here.
An interesting article by sociologist Kayoko Ueno argues that suicide is actually one of the defining features of Japanese society (think of hara-kiri and kamikaze) and one of its major cultural exports:
We, Japanese, are living in an affluent society geographically far away from the Middle East and Russian turmoil, and many of us view the suicide bombing news as an alien event, or something out of a computer game VR (virtual reality). On the other hand, there are some Japanese, especially from the wartime generation, who see the news differently, tracing the suicide bombers’ prototype to Japan’s “Kamikaze”, the suicide air attack squad at the end of World War II. In fact, one of my senior colleagues the other day came to me, pointed at one more such item in the news, and whispered melancholically, “that’s Japan’s invention.”
Comments
What's wrong with a little self inflicted population control? I never have understood our society's need to stop and/or dissuade people from killing themselves. Clean up the gene pool.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 03/24/09 at 10:37 AM
Talk about making a clean exit from this world.
Posted by Madd Maxx on 03/24/09 at 10:47 AM
While I wholeheartedly support a person's right to do with their lives what ever they choose, including end it, this would be a horrible way to do it.
While life IS fragile we have survived millions of years and are remarkable resilient. I think that it is irresponsible to fail to point out what the throes of a particular choice of self-termination would be like.
Poisonous gasses are, for the most part, highly caustic and/or slowly suffocating. This death would be slow and agonizing.
I think that most people who jump off bridges like the Golden Gate might hesitate if they knew that most jumpers survive the fall but slowly drown with many broken bones and ruptured internal organs.
Quick but painful is also frequently the case when people step in front of a vehicle or train (and involves some poor innocent which is immoral).
A bullet is quick but leaves a _real_ mess for someone else to clean up.
Slit wrists are difficult to achieve without accompanying painful nerve and tendon damage. The veins and arteries are below the other tissues.
Narcotic OD is the most pleasant assuming that you have taken just enough to kill yourself but not so much as to make you vomit. It is also pretty messy, bowel and bladder evacuation usually following death.
Carbon monoxide requires a car but is supposed to relatively painless and neat.
(as an EMT/Ambulance driver I had the misfortune to encounter most of the above)
That being said, have a lovely day!
While life IS fragile we have survived millions of years and are remarkable resilient. I think that it is irresponsible to fail to point out what the throes of a particular choice of self-termination would be like.
Poisonous gasses are, for the most part, highly caustic and/or slowly suffocating. This death would be slow and agonizing.
I think that most people who jump off bridges like the Golden Gate might hesitate if they knew that most jumpers survive the fall but slowly drown with many broken bones and ruptured internal organs.
Quick but painful is also frequently the case when people step in front of a vehicle or train (and involves some poor innocent which is immoral).
A bullet is quick but leaves a _real_ mess for someone else to clean up.
Slit wrists are difficult to achieve without accompanying painful nerve and tendon damage. The veins and arteries are below the other tissues.
Narcotic OD is the most pleasant assuming that you have taken just enough to kill yourself but not so much as to make you vomit. It is also pretty messy, bowel and bladder evacuation usually following death.
Carbon monoxide requires a car but is supposed to relatively painless and neat.
(as an EMT/Ambulance driver I had the misfortune to encounter most of the above)
That being said, have a lovely day!
Posted by StanFlouride on 03/24/09 at 11:48 AM
Didn't Bobby Brady almost off himself like this? :lol:
Posted by Madd Maxx on 03/24/09 at 12:14 PM
Yikes, Stan. Thanks for the info. I've always thought ODing while wearing a diaper is the way to go. Guess I was right! Seriously, though, I'm ok with people offing themselves AFTER they get some counseling to be sure they aren't going through a temporary phase. I admit to having a short bout of suicidal thoughts in my teens. Didn't last long, but I came close. Also, if you kill yourself, you should have to do it in a way that causes the least trauma to your family, friends, and whoever finds you. Don't hang yourself in your closet for your spouse to find. That's just evil.
Posted by BikerPuppy on 03/24/09 at 01:10 PM
natural selection at it's finest....
Posted by mrjazz on 03/24/09 at 02:27 PM
I'll save them all of the fancy recipes too:
ammonia + bleach = chlorine gas. stay in tent until further notice.
ammonia + bleach = chlorine gas. stay in tent until further notice.
