There was a suicide this week in my town

He had a Master’s in psychology, and was a behavioral therapist.

I think it’s good to remember the people that help us, might also need help.

Most of the people will say, “What a tragedy” and it’s because they don’t want to feel to blame.

Some of the things that people can do to prevent suicide are: talk openly and honestly to your friends and family and nurses and clergy people about your issues, even when they change the subject, and even when friends stop being there for you, keep reaching out to them. Also, and sort along the same lines, don’t isolate. And what others can do, is open up job opportunities for the disabled, not so many closed doors. Don’t assume people suffer on their own and can’t be helped. Invite the person suffering to a bowling night, and most importantly, laugh a lot.

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I have a friend that tried to commit suicide a bunch of times, I’m trying to help her now, she refuses to see help. Prefers to live with the sadness, I don’t know what to do anymore. I offered to go with her, explained that she’s valuable. It’s difficult. She’s obese and has anger issues, doesn’t work or study. Stays at home sad all day about those issues. Any of you have any advice?

Yeah, you’re a good friend. She needs to be the one who talks, after all, isn’t that what therapy is all about? I would texts about inspiring stuff, try to engage the senses too, like beautiful oceanic views, or people doing incredible things. I don’t know, it’s sounds like a hard one. Of course she needs meds too.

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I’ll try and take her to a pdoc. She’s on vacation now and its doing her some good. Maybe when she gets back she’ll agree on going.

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I have known many people who have committed suicide. I by myself also tried to commit suicide years ago. It was just so easy to take a razor blade and cut my wrist. Gladly I am over that phase. Suicidal people do not often talk about their intentions and their suicides come often as a surprise. There are still many people who are close to me who do not know I tried to commit suicide, of course all psych personnel know this, but it has been many years ago.

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It does always come as a shock, in fact the funeral is this morning at the Congregational Church, and there will be a least a thousand people there. We have a walk every year for suicide prevention in this town, it honors my beautiful cousin, Molly, who took her life. People who suffer don’t want to feel like a burden to themselves or those around them, and often feel hopeless that more life will mean more of the same. She was not convinced that she should carry the weight any longer, though of course she also hated meds and wouldn’t stay on them.

I’ve heard that psychiatrists have an incredibly high rate of suicide. I think psychotherapy can be very punishing for them. I had this one psych professor at school who said that once you’ve been a clinician for six months the whole world starts to look like a cesspool. I could see how a psychotherapist could feel trapped in a bleak existence.

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Don’t you worry about @mortimermouse?

He studies it all the time, and wants to make it a profession, but yes, then there really is no escape.

I hate to talk about him behind his back, but I always thought he was relatively healthy. I don’t know how he would react to the life of a clinical psychiatrist.

Yeah, he’s a strong person.

If she doesn’t agree on going… there are still mood boosters you can help her with…

A walk… gets the muscles going and a change of scenery can lift the spirits…

A coffee out…

A picnic… in a park… just a talk…

trip to a music store…(maybe some upbeat music)

Hope the trip helps turn your friends mood up…

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Well, about half of psychotherapists see other ones themselves. I work in a psychotherapy research lab at school. I am familiar with therapists having their own issues.

But I already lost my mind! It’s gone! I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to give.

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I shared my poem with my therapist and she said “It reminds me of mania, you know when we get manic…I mean when someone with bi-polar gets manic”

I mean maybe I’m looking into it too deeply but maybe she’s bi-polar and doesn’t tell me.

She shares her alcoholism with me though very openly, but not the mental illness. She’s told me she’s been on meds before and isn’t anymore so it can’t be that severe regardless…

That’s good advice. Thank you @SurprisedJ

I have pondered if the feeling of not having some sort of purpose in life would be a factor in suicidal thinking. I’ve had suicidal urges many times. Sometimes they come about for no apparent reason.

Taking these one day at a time or hour and appreciating the simple stuff can help

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Here is a poem that may shed light on suicide:

Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But he still fluttered pulses when he said,
‘Good morning’, and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich, yes, richer than a king -
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without meat, and cursed the bread,
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Yeah I have that poem in one of my anthologies from college days. Good share.

I know people like that too, who put up this big façade of being a great happy family,
but at home they’re all miserable.