[2624] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: suicidal thoughts
jtidwell@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (jtidwell@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Thu Dec 12 19:59:53 1991
Because suicide is an irreversible decision that is often made when someone
is in an irrational state of mind. This irrationality may be due to a
clinical depression, which is generally treatable; or it may result from
any number of bad events or circumstances in someone's life. But whatever
the case, the irrationality that leads someone to suicide is usually of a
temporary nature.
How many people do you know who have thought about it, or attempted it, in
the past, and are now glad they didn't?
This is not to say, of course, that all suicides (or attempted ones) are
the result of irrationality... when someone has thought it out for a while,
is in a sane and normal state of mind, and has repeatedly come to the
conclusion that suicide is necessary, then there's probably no intervention
in the world that can prevent it.
In all the cases I've seen, there's another factor - the person's family
and friends. They would have been deeply hurt and grieved by a suicide, and
I really don't want to see that happen. Of course, this brings up the
question of loyalty - do you do what your friend wants, or what his/her
family wants? - but this combined with my first point makes a pretty
compelling argument for intervention, IMHO.
