by Robert Bruton

Created on: September 03, 2009   Last Updated: September 04, 2009

When a person comes to a crossroads where the choice is suicide or life, to view that as cowardly would be an inhumane statement. If you had a loved one that was so depressed that the only alternative they could see is suicide, would you not have some compassion? Sure, you would.

For someone to have reached the depths of depression that suicide seems the only alternative truly states a need for intervention. Chances are that the only reason a person is contemplating suicide is they can find no other alternative, which means they just simply need help finding a way to overcome that which haunts them. Remember the old adage "can't see the forest for the trees"? People in crisis can't see beyond the problem at hand. They need a professional to guide them out of the depression.

There is nothing cowardly about suicide or depression associated with it; far from it. It's a sense of hopelessness that people consider suicide. For those that act upon it have not perpetrated a cowardly act, they are acting on emotions out of control.

If you could label suicide as a cowardly act, perhaps some instances could be so. Murder/suicide, where the taking of another's life before the suicide occurs. Suicide bombers, who kill others with themselves in the same horrific instant destroying and killing with no regard at all. Someone who has done a horrific act and kills themselves to avoid punishment and consequences of there acts. These could all be labeled cowardly acts against humanity.

Another terrible thing to consider is terminally ill. Those that are not sick and in extreme constant pain can not presume to understand. Until you have truly walked in someone's shoes, how can you judge another? Those family members that are hanging on to the loved one have to examine how much of this is about them and not the person dying? In other words, are you hanging on for you when there is no hope of recovery to ease your own suffering? When you simply can not take anymore, how do you cope? What is the answer? Religious folks will say no, it's a mortal sin. Others say it's humane. When animals suffer, we put them out of pain with euthanasia. Again, this is an instance where coward would be a hugely unjust statement. But in no way do I condone the taking of a life. There are simply different ways to view this subject.

Suicide has ugly faces. In the wake of a suicide, families are left to wonder why. For the victim, a life cut short without the hope of recovery in the mind of the deceased. To call someone in real need a coward would be inhumane. Acts of suicide to perpetuate violence; absolutely a cowardly act and deserve that word in every sense of its meaning.

To those contemplating suicide, you have hope. You may not see that now, but you have hope. Find help in the face of all this despair. Simply tell a professional or priest you can't take anymore. Someone will stop and try and help you. It's not a bad thing; we all get to a point where we simply can't take on another thing. You are not alone and there are people who do care and will help.

I am ending with the nice people from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

Are you feeling desperate, alone or hopeless? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.

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