The best part is they asked me what I was hoping to accomplish by doing this. I said: "I was trying to save myself." I thought it was pretty obvious.
You know... I've been thinking about this off & on today. Mostly because I've been having a culture war inside my head lately.
Did you know in some cultures, telling someone you're suicidal is asking for them to kill you? In some of those cultures, It's a position of honor, and trust, and not something undertaken lightly. Unless you were desperate, it would only be asked of your closest friends/family. Because it places an obligation on the person who does it to take care of what you leave behind. Although that varies by culture, too. In one I know of it includes marrying your wife, raising your kids,taking care of your parents... As well as assuming debts & disposing of your body & estate & other more commonly (here) thought of "final business". In a few others, it's asking them to bear your shame, because you're not strong enough to kill yourself by yourself. Again, though, suicide is seen as honorable, not anathema. Culture is quirky. What's "understood", what's "obvious" rarely translates.
Here in the West, telling someone you're suicidal in almost the same thing as asking for help in
not killing yourself. It's usually seen that way, at least, although not always. I don't know enough about Russian culture to be able to speak to what would be obvious, there. Nor how suicide is seen. Do you?
