# What is the least painful way of suicide? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870 "2002-08-14T17:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bentur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bentur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bentur)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/1 "2002-08-14T17:14:55Z")
How is starting your car in the garage? Is that long and painful? Will you feel sick and throw up before you die? If so, what is the least painful way of suicide? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/2 "2002-08-14T17:22:24Z")
No matter how a person does it, it’s always **extremly** painful for their relatives and friends and, therefore, not worth considering. Life’s pretty awesome if you’ll let it be. If it’s not, please seek help. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/3 "2002-08-14T17:32:34Z")
bentur - if you are considering this seriously, please (a) turn off your computer and forget about the Straight Dope (b) if you feel you are about to attempt suicide, call 911 or the Samaritans and explain it to them - they can help. © if you don’t feel you are about to attempt it but have vague feelings that one day you might, maybe [this](http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/) will help. ---
**Author:** ![bentur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bentur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bentur)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/4 "2002-08-14T18:20:00Z")
im just wondering which is the least painful way. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/5 "2002-08-14T18:24:30Z")
_Plenty of exercise and a good diet_ is the least painful way. You’ll actually kinda enjoy it although it does take awhile… usually about 75 years. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/6 "2002-08-14T18:26:46Z")
My guess would be dying of old age in your sleep. Judging by the top choice of people on death row, maybe lethal injection. ---
**Author:** ![bentur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bentur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bentur)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/7 "2002-08-14T18:34:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xizor \* > \*\*My guess would be dying of old age in your sleep. > > Judging by the top choice of people on death row, maybe lethal injection. \*\* Lethal injection is not something ordinary people have access to. If you start a car in the garbage, will that be painful? I’m told if you play the radio really loud the neighbors will generally leave u alone. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/8 "2002-08-14T18:38:33Z")
How about skydiving from 15,000 feet, blindfolded, otherwise naked, face-first, into the ocean? ---
**Author:** ![peasea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc79bd/32.png) [@peasea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peasea)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/9 "2002-08-14T18:52:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bentur \* > \*\* > > Lethal injection is not something ordinary people have access to. \*\* You didn’t say it had to be something ordinary people have access to. You also said you’re ‘just wondering’. If this is a joke, let it drop. If you’re serious, get some help. 1-800-SUICIDE is probably a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Pascoe54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Pascoe54](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pascoe54)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/10 "2002-08-14T18:52:12Z")
Cheeseburgers. Eat a million cheeseburgers from McDonalds. I recommend going this Friday, they’re only 39 cents. Eating a million cheesburgers has gotta kill ya. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/11 "2002-08-14T18:53:44Z")
I’m with old age as well, something this thread probably wont see. ---
**Author:** ![bentur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bentur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bentur)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/12 "2002-08-14T18:55:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peasea \* > \*\*You didn’t say it had to be something ordinary people have access to. You also said you’re ‘just wondering’. > > If this is a joke, let it drop. > > If you’re serious, get some help. 1-800-SUICIDE is probably a good place to start. \*\* look im not going to kill myself, but i would like to know the least painful method of suicide for future reference. is starting the car in the garage painful? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/13 "2002-08-14T19:02:55Z")
Like others have said, if you are seriously considering suicide, seek help, even if only for the benefit of loved ones you would leave behind. That said, I would guess a heroin overdose would not only be nearly painless (just a little pinprick) but positively euphoric. A sleeping pill overdose wouldn’t be euphoric, but I can’t imagine anything less painful than falling asleep. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/14 "2002-08-14T19:02:55Z")
How in the world would we know, as all of us are still here posting? What future reference is it for? You had to know when you started this thread that people would suspect your motives. If you did it to get a rise out of us…it worked and now we’re over it. J ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/15 "2002-08-14T19:41:14Z")
You seriously want your question answered? My second cousin offed himself in the garage with his car. The heat that built up disfugered his face so terribly it had to be a closed casket funeral. Had to spare his wife and two young girls the trauma of seeing Daddy baked, you know. We help support them now since he chickened out on life. My friend had a bad habit of passing out in his car in the garage after drinking. When his wife wasn’t home to save him he too died this way. Again, closed casket. This is all I’ll contribute. If you need help please seek it but there are so many people that are actually ill and desperately fighting for life. I think I’d rather spend my time trying to help one of them. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/16 "2002-08-14T19:43:30Z")
Well lets see, if you do the car in the garage thing, after time you don’t have enough oxygen to live and die, now do you first pass out from the co2 from the exaust before you suffocate to death or do you feel yourself gasping for air, trying to breath? I’d think for any form of suicide to be painless it would have to cause you to die before your pain receptors can send a signal. I also see this thread getting a lock ---
**Author:** ![Pixellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@Pixellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixellent)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/17 "2002-08-14T19:45:58Z")
Actually, I had occasion to research this _very same subject_ (don’t ask) and as it happens, I’m reasonably well versed in the (potentially) least painful methods of suicide… that is, for a person who has no intention whatsoever of trying it. But if you think I’m gonna post 'em _in a public forum_, you’re crazy.😃 ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/18 "2002-08-14T20:05:24Z")
Do a search on websites or Australian newssites for “Dr Philip Nietzsche” (somewhat hard to find because his name is continually misspelt). He is a leading euthanasia proponent who has come up with several innovative solutions to allow the terminally ill to die with dignity. One was a “self-suicide” machine where the patient could press the button to dose themselves with appropriate drugs. Another was a “low oxygen suicide tent” - similar to that used by mountaineers for high altitude training - where the oxygen would reduce IIRC and the person would fall asleep and die gently. Another was to start an information service to give people information about the toxicity of kitchen chemicals, common garden herbs and weeks, and old prescription medicine. Please note that Dr Nietzsche is a genuine, serious, responsible euthanasia campaigner and in no way would promote his methods to some depressed young person. For the short time that euthanasia was legal in Australia’s Northern Territory, he was able to assist three terminally ill people to pass away, but has not been able to do so since the Federal Government overturned the law. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/19 "2002-08-14T20:06:17Z")
> [@](#): > > look im not going to kill myself, but i would like to know the least painful method of suicide for future reference. How far in the future were you thinking of? Me, I wouldn’t commit suicide. I’m too worried I’d have second thoughts afterwards (weird thought, considering I’m an agnostic). Or during. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870/20 "2002-08-14T20:37:32Z")
> [@](#): > > is starting the car in the garage painful? Only if you parked on your nuts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-least-painful-way-of-suicide/123870.md?page=2)