I took the liberty of copying this list from the link that realgrimm was so kind to provide , also you may not know how to open it :Confused3:
Rank
Method Name
Lethality (%)
Time (min)
Agony
1
Shotgun to head
99.0%
1.7
5.5
2
Cyanide
97.0%
1.8
51.5
3
Gunshot of head
97.0%
2.5
13
4
Shotgun to chest
96.4%
1.4
16
5
Explosives
96.4%
1.6
3.75
6
Hit by train
96.2%
17.92
7.08
7
Jump from height
93.4%
4.56
17.78
8
Gunshot of chest
89.5%
7
21.7
9
Hanging
89.5%
7
25.5
10
Auto crash
78.5%
20.5
30
11
Household toxins
77.5%
24
54.5
12
Set fire to self
76.5%
57
95
13
Structure fire
73.0%
52.5
91.5
14
Carbon Monoxide
71.0%
21.5
18
15
Hit by truck/auto
70.0%
19
63
16
Electrocution
65.5%
2.4
72
17
Gunshot of abdomen
65.0%
69
74
18
Drowning ocean/lake
63.0%
18.5
79
19
Stab of chest
58.5%
96
76
20
Cut throat
51.5%
15.5
86
21
Overdose illegal drugs
49.4%
116.25
5.25
22
Plastic bag over head
23.0%
7
23
23
Drowning bathtub
21.5%
18.5
79
24
Drowning swimming pool
21.5%
18.5
79
25
Stab of abdomen
12.5%
252
78
26
Overdose prescription drugs
12.3%
129
8.5
27
Overdose non-prescription drugs
6.0%
456
22.5
28
Cut wrists/arms/legs
6.0%
105
71
In the study, there were significant differences between the methods chosen by females and males, with males choosing the most lethal and quickest methods, and females selecting methods varying in lethality, duration, and agony.
However, it should be noted that different studies produce different results of the fatality of different methods. For instance, JJ Card2 estimated the lethality of suicide by guns as only 91.6% effective, and Farberow and Shneidman3 had it as low as 84.7%. The Hawaii Department of Health (1990) had it even lower at 73%. The same studies showed the effectiveness of hanging to vary between 77% and 88%.
Whilst individual studies might differ in terms of the actual mortality rate, they are fairly consistent that firearms and hanging are the two most effective methods. Jumping is also very effective if done from sufficient height.
However, the official data does not provide any detailed information on how to use any one method, information on the pros and cons, details on the likely pain of any method, or the likely pitfalls.
The Peaceful Pill Handbook by Nitschke & Stewart4 also ranks a number of suicide methods using its "Reliability & Peacefulness (RP)" test, although they only rank methods involving drugs or asphyxiation.
On this website, information from a variety of sources is provided on a variety of
, centred around those that are most effective or popular. Depending on the method selected, readers of this site are recommended to do their own
.
Sources