Suicide/Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye is not something that most people would want to go through before dying by suicide. However most anyone who is considering the idea is probably so far into their own emotions that they probably do not care. So, the easiest thing to do is gather everyone to whom someone wishes to say goodbye to and tell them with all due honesty about the situation. Telling each person individually is also an option, if one wishes to relive the moment again and again. Another option is to leave a suicide note. As for what goes in the note, one will not find that in this section but it is always an option. Lastly if someone just wishes to not go through the process, one might commit the act and leave the loved ones to handle it themselves. A good idea is to make the last time one was with them a happy and fun experience, because this is most likely the last image they will hold of. The "formalities" altogether might be skipped, plain and simple.

The suicide note or death note usually, states the reason(s) for the writer emotional and physical state and reiterates the suicidal tendencies that, if acted upon, will result in an attempt to end the writers life.

As to what actually goes in the note is more of a personal nature. Some only wish to state the reason why they are to cease their existence from the world and justify their actions. Others may wish to state how they want their body to be disposed of, whether by cremation, coffin burial, or any other form that they may have chosen. Yet others would like to leave their possessions to said individual(s) whom they have addressed by name in the letter.

Beyond these archetypes the possibilities are limitless. The suicide note could contain anything. Perhaps it is the lyrics of a song the writer liked, maybe its a hate note to an individual, it could even be a blank note with the words 'suicide note' written on it for the sole purpose of comedic affect. No matter the reason, a suicide note, if truly meant, is composed by the writer with all and any emotion, thought, idea, or reason that the writer has chosen to leave behind for whatever reason.

Delayed email

There are two ways with which one can send delayed e-mail on the Internet: via delayed e-mail services, and via an e-mail client.

Delayed e-mail services

Two of the best known services for delayed e-mail are probably Time Cave and FutureMe.org. There was even, for a time, one service that especially focuses on sending out e-mails after one's death, called Death Switch (now closed).

E-mail client

Windows users can configure Microsoft Outlook (not Outlook Express, Windows Mail or the Mail app included in Windows 8(.1)/10) to send e-mails on a pre-determined date in the future: Click here or here or here for some tutorials.

The same goes for Mozilla Thunderbird, which is a free e-mail client that can be used by not only Windows users, but also Linux and Mac users. However, Thunderbird first requires the install of a plug-in called "Send Later" before one can send delayed e-mails. Go here and here for information regarding this plug-in.

Gmail, which is a free web-based e-mail service, provides for the delayed sending of e-mails by default. Another way is using a utility called Boomerang for Gmail. Boomerang for Gmail is free in its Basic version which allows up to 10 messages monthly.

Requirements:

1. Mozilla Firefox web browser Firefox or Google Chrome web browser Chrome
2. A Gmail account Gmail
3. Boomerang for Gmail. Boomerang for Gmail

Steps:

1. Install Firefox or Chrome browser
2. Open Gmail account if you do not have one
3. Install Boomerang for Gmail extension
4. Use Boomerang for Gmail to schedule delayed e-mails

Alternatives

One could just encrypt the email using, say, ROT13. When people first see it, they will probably think "What's this?" and ignore it. Possibly they will reply asking for an explanation, and then move on with their other activities. If he/she has a last-minute change of heart and decides not to suicide, people will probably not think anything of the email other than that it was a bunch of unexplained gobbledygook.

On the other hand, maybe one will actually kill oneself. In that case, after the death, people will wonder what that strange email was that preceded the death. Maybe they will dig it out of their archives or trash folder and take another look at it. Some of them will eventually figure out how to decrypt it and tell others. Anyone who knows how to solve a cryptoquip can decrypt a sufficiently long message written in a substitution cipher in a language with which they are familiar. See this link.

The whole point of delayed e-mail is to keep people from finding out planning on killing oneself until after having had time to do it. That way, they cannot intervene. A substitution cipher probably slows people down from figuring out what is said long enough that the job might be done, if using a reasonably fast suicide method like pentobarbital. If it takes longer than about an hour to kill oneself by chosen method, it is probably a bad one anyway. (Pentobarbital puts one to sleep in a few minutes but it might take another hour to die. Some other methods take as long as 24 hours; depending on the situation, that could create a significant possibility of discovery and intervention.)

Responding to suicide notes

As a preventive warning, any suicide note vowing to die after doing a "big thing" might mean murder–suicide. Seriously responding to any sign of likely suicide may help save lives.

Assisted suicide, including voting to support anyone's willingness to die, is not legal everywhere, and if illegal, it might even be a major crime. Even medical tourism to seek legal doctor-assisted suicide still requires double-checking if the act still risks criminality per involved persons' citizenship, nationality and residency.

External links

• https://code.google.com/p/gmail-delay-send/