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alt.suicide.holiday (or a.s.h or ash) is a Usenet newsgroup. Its original purpose was to discuss the relationship between suicide rates and holiday seasons. However, it has since evolved into a pro-choice discussion forum for people contemplating suicide. According to its FAQ, its purpose is neither to encourage nor discourage suicide. Participants who share the core values that have developed around the group are "ashers", and "ashspace" is a broader term for online communities historically associated with but distinct from the newsgroup, including the alt.suicide.methods newsgroup, other discussion and chat groups, and web pages. Perhaps because of its subject matter, and its unmoderated status, the community is subject to a high level of trolling.
ash is infamous for the publication, on the newsgroup, of the ash Methods File, a list of possible methods for suicide, ranging from the serious (e.g., lists of poisons and their effects) to the silly (e.g., starting World War 3).
The community has developed its own unique terminology. "Catch the bus" refers to the act of suicide, and the group is described as:
- a bus stop where several people have decided to stop and chat before deciding on whether or not to get on the bus.
In 2003, ash was the topic of an in-depth internet article examining the group's role in the deaths of several depressed individuals. The ash poster interviewed in the article, Douglas Wiser, is not considered representative of the group's participants.
See Also
Samaritans: a non-religious charity providing support for people in distress.