Just heard that a guy that I went to high school with committed suicide recently. This is the second person we know from school who has done so. It appears that depression ( I assume this is the cause) does not discriminate between the good student and the bad. Neither does it discriminate between races. One was Indian, one Malay. One an A student, one hardly made it through high school.
While I feel bad for them both, it makes me wonder what drove them to such extremes. How bad does it get before people are simply pushed over the edge? What are the factors at play here? Is it internal or external? Level of tolerance to stress, social support network, family history, trauma. So many questions.
Whenever I hear of stories such as these, I think to myself - If only people had any way of knowing. Hmm apparently in the recent case though, this poor guy has tried 3 times previously to take his own life. Did he not have anyone there for him? To care for him? Did the people around him not see the signs? Didn't anyone care enough to take some time to listen to his troubles? It doesn't take very much.
We all go through shit times and good times. Not necessarily in equal proportions but if only we can get throught the shit times, good times will come again. And likewise for shit times, you can be sure it will come again.
But the things is, my good times are worth pushing through the shit times for. You just need to know that better times will come.
In the years of 2003/2004, there was a time when I had gone through a really rough patch. Was living in a small/dirty bachelor suite the size of my bedroom now. It was downtown, with all the crazies. Ughh, remember all the nights of standing in the cold because some stupid kid decided to trip the fire alarm for fun. Times were rough. None of my family members were talking to me for awhile. It was really sad.
If I had to pick one time I was the most depressed, it would be then. Did I think about suicide? Yes. And I have though about it many times before and after. But what is it that makes people go the extra mile?
In honour of both these people whose life paths have, however briefly intersected mine, here's a list of signs typical of people who may attempt suicide. Let's all be on the lookout and make ourselves available to one another.
-give verbal hints with statements such as: I won't be a problem for you much longer, Nothing matters, It's no use, and I won't see you again
-put his or her affairs in order, for example, give away favorite possessions, clean his or her room, throw away important belongings, etc.
-become suddenly cheerful after a period of depression
-have signs of psychosis (hallucinations or bizarre thoughts)
-change in eating and sleeping habits
-withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities
-violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away
-drug and alcohol use
-unusual neglect of personal appearance
-marked personality change
-persistent boredom, difficulty concentrating, or a decline in the quality of schoolwork
-frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc.
-loss of interest in pleasurable activities
-not tolerating praise or rewards
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