I think that there are times when just about everyone feels utter despair in their life, and just wants the pain (physical or emotional) to end. If this person has no one that they feel loved and wanted by, then they are much more likely to just end their life, then if they have a definite reason to live. 
Different reasons make a person think of suicide, so it is not just something you can lump all together and say it is, or isn't, selfish.
Sometimes, it hurts the family so much they never recover from losing that person in such a terrible way.
I think if a person is dying anyway, and chooses to end their life , then this is not done selfishly, and can even be done to keep the family from having to watch helplessly as they die a painful death.

We consider murder to be a terrible thing, and it usually is; but sometimes people have killed someone they love to stop them from suffering.  You have to look at the circumstances each time. Long ago, I watched a movie where the husband and wife had a car wreck, and the car caught fire. The wife tried and tried frantically to free him, but couldn't, and he was screaming from the pain of the burning car.
Finally, she did the only thing she could do to help him, and that was to shoot and kill her husband.
I would never want to be put into that kind of a situation, especially with a loved one; but it really made me realize that sometimes the worst thing is the best thing , and you do it for the right reasons. 

No its not selfish.

There are a couple of reasons. For it to be a selfish act, there has to be an intention behind it to be selfish. In the same way a malicious act is not malicious if it was not intended with malice. People who are suicidal have brain chemistry that is out of whack. It is not allowing them to make such rational thoughts.

Secondly, no-one chooses to come into this world. We are bought into it and raised and what have you, but we do not get to choose to be here. Having the choice not to be here ought to be ours too.
Does that mean that the people that we have touched in life will miss us in the event of death? Well, that normally happens. Is suicide something that ought to be supported and encouraged? No, I don't think so. I think that people ought to have a say in matters of their own life and body.

Well I have to say that Bunny was faster than me ... ! LOL I was going to take my Debate with my cousin about the subject here Its ok Bunny !

I have read some of the comments and I know someone has said something similar with what I am about to say; however it is my opinion as well.

My first thought is: Do you really think a person wants to end with their life? Do you think that person is consciously and or clear about what is about to do? Taking his/her own life? I mean ! Do you seriously?

Ok. Depression is an chemical unbalance of our brain; and when someone ends up committing suicide, is because the illness was not well treated of found in time and went too far to the point that the brain is just sending very very very bad information.

I am very passionate about the topic because I have been there and It is very frustrating to hear someone say: Ohh come on! you can do this! You are not sick ! You are so selfish, you are this this and that ! when not even you know what the heck is going on--a person with depression (who does not know about depression or does not understand that it is an illness) will not know why or what is happening...

I could go on and on and on ... But I will not. I will best tell you to go and read, investigate about Depression as and illness, read about how the brain works, read testimonies about people with Depression and Anxiety: listen and read what they think and feel !

Peace out !

Not to be redundant, but basically I think people who judge depressive and suicidal people as selfish are just projecting their own selfishness. Basically, this:

EllyMarks (07:33am Sat, Aug 16, 2014)

Not to be redundant, but basically I think people who judge depressive and suicidal people as selfish are just projecting their own selfishness. Basically, this:

Totally agree with you Elly ! And the comic talks by itself! ---as I mentioned before It is an illness and the world needs to read and understand how the brain function and be more aware: meaning pay attention to details when someone (even yourself) is acting in a certain way. 

By the way, there are levels and types of Depression.

For example: a person with Depression is not always sad and crying--it could be a person who is looking to avoid certain thoughts and goes out and party every single day, go shopping (for clothes, accessories, shoes, perfumes, make up etc) just to fulfill that feeling of loneliness and emptiness. When someone is "too happy" and then "too sad" there is a either a mood problem or Depression that is going too far.

I have to agree with most people here and say suicide is selfish. A person who commits suicide already is ignorant of other people's feelings.

Yes, there are people who truly don't have someone that loves them, but when it comes to someone who is depressed, they may actively reject any advances from the people that care, pushing people away from them in this manner.

I think this is a subject that depends on a lot of variables. When someone who is suffering from a terminal disease, no chance of ever having a quality of life worth spit again, then WHY would anyone want their love one to suffer like that just because they want to cling to them? Or worse, because of stupid religious reasons. It's a lot more selfish to want a loved one to suffer because you don't want to let them go. I think it should be everyone's decision as to whether they want to die with dignity or waste away slowly and lose themselves from Alzheimers or Dementia...or suffer from some horrible cancer, watching their flesh eaten away while they are alive...etc. 

I've have heard too many people spew out crap like, "Well, when it's "god's will" for someone to die then they will die...in the meantime god is trying to teach them something with all the pain and suffering." My reply to that is inevitably, "Then your god is a sadistic bastard. No god who would allow the long, drawn out, horrible suffering of anyone, especially children, is worth spit...much less devotion and worship."

That being said, I find it definitely a very selfish act when you got filthy cowards who murder, rape, or get off on diddling little kids, offing themselves because they don't want to go to prison and pay for their crimes. Death by cop and all that...or just blowing their own twisted brains out. But, on the other hand...you have one less psychopath, perv, rapist or whatever roaming the world. It might be selfish on the part of the douchebags, but at least it saves the tax payers the cost of a trial.

See...lots of variables.

I think that, until one has been in a situation where life was so bad that they've attempted suicide, it's hard to say we understand it enough to say whether or not it is a selfish act.

I use to come down really hard on people when it came to the act of suicide. The past few years for me have really been hard and it helped me to be more understanding when it comes to this issue. When a person commits suicide the intent is not to be selfish but it is used as an escape from their hurt and pain. I plead with anyone who may be thinking of this as a way to end their hurt not to do it. If it was not for my faith in Christ I would not be here today. If someone is going through a tough time you can email me personally at write86@comcast.net and I will gladly listen to whatever it is you may need to get off your chest. If you don't mind I would love to pray with you. This subject is so sad and it really touches my heart. God Bless you all.