Suicide Prevention

[Annik]

Suicide is a sticky subject.

As far as prevention goes, we need to look into the roots of the issue. Why do they do this to themselves? I think their are a few main areas that we'd do good to focus on: Bullying/Non-Accepting Culture, Mental Illness, and Lack of Self Esteem. How can we fix that? Well, we're nudging in the right direction when it comes to bullying and acceptance, but it's very one-step-forward-two-steps-back. Using homosexuals as an example, as one in four are likely to commit suicide, we are trying to integrate them into culture and give them equal rights and value in society. However, there is still a large group of people who don't think we should. In turn, they react nastily to these people and, about 1-in-4, it ends badly. This needs to change. Humanism is the best combatant to non-acceptance. Mental illness needs to be more accepted, too. People (particularly men) are afraid to seek help for their problems. The is a stigma around getting help for mental and emotional issues and that needs to change. This extends to drug abusers and addicts who sometimes take their lives rather than deal with addiction. Then there is self-esteem. In the US culture, there is a lot of pressure for perfection. It isn't attainable. Instead of barking out that women need to look like this model (whose body type only approx 2% of the world has) and men need to be smooth and successful with ladies to "be a man", we should just be focusing on normality. It's normal to fail and it's normal to not be popular, tall, handsome/pretty and rich. Children need to grow up gaining little pleasures from little things, which keeps esteem and self-image high (little things like being proud of an 'A' on a test or completing a big project on time). The most important thing, I think, to realize is that these aren't separate issues. In some form or another, they intertwine and interact as the people who suffer from these issues do. Suicide is something I'm familiar with, more cozy than i care to admit, and I know I'm not the only one. We know there is hope and a reason to keep on keeping on. This is a message we should spread.

[Cyberman]

This is an area that is a little close to home for me. I have made - so far - two attempts, both obviously unsuccessful. While my GP and the various counselors and therapists I've seen are understandably concerned for my safety where I am not, the only form of suicide prevention made available to me is the number of a crisis hotline with the instruction to call if I ever feel like doing it again; good advice but which essentially boils down to "If you ever feel like taking your own life, don't."

[pocaracas]

Why does anyone feel like taking his own life?
There's so much to live for!

[Cyberman]

It's hardly such a clear-cut question; there'll be as many reasons as there are people who feel themselves in that position. I can't answer for anyone else, I only know how I feel.

[Aractus]

What can we, both individually and collectively, do to help people and prevent suicide?

I think the most important thing is not to ignore the signs, and not to ignore the problems that people have. Often when someone is depressed over something, and they open up about it, they are ignored and their problems are unacknowledged by others. That can understandably be a very belittling thing and also damaging to their already low self-esteem, etc.

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Don't tempt people with the promise that if they commit suicide, they can avoid the unspeakable fate of sucking Jesus cock for an eternity.

Oh why don't you go fuck yourself, and when you've finished doing that try actually contributing on-topic rather than pointlessly lashing out at the Xians you loath hate and detest so much.

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Most of all, we need to erase the stigma of asking for help with mental issues. Too many people see those with mental health problems as weak-minded, causing those who suffer to abstain from seeking help to avoid the negative stigma. There is also the perception that a lot of depression is "just in your head," and those that see it that way do not recognize it as a legitimate health issue.

Yep. Also those who do have problems certainly shouldn't be judged by others for having them, especially those who are supposed to be there to help.

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Using homosexuals as an example, as one in four are likely to commit suicide, we are trying to integrate them into culture and give them equal rights and value in society. However, there is still a large group of people who don't think we should. In turn, they react nastily to these people and, about 1-in-4, it ends badly.

I'm sick of people here always making these things an "us and them" argument. Homosexuals have far more things on their plate that contribute to mental illness and ultimately suicide that has nothing to do with being "accepted" or "unaccepted" by culture. Drug use, STI's (esp. HIV) and depression are three very large contributors. The gay friends that I have had were never in any danger of me revoking my friendship with them because of their lifestyle choice, and I think there are many people who have much the same outlook as I do on this and related lifestyle matters. It's not up to us to judge others for their lifestyles, and I know I'm not responsible for oppressing anyone. It's the same with the friends of mine who use drugs - they know I'm anti-drug, and they also know that I don't try and belittle them or do anything against them.

[Gilgamesh]

Using homosexuals as an example, as one in four are likely to commit suicide, we are trying to integrate them into culture and give them equal rights and value in society. However, there is still a large group of people who don't think we should. In turn, they react nastily to these people and, about 1-in-4, it ends badly.

I'm sick of people here always making these things an "us and them" argument. Homosexuals have far more things on their plate that contribute to mental illness and ultimately suicide that has nothing to do with being "accepted" or "unaccepted" by culture. Drug use, STI's (esp. HIV) and depression are three very large contributors. The gay friends that I have had were never in any danger of me revoking my friendship with them because of their lifestyle choice, and I think there are many people who have much the same outlook as I do on this and related lifestyle matters. It's not up to us to judge others for their lifestyles, and I know I'm not responsible for oppressing anyone. It's the same with the friends of mine who use drugs - they know I'm anti-drug, and they also know that I don't try and belittle them or do anything against them.

Depression isn't a starting point; there's a causation beyond that. Why would homosexuals be depressed? Could the cause be that there exist people who hate and/or want to oppress them on the basis that their sexual preference is different than the normal? Also, since when is a sexual preference a life-style choice?

[naimless]

Two of my classmates did it. One guy came to me one night and tried to explain all these issues he was having - but he had some schizophrenic visions and had been banned from calling the emergency services because of hoaxes so I had absolutely no idea what to say.

When your parents don't get it and you can't use the services then I genuinely don't know. I just told him he wasn't alone in feeling alone. But he killed himself 2 years later and that night haunts me a lot.

[Aractus]

Depression isn't a starting point; there's a causation beyond that. Why would homosexuals be depressed? Could the cause be that there exist people who hate and/or want to oppress them on the basis that their sexual preference is different than the normal? Also, since when is a sexual preference a life-style choice?

Don't twist my words. I like chocolate, but it's my choice to be gluttonous or not.

It could be a contributing factor in some isolated cases, yes, but it wouldn't be as contributing as you may believe. I know that I'm not the cause of that kind of problem (difficult though I know it is for you to wrap your head around the fact that I don't feel the need to stigmatise those who have lifestyles I disagree with).

[Brian37]

Having had my mother in the hospital a couple of times, I can tell you even without seeing graphic things like that, it emotionally tears you up and causes deep depression. It took tons of support for me when she was in the hospital and I can tell you most people don't have the resources or enough family support. I was lucky, I had many friends and co workers who I could talk to. My mom is fine now, but she is old in any case and there is no avoiding aging.

[Faith No More]

Why does anyone feel like taking his own life?
There's so much to live for!

As Stimbo said, it's much more complicated than that, but I understand that people that have never been in a position where they felt the need to kill themselves can't really wrap their head around it. Ultimately, suicide is an act of desperation. It's an act that is undertaken when a person sees no way of escaping the daily and emotionally draining pain.

In my case, it wasn't something I ever thought I could even consider. After I dropped out of college I got extremely depressed, and then I ended up quitting my job. I was living in my parent's basement with nothing to do but to endure the painful days in a drug fueled haze. The daily experience of only being able to dull the pain wore me out, and eventually, I decided to take my life.

Didn't work though...