Posted by jay on April 14, 2002, at 2:25:08
I was just wondering, I posted about an excellent, almost authoritative, book on suicide, "Night Falls Fast". Basically, EVERYTHING you wanted to know about suicide research is here. It will answer many questions, but not all of course.
There are SO MANY mis-conceptions of what suicide is, as we as humans like to draw easy, quick answers. "Ohhh..s/he was depressed...that's why."
Mental illness plays a role, but is NOT a direct cause of suicide. We should even be developing medications that have measured anti-suicidal properties, NOT just anti-depressants. Society plays a MASSIVE part in it also.Second, having attempted suicide I can say this, and it is true, is that suicide is .."A permanent sollution to a temporary problem." Point being, the much needed focus and attention to therapy and meds are often at their peek when we are "suicidal", otherwise the mental health system just leaves alone and somehow we will be 'o.k.' We are NOT 'weak' or whatever, we just haven't been given the proper care and attention. For the record, I am not one of those who believe suicide is rational, and feel strongly the reasons are largely imbedded in our healthcare system, lack of treatment, lack of community, lack of financial and stability with relationships, etc. I do not, though, condemn a suicide, and I see it as a flaw of the above more than anything.Besides attempting suicide, I lost my best friend at 19 years old to it.
These are bold and frank statements, but they are not made out of moralistic judgement, just based on some good research in the area. I am one person who is fairly strong against this whole.."Oh, they must have been weak" thing. I know that the suicide prevention movement is almost usueless, and in some cases interjects the ideas of it into people when it otherwise wouldn't have been there.
There is tons more out there...please read up on the "science" of it, not just moralistic garbage, placing people at blame or just "accepting" it as part of a mental illness. There is FAR more than meets the eye.
Thanks for listening...
Jay
poster:jay
thread:22079
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020411/msgs/22079.html