Posted by mrjazz on 03/24/09 at 02:28 PM
Beckers - A plastic shopping bag and a shovel would have been just as cheap, if not cheaper.
Years ago I worked at a seafood market. We use to get some big ass rats in there so we would set snap traps to catch and kill them all at once. Some stupid idiot that worked there complained that it was not humane. So my boss listened to her and bought glue traps. So each morning I would come in, collect whatever rats were caught over night and then have to dispose of them. I'd put them in a plastic bag and give it a good whack with a shovel. Of course, after a couple of days I made sure to get the idiot to come out and watch what I was doing. We went back to using the snap traps after that.
Years ago I worked at a seafood market. We use to get some big ass rats in there so we would set snap traps to catch and kill them all at once. Some stupid idiot that worked there complained that it was not humane. So my boss listened to her and bought glue traps. So each morning I would come in, collect whatever rats were caught over night and then have to dispose of them. I'd put them in a plastic bag and give it a good whack with a shovel. Of course, after a couple of days I made sure to get the idiot to come out and watch what I was doing. We went back to using the snap traps after that.
Posted by Madd Maxx on 03/24/09 at 04:59 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, Stan, but doesn't the "pretty messy, bowel and bladder evacuation usually following death" happen with any death, regardless of the cause?
I'd say your best option, to minimize cleanup, would be to die in your sleep while sitting on the toilet. :lol:
I'd say your best option, to minimize cleanup, would be to die in your sleep while sitting on the toilet. :lol:
Posted by Nethie on 03/24/09 at 07:43 PM
Maybe I should grow some sideburns before I try it :lol:
Posted by Nethie on 03/24/09 at 07:53 PM
Uh, not that I plan on trying the whole suicide thing ... I meant the dying peacefully on the toilet thing. Right, I'm going to see if I can find some salt for this foot.
Posted by Nethie on 03/24/09 at 07:58 PM
Only in South Park
Posted by Viceman48 on 03/24/09 at 10:55 PM
"Remember kiddies, cut down the vein, not across" - The Sandman :lol:
Posted by DownCrisis on 03/25/09 at 12:19 AM
Andrew,
I notice that you have a commercial interest in Tokyo Counseling Services, and that your post appears word for word in multiple fora across the internet.
Because of these facts I am inclined to treat it as spam and remove it. However given the serious nature of the subject I following your suggestion to post details a telephone counseling service.
Tokyo Lifeline (Inochi no Denwa)
03-3264-4343
Tokyo English Life Line
03-5774-0992
I notice that you have a commercial interest in Tokyo Counseling Services, and that your post appears word for word in multiple fora across the internet.
Because of these facts I am inclined to treat it as spam and remove it. However given the serious nature of the subject I following your suggestion to post details a telephone counseling service.
Tokyo Lifeline (Inochi no Denwa)
03-3264-4343
Tokyo English Life Line
03-5774-0992
Posted by Dumbfounded on 10/12/10 at 12:50 PM
Marcus,
1. Suicide by poison gas carries a very high risk of harming other people. This in itself is a reason not to help you.
2. I suggest that you speak to your GP about your problems. If you would rather not use your GP, there are a number of private counsellors in your area who may be able to help, plus of course the Samaritans (links below).
http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/region_8.html
http://www.samaritans.org/
1. Suicide by poison gas carries a very high risk of harming other people. This in itself is a reason not to help you.
2. I suggest that you speak to your GP about your problems. If you would rather not use your GP, there are a number of private counsellors in your area who may be able to help, plus of course the Samaritans (links below).
http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/region_8.html
http://www.samaritans.org/
Posted by Dumbfounded on 12/07/11 at 09:15 AM
From everything I've read on the subject you pass out rather quickly
(not slow & agonizing as some seem to think).
Tho it is a stinky process for a few minutes.
HS2 is also 5x more toxic than CO so it work a lot faster.
Can anyone provide the brand names of the best cleanser(s)and
lime stuff (or salts)that will work the fastest in my car??
Please advise.
(not slow & agonizing as some seem to think).
Tho it is a stinky process for a few minutes.
HS2 is also 5x more toxic than CO so it work a lot faster.
Can anyone provide the brand names of the best cleanser(s)and
lime stuff (or salts)that will work the fastest in my car??
Please advise.
Posted by Craig on 05/25/13 at 10:25 PM
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Category: Death | Suicide | Asia