Comment by masklinn

> I wonder if at a certain age this instinct diminishes making a choice like his easier?

It's less likely to be "a certain age" and more surrounding factors: if most of your friends have passed and you don't have much chance to do things that interest you because you could pass at any moment yourself there comes a point where life has limited worth.

Essentially, hope runs out, and when it's run out entirely you either wait for death, or ... don't wait.

> It's fascinating that even for very ill or injured people the will to survive is so strong

Sometimes. Chronic illnesses are a massive contributing factor to suicide rates for instance: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7...