Suicide
Around this time last year I was struggling with burnout and depression. I got so low that I actually thought about suicide. It was the first time in my life that had ever considered it. The only reason didn’t was I knew that it would bring a tremendous amount of pain and hardship to my young son and wife.
We all feel overwhelmed by difficult emotions or situations sometimes. But most people get through it or can put their problems in perspective and find a way to carry on with determination and hope. What makes a person unable to see another way out of a bad situation besides ending his or her life?
I think depression plays a big part. Depression leads people to focus mostly on failures and disappointments, to emphasize the negative side of their situations, and to downplay their own capabilities or worth. Someone with severe depression is unable to see the possibility of a good outcome and may believe they will never be happy or things will never go right for them again.
Warning Signs
There are often signs that someone may be thinking about or planning a suicide attempt. Here are some of them:
- talking about suicide or death in general
- talking about "going away"
- referring to things they "won’t be needing," and giving away possessions
- talking about feeling hopeless or feeling guilty
- pulling away from friends or family and losing the desire to go out
- having no desire to take part in favorite things or activities
- having trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
- experiencing changes in eating or sleeping habits
- engaging in self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or cutting, for example)
What about you? Have you ever thought about suicide? If so, what changed your mind? If you are considering suicide; please read this first.
7 comments:
Wow Phil I knew that you were depressed but never knew you were actually considering suicide. Praise God that you didn't. I have actually considered it several time threw out my life. the first was when I was in high school when my brother had cancer. (This actually brings up a good idea for a blog for me.) the second time which I actually acted tried to strangle myself and Dina cut the phone cord that was around my neck shortly before I passed out. This time bills were overwhelming me years ago I was drinking, smoking pot, and sniffing coke on occasion during this part of my life. The very hardest dealing I have ever dealt with was when my daughter grabbed a knife and contemplated suicide. She is still depressed. She has cut, might still be. I try to talk to her but she says nothing is wrong. We have tried counseling and the counselor I feel failed.
Wow back at ya, i wasn't aware of some of those incidents in your life either. Sure glad you are still around!
Teen suicide is becoming more common every year in the United States. It is a leading cause of death in teens and youths ages 10 to 19 years old.
I think creating an environment of love and acceptance and openness can help teens in a family. Ck out this article on teen suicide. http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html
Having "no way out" is a very instantaneous switch. I have heard you need to think about it, talk to someone... We have heard it. When I tried to strangle myself we got a bill from a loan I thought was paid off. I was furious with Dina. She said it was paid the last months before and this last letter said it was in collections... Well Dina left the room and instantly I couldn't handle it any more grabbed the cord wrapped it around my neck tied a knot in it and soon fell to the floor. I didn't think about well if I wait and call so and so . I didn't have that time the switch just flipped.
I have listened to Dawson McAllister and the kids that call that show wanting to "commit" suicide are really wanting help. They have time and wanting options, praise God!
On to the DM live show. I like listening to it but I also think kids get ideas from it. I have never heard of cutting till i listened to that show. Well my brain is hurting since my brain goes about 90 thousand times faster than my fingers!
I've also been there. When my marriage was falling apart, it looked like the only way things might get better was for one of us to die, and I was deciding it might just be me. Thang God my therapist recognized the depression and got me the further help I needed.
Later, when my ex-father-in-law was dying of cancer and was in great pain, I thought that I would have understood if he just wanted to end it. (He didn't, though.) I hope that if I'm ever in that situation, I'll be able to remember that this life is not mine to end - it belongs to God. And that even in times of extreme despair God has a purpose for us.
Wow! Phil, I knew you were going through some hard times, but I never knew it was that bad! Praise God your thinking was clearer than mine.
I do know how it feels to not be able to see anything good, and to see only dark. I think depression has a huge part in it, but, in my case, walking into sin and away from God was the biggest thing. No wonder I couldn't see anything but dark. Now, I can see that God has a plan for my life, but I couldn't then.
It's been almost 3 years since I tried to end my life, and I am so glad that God didn't allow me to die. He has brought such joy into my life. Yes, I've had to deal with sorrow too, but with God's help, and the help of my family and friends, of which you are one, I dealt with it.
Please anyone reading this, if you're considering suicide, find someone you can trust to talk to. I didn't. I shut myself off from everyone, so no one saw any signs either.
I learned how much God loves me, but I wouldn't suggest that way of finding it out. Give Him the chance to show you how much He loves you. And be realistic, if you walk away from the God who loves you with all His heart, of course, things are going to be dark.
Ditto. I too contemplated suicide. In my case, I was going through relationship issues (before my marriage), felt like a failure several times. I attempted suicide with overdose of medication, ended up the ER, very drowsy, but no overnight stay required.
Since I became a Christian and have been surrounded by "earthly" love, when I feel down and out, I may feel depressed, but the thought of suicide has no longer taken over. I mean, I am eager to go to heaven, but not like that! I don't think God would be too thrilled about my being the boss. The way I see it, when we end our lives on our terms, we are basically telling God, "you suck, I am doing things my way, I don't care what you think".
I think what is hardest for me is to know of a loved one that is going through a bad depression, and there is little that I can do to make it better. When someone feels sorry for himself, it is hard to get him out of that. I think it helps to volunteer and/or help others that are going through "troubles", so that a different perspective is obtained, and hope can be re-established.
Hugs help, too!
Read This:
At The Foot Of The Cross
Fearing the battle was over,
and I’d already lost the war.
I was tired of trying and failing,
I just couldn’t fight anymore.
So dragging my battle-scarred body
I crawled to the foot of the cross...
and I sobbed, "Oh, please Father forgive me.
But, I tried, I tried hard, and still lost."
Then the air grew silent around me
I heard His voice just as clear as the dawn.
"Oh, my child, though you’re tired and weary,
you can’t stop - you have to go on."
At the foot of the cross where I met Him
At the foot of the cross where He died.
I felt love as I knelt in His presence...
I felt hope as I looked in those eyes.
Then He gathered me lovingly to Him,
as around us God’s light clearly shone.
And together we marched through my lifetime.
To heal every wound I had known.
I found bits of my dreams long forgotten,
and pieces of my life on the floor.
But, I watched as He tenderly blessed them.
And my life was worth living once more.
I knew then why I had been losing
I knew, also, why I had not grown.
At the foot of the cross came the answer.
I’d been fighting the battle alone.
At the foot of the cross where I met Him
At the foot of the cross where He died.
Then I knew we could meet any challenge
together... just my Lord an I
Taken from: HERE
This message has been posted by healing_grace.
I still am contemplating suicide, not that i see no way out, but because i see it as a variety of choices and this is just the one i would like to choose.
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