Fixin' to Die: A Compassionate Guide to Committing Suicide or Staying Alive

by PhD. Lester

Overview

This book is a guide to making and carrying out the psychological decision to kill oneself or, if one so decide, to continue living. It focuses on the decision to commit suicide than on the decision to continue living.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138473904
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/02/2019
Series:	Death, Value and Meaning Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION — CHAPTER 1 — The Aim Of This Book — CHAPTER 2 — Who Is David Lester And Why Is He Writing This Book — CHAPTER 3 — What If You Are Suicidal But Do Not Want To — Kill Y ourself? — SOME POINTS TO PONDER — CHAPTER 4 — How Do You Want To D ie? — CHAPTER 5 — Can It Be Rational To Kill Yourself? — CHAPTER 6 — Is Suicide A Rational Decision Only If You’re Dying? — CHAPTER 7 — Isn’t Suicide Im m oral? — CHAPTER 8 — Assisted Or Unassisted Suicide? — CHAPTER 9 — What About The Law? — CHAPTER 10 — If A Loved One Commits Suicide — CHAPTER 11 — Preparing For Death: Some Simple Tasks — THE DECISION TO DIE — CHAPTER 12 — Making The Psychological Decision Whether Or Not To — Commit Suicide — CHAPTER 13 — Getting The Family Involved — CHAPTER 14 — Planning Your Death Ceremony — Bibliography — Index.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Debra Klbecka, MS (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This book covers issues and concerns that are involved when an individual is contemplating suicide.
Purpose: According to the author, the purpose is to help the reader decide if suicide is an appropriate decision and provide a process that one can consider using to make this decision. The importance of this book is that it allows the reader to gain some insight into the decision about suicide. The author meets his objectives with the book.
Audience: The book is written for anyone who is contemplating suicide, or anyone who may know of someone who may be considering suicide, according to the author. It is written at an appropriate level, remaining true to the author's statement that there would be no technical jargon. The author dedicates chapter 2 to explaining his professional background, which has been devoted to a study of suicide for almost four decades with a focus on academia and research.
Features: The book covers issues that are of concern when a person is considering suicide: morality, whether the person is in a rational state, involvement of loved ones, and the decision process itself applying Harold's Greenwald's Direct Decision Theory. The author is not advocating for suicide, rather he explains that this decision needs to be carefully thought out, perhaps with the assistance of a good therapist. Chapters are devoted to helping the individual make plans for the estate and the death ceremony. One shortcoming of the book is that some of the statements seem too generalized.
Assessment: Most books that I have reviewed on the subject of suicide have described theories of why a person commits suicide and prevention of suicide for a mental health professional. This book provides some interesting points for discussion. Is this the "be-all and end-all" book (pun intended) that someone should use when contemplating committing suicide? The answer is no. However, it is a good starting point for discussion of a subject that is unpleasant to talk about.

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