Do People Who Commit Suicide Go to Heaven?

I suppose it is safe to say that most people have had suicidal thoughts at some time in their life. In fact, if you live in the United States you are more likely to kill yourself than you are to be killed by someone else. There were 1.7 times as many suicides as homicides nationwide in 2000. Those statistics do not include the suicide attempts that did not result in death.

Experts say that suicide is usually the result of untreated clinical depression or mental illness. Stress on the job, social pressures, financial concerns, unresolved emotional issues, relationship woes, parenthood tension, midlife crisis, divorce, peer pressure, physical health problems, drug abuse and co-dependency are just some of the factors contributing to depression. A person may feel that their situation is overwhelming and that they have no power to change their lives. They may feel they have no purpose in life, or reason to live. With severe personal problems, suicide may seem like a reasonable solution to end or avoid emotional pain. It releases the soul from the body, but it also leaves confusion, guilt and grief for those left behind.

Coping with the death of a loved one is saddening enough, but the grief associated with death by suicide is often compounded by shock, guilt and confusion. The stigma associated with suicide may cause people to fear that their loved one may be punished in the afterlife, Some Fundamentalists preach that suicide is an "unforgivable sin leading to damnation." Others believe that those who commit suicide will come back as a severely handicapped person in another lifetime. Some believe it is an act of cowardice or weakness but none of this is true.

It can be very difficult for a survivor to cope with their loss when suicide is shunned by society in this way. The loved ones that are left behind typically blame themselves, thinking that they were somehow responsible. Personally, I believe, when someone commits suicide, it's like dropping out of a class and having to start over next semester by repeating the life that was terminated. A woman I know reported that her son, who had committed suicide, came to her in a dream after she read my book. He was not being punished for ending his life; instead he was preparing to reincarnate in order to finish the mission he had aborted.

If we view suicide from the Abraham-Hicks perspective, we see that every death can be considered suicide because every death is self-imposed through the choices we make such as the foods we eat, the toxins we inhale, the risks we take, etc. We each choose, on some level, when we're ready to exit. We're all committing suicide every day, some just slower than others.

Suicide is never the best option for escaping emotionally painful or unpleasant situations because emotions continue in the Afterlife. While the soul does NOT have to endure hardship in order to learn its lessons, these experiences are sometimes created by the soul to help it evolve. However, we can learn to evolve in more positive and gentler ways.

I offer no judgment or condemnation to anyone contemplating suicide, or to those who have attempted or even accomplished such an act. However, if someone you love is talking about suicide, please take them seriously and encourage them to seek immediate professional help.

Warning Signs of Suicide:

· Talk about suicide or death

· Withdrawal from family and friends

· Sudden behavioral changes

· Wanting to "tie up loose ends" or give away belongings

· Reckless behavior

· Withdrawal from regular activities

· Sudden change in sleeping patterns or eating habits

If we "skip class" and depart prematurely by our own devises, we will still need to learn the intended lessons in another lifetime. Understanding that you have the power to create your life as you want it and taking steps toward making positive changes will allow you to enjoy life on earth and then go peacefully into the Afterlife once your mission here is complete.