Alt.suicide.holiday: Difference between revisions

'''alt.suicide.holiday''' ('''a.s.h''', '''ASH''' or '''ash''') is a [[Usenet]] [[newsgroup]]. Its original purpose was to discuss the relationship between [[suicide rate]]s and [[holiday]] seasons. However, it has sincelater evolved{{When?|date=March 2023|reason=How soon afterwards did the content and tone shift?}} into a broad discussion forum where suicidal people can openly share their thoughtsstruggles or research suicide methods. Some participants are not suicidal, but post to provide psychological support andor otheradvice inputon how to kill oneself to suicidal or depressed posters.<ref name="NYTWheretheDespairing">{{cite news |last1=Twohey |first1=Megan |last2=Dance |first2=Gabriel J. X. |title=Where the Despairing Log On, and Learn Ways to Die |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/12/09/us/where-the-despairing-log-on.html |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=9 December 2021}}</ref> The newsgroup iswas unmoderated and was subject to a highoccasional levelbouts of [[Internet troll|trolling]] and a harsh and sometimes hostile atmosphere, in mid-2002 the trolling heightened significantly and ended up driving away many regular users.<ref>https://archive.ashspace.org/ashbusstop.org/User/PeterFalkHome.html</ref> According to its [[FAQ]], its purpose is neither to encourage nor discourage suicide, maintainingand thestrongly stancemaintains ofa pro-choice ratherview thanon pro-suicidethe matter.<ref> [https://archive.todayashspace.org/gzZGa "Living as a suicidal, in defense of ASH"] explains the ideologies and debate of ASH's 'voluntary life' conceptashbusstop.org/pg_life.html</ref>

Research from 2007<ref>{{cite journal|title=Emotional first aid for a suicide crisis: comparison between Telephonic hotline and internet. |date=2015-09-28 |pmid=17492908 | doi=10.1521/psyc.2007.70.1.12 |volume=70 |journal=Psychiatry |pages=12–8 | last1 = Gilat | first1 = I | last2 = Shahar | first2 = G|issue=1 |s2cid=28592320 }}</ref> shows that suicide websites indeed could be more efficient in providing emotional help for people contemplating suicide than suicide hotlines. PrimaryThe primary reasons are the asynchronous nature of discussion in newsgroups giving enough time for thoughtful responseresponses and group-based discussion that suicidal people find reassuring. HighThe high degree of anonymity is another advantage of newsgroups like a.s.h, allowing people to openly talk about their feelings without fear of consequences.

UK Byron Review for 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview/ |title=UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) - GOV.UK |website=Dfes.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2016-06-04}}</ref> analyzing the effects of websites on children, says that "research looking at pro-suicide sites has had mixed results. Some studies report high degrees of emotional and social support by these sites, particularly on sites where the methods of suicide were not discussed. More studies like this are needed to begin to understand the impact of such sites on those who spontaneously choose to access them."

A.s.h does not censor information on suicide methods and does not prohibit such discussion. Opponents see discussion of suicide methods as potentially endangering vulnerable people - people who would otherwise live through crisis, might commitdie by suicide given information on lethal methods.

Supporters of open discussion state that methods information is widely and legally available; that information might prevent number of permanent injuries resulting from a lack of knowledge about methods, like paracetamol overdoses. Finally, there is no indication that making such information available changed suicide rates. For example, in 1991 [[Final Exit]] was published; it was the first book giving how-to advice on certain suicide methods. The book was the number one bestselling nonfiction book in America for 18 weeks, and has sold over a million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://self-deliverance.blogspot.com/ |title=Euthanasia • Assisted Suicide • Right-to-Die • Final Exit • Hemlock Society Founder Weblog |website=Self-deliverance.blogspot.com |date= |accessdate=2016-06-04}}</ref> At the same time, there was no remarkable increase in suicide rates.<ref>''Suicide and Attempted Suicide: Methods and Consequences'' by Geo Stone. Carroll & Graf Pub (February 1999)</ref>

The newsgroup has been a target of news reports alleging a direct relationship between "avoidable" suicides and the suicide-facilitating nature of the newsgroup and web sitewebsite.

A.s.h played some role in the death of Suzy Gonzales, who killed herself in 2003<ref>{{cite web|author=Julia Scheeres |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/08/MN114902.DTL |title=A VIRTUALVirtual PATHPath TOto SUICIDESuicide / Depressed student killed herself with help from online discussion group |publisherwebsite=SFGate |date=2003-06-08 |accessdateaccess-date=2016-06-04}}</ref> after sharing her thoughts on a.s.h.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/group/alt.suicide.holiday/browse_thread/thread/fa79bd975fb85845/ |title=Google Groups |website=Groups.google.com |access-date= |accessdate=2016-06-04}}</ref> In the US, the death of Suzy Gonzales led to an attempt to introduce a controversial H.R. 940: Suzanne Gonzales Suicide Prevention Act of 2007, which did not pass. The current version of the bill is HR 1183: Suzanne Gonzales Suicide Prevention Act of 2011.

The community received further media attention due to the case of [[William Francis Melchert-Dinkel]], who was charged by Rice County District Judge Thomas Neuville with encouraging the suicides of a person in Britain in 2005 and another person in Canada in 2008 through a.s.h.

* ''A.s.h World Wide Suicide'' (2002) (TV), a Dutch TV documentary about a.s.h

* ''Norway.today'' is a theatrical drama inspired by a true story. A young Norwegian man and a young Austrian girlwoman agreed a suicide pact on a.s.h, and jumped to death from [[Prekestolen]] (Pulpit Rock). Their tent, some beer, and a stereo were eventually found there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatresmash.com/2008/07/29/norway-blog-get-in-on-the-conversation/ |title=ArchivedNorway copyBlog: Get in on the conversation |accessdateaccess-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716221626/http://www.theatresmash.com/2008/07/29/norway-blog-get-in-on-the-conversation/ |archivedatearchive-date=July 16, 2011 |website=Theatre Smash}}</ref> ''[[Wired Magazine]]'' reported on the original story.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2003/02/57444 |title=Suicide 101: Lessons Before Dying |accessdateaccess-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908150902/http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2003/02/57444 |archivedatearchive-date=September 8, 2008 |website=Wired Magazine}}</ref> ''Norway.today'' was the most played performance in Germany in years 2003 and 2004,. itIt was translated ininto 20 languages, and played in over 100 theaters.

== External links ==