1 of 7

Write now Article Tools

I have been on both sides of the suicide debate. I tried to take my own life multiple times as a teenager. Most recently my ex-girlfriend succeeded with the suicide attempt in October of 2007. Many individuals believe that suicide is an act of selfish nature and motivation. I completely disagree with this assessment and instead believe that it is an act of desperation and hopelessness. These individuals are not selfish as much as they are so wounded that they are incapable of making decisions that have long-term effects. Usually mental illness or an over abundance of anxiety that is not within the realm of control for the victim is also present.

Now at the age 27 I counsel individuals who are suicidal and have other problems with abuse. I know from personal experience what they are feeling and for the majority of people that actually due to succeed in their attempts take their own life it happens because the majority of people in the life have been so judgementel that they did not feel there was anyone that would accept them for who they are. This feeling of isolation leads to panic followed by a series of irrational thoughts and actions. These individuals need someone to carry them through each individual second, to prove to them that they they can indeed tolerate and succeed at every day life. While I do not support suicide as any means of coping with life it is not usually the easy way out, instead an act of desperate frustration with unfortunate final consequences.

Certainly family members have a difficult task ahead in healing from the ending of a loved ones life. Certainly I do not have all the answers, and I even struggle dayily with the memory of my ex fiance choosing to take her own life via a drug overdose followed by shooting herself in the head. The worst part for me personally was knowing that her daughter was present to see and witnessed this horrible event. Still, nonetheless I do not see her as selfish. Instead I view her as a victim of a system that did not accurately offer or provide adequate support and treatment for her situation. Ultimately she was responsible for our own actions, but the responsibility for what led her to those actions was a global responsibility. To me, suicide is the result of far too much judgment in our society and not enough compassion or acceptance from our fellow human beings for the emotional suffering of both the ones we love and the strangers we have yet to meet.

I have worked with thousands of private clients many

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How to help a person cope with suicide of a loved one?
We want to hear your view. Write now!