With the recent celebrity suicides, the topic has been in the news. Almost all of the 45,000 suicides in the US every year are a result of depression and way more than half of those are undiagnosed. The biggest regret of my life is how I mishandled my interactions with my wife before her suicide. I didn't take her seriously when she told me she was going to kill herself. It was something she had threatened many times before, and my reaction to the last time she threatened it was cold, callous and completely void of empathy. So, I thought today might be a good day to ask people to share their thoughts on suicide, whether it be their own or how they've been affected by it. Do you think about killing yourself? Do you have a plan on how you are going to do it? Would you like to share what you're feeling and why you're feeling so low?
Please remember, it is usually the wrong idea to give people advice who are thinking about harming themselves. It is usually counterproductive to tell someone, "You have so many reasons to live." Unless you are a mental health professional the best thing to do is listen and suggest alternatives to suicide without being judgmental. You want to be gentle and say something like, "I think if I were feeling the way you are I might call the suicide prevention hotline."
If you feel suicidal and don't want to share it here, that is understandable. The number for the suicide prevention hotline is:
i attempted suicide a few years back. obviously, it wasn't successful. i like to think i won't do it again after experiencing the fallout afterwards - how it effected friends and family and self. one good thing came of it - it allowed me to open up a conversation, here and IRL, on the subject, and i like to think it did some good to others.
You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
My great great grandfather, great grandfather, and grandfather all committed suicide, so I always wondered if there was some genetic predisposition for suicidal tendencies in my family, but my dad has so far broken the trend, and it doesn't seem to be present in females, so even at my lowest point at age 18, I never considered it.
first to answer the question yes at my lowest in 2012 I was suicidal after my wife passed away in 2010. That coupled with my constant dread of blaming myself for getting two of my friends killed in action.
and to this day I still see my local V.A. for group discussion. with their help and the grace of God, I have learned to forgive, not only the war but myself.
a few stats from U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (2014)
average 20+ veterans per day with 6 were users of their local V.A.
apox. 65% are age 50 or older
and 67% by the use of firearms.
VETERANS HOTLINE
So with the latest "high profile" suicides this week, suicide is in the news so PLEASE reach out listen and slow down you just might be the "one" to help one in need.
and yes I think of my two friends every day
My latest love poem has landed
Lover Moon
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-poems/lover-moon.
One would think that at the age of 61, Anthony Bourdain would have developed the coping skills to have avoided committing suicide. I guess not.
Wouldn't you rather have a nice cup of tea?
The elderly have the second highest rates of suicide behind middle-aged white males.
As for the original question, I think contemplation of suicide is fairly normal - we see it all the time in the movies and books, its natural to think of it ourselves. But thinking about it is a far different thing from actually wanting to do it (let alone having a plans and means to carry them out). Yes, I've contemplated suicide, but I've never really wanted to actively take my own life, even at the worst of my depression - and I count myself lucky for that, having known so many people who have wanted to, and a few who succeeded.
Don't believe everything that you read.
Wow this thread is so hot!
Just kidding. Seriously though. When I’ve been hit with “I’m killing myself”... the best thing to do is to put the onus on them. It sounds cold hearted, but I knew what I was doing. You tell these people, “what you do is your choice and whatever you decide to do I will not consider it my fault at all, it is your choice. I will hate you for doing it and I will forget you in time. Maybe even a short time.” People that want to kill themselves want to make the world know what they are losing. Especially people they love, they want to make you feel as bad as they do. If you beg them and let them know that you can’t function without them, it’s worse than telling them you don’t care. It sounds fucked up but you gotta let them know that what they’re doing is their own bullshit and that it’s not going to affect you like they think.
It sounds really cold hearted... I know. It doesn’t apply to veterans, that's a whole different bowl of American stew. But like people in your life hitting you with this card. Hit them back with that. It works.
I simply meant that as you get older, you get more experience in dealing with different situations and are less prone to foolish and rash decisions. The demographics for suicides tend to be on the younger side.
Sometimes, nothing helps. Sometimes, all it takes it a little alcohol to lower your inhibitions about suicide.
I think modern wisdom, of treating it like a disease, is a good idea. Although people like to place blame. Even with diabetes, I hear people say, "Well, they didn't take care of their disease." This is usually from people who have no idea what "taking care of their disease" entails. Add to that, the stigma around mental illness and depression, and people are left feeling like they must be just bad at coping.
I have contemplated suicide. I did a lot in my teens, didn't much through young adulthood, but much more in the last 4-5 years. I'm in my early 40's.
I have tried in the past and most recently in 2017
I obviously failed on every attempt
Whether its because there is some life purpose
that I'm being saved for or whether its just dumb luck
I really don't know.
I have tried more than once.
It wasn't for attention. It was for real.
My past growing up was a complete nightmare.
I was beaten, starved, neglected, tortured and such.
I still think about it. I still want to sometimes.
And when I got older, I was hurt very badly again.
I am strong, I am a fighter. But it's hard to fight when you carry around these million pound burdens alone.
I first thought about it and wanted to as a teenager.