[2609] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: suicidal thoughts
leira@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (leira@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Wed Dec 11 18:55:37 1991
>>I do not
>>even think that any responsible doctor or police officer or counsellor
>>anywhere is truly capable of dealing with a suicidal person, nor can most
>>friends.
"Truly capable"? You're probably right. Some will do better than others,
though, and just because none of us can be sure to be successful, does that
mean that we shouldn't even try? I don't think so.
>>It has been my experience that only another suicidal person can
>>help a severely depressed student.
In some senses it's true that the only people who can really understand are
those who have been through the situation themselves. However, there are
enough people in the world who were once in that position (or close enough
to it) that they can help from personal experience. Plenty of those people
are now doctors, police officers, counsellors, and friends.
