<p>I strongly disagree with your assertion that decreasing the stigma of suicide has increased the incidence of suicide. I don’t think the vast majority of suicides are the result of rational thinking. I think part of the pain of suicide ideation is the fact that considering it is shameful and depressing in itself because of the stigma, thus making it more difficult to deal with. I think this is a more powerful effect than the protective effect a stigma might have. I wonder if this has ever been studied. I do know that in depressed people, the ability to interpret what is going on around them is handicapped at the neuronal level. Quite literally, their ability for rational thought has decreased.</p>
<p>The exception might be if people have a fatal, degenerative disease like MS or are in the end-stages of cancer. I think removal of the stigma of suicide would increase its incidence in this subpopulation.</p>
<p>Mental illness is not something that can be wished away through a positive attitude and good nutrition any more than physical illnesses can be.
Maybe even less.</p>
<p>Its not only smug and condescending to espouse that attitude, but can be harmful.</p>
<p>In the last 11 years we have had huge numbers of young men and women returning from one of two wars, and then redeploying a year later, and maybe again for a third deployment. Many have undiagnosed PTSD when they are discharged. The suicide rate of those young people is quite high.</p>
<p>So sorry Shrinkrap. Years ago, I too have had a psychiatrist I worked with closely committ suicide. I saw him not one hour before he did, making rounds as I was doing and I said hi to him. I had no idea he was suicidal. The highest rate in physicians is psychiatrists, at least last I read. So sad.</p>
There are quite a few assumptions that have just gone on here. A “change of lifestyle” does not mean “eat a few more servings of vegetables, say a positive quote every morning, and you will be fine”. You’ve got it wrong.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, condolences. How very difficult for all concerned.</p>
<p>A few days ago, I had occasion to spend time with a funeral director, and asked her about suicide, thinking of this thread. She said, after decades in the business, that she is amazed at the number she sees these days in her small town, at all ages. In certain age groups, it has surpassed automobile accidents as the leading cause of death. And in some cases, who knows whether an accident is suicide or not.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap, I’m so sorry to hear about your colleague. My sons’ psychiatrist told me that I wouldn’t believe how many psychiatrists in Maine have bipolar disorder!</p>
<p>I think about suicide a lot. Not for myself, but because of my sons. They are both at a high risk of committing it. My older son explained that his thoughts start going through his mind so fast that he just can’t control them. There’s no way he’s rational enough to think of stigmas, or making things better through listening to music! The fact that posters are even bringing up ideas like this tell me that there needs to be a LOT more education about the subject. It makes me sad.</p>
I am in no way meaning to discount the effects of positive quotes and such. I was just trying to say that changing your lifestyle doesn’t solely mean just that. It could be exercising more, changing those who surround you, how you react to things, coping mechanisms, changing diet, etc. Congratulations, ba78900, on overcoming your depression. Not many people can do this. </p>
<p>
Maine, I would believe you of all posters would understand the varying levels of severity for mental illnesses. Solutions are not a “one-fit-all”. With that being said, discounting posters’ successful efforts in battling mental illness just because it doesn’t work for your sons is what I don’t agree with. Different stroke for different folks. We’re all different.</p>
<p>Chronic depression runs in my family.
It killed my father.
I was under a drs care for depression, including medication, during a time when the local paper was running a story on the " new" ssris and how they were " happy" pills for those who could not stand the ups & downs of modern life.</p>
<p>I didnt like taking the medication anyway because of the side effects, although I was on it for a reason. But I suddenly stopped taking it because of the shame I felt after reading the article and I ended up in the hospital.</p>
<p>I have been trying to get along without medication for the past year, but most days it is all I can do to get out of bed.
If I could do all those things, I wouldnt be depressed, would I?
:rolleyes:</p>
<p>ba78900, were you depressed enough that you seriously considered suicide? I’m talking about the person who is in such immense, mind-blowing pain that the thought of NOTHINGNESS is better than living. THAT person is not going to think, “Gee, there’s not as much of a stigma about suicide as there used to be, so I guess it’s OK if I do it!” He’s also not in a position to think, “Maybe listening to some classical music would help me feel better! If I work hard, I will be OK!”</p>
<p>Maine: I was never depressed enough to think about suicide. How do you know what that person is going to think? I never imagined that music would be helpful to me until I really started listening to it and getting inspiration from the lyrics.</p>
<p>Like Niquii said "Solutions are not a “one-fit-all”. A doctor is going to treat a Stage I cancer patiently different from a Stage II cancer patient just like a psychiatrist is going to treat a person who has thought about suicide differently than somebody who doesn’t have those thoughts.</p>
<p>emeraldkity4: I never said that you will feel better after JUST listening to music. Please stop taking my words out of context. That was just ONE of the things that helped me with my depression. This is what I stated: “There were dozens of things that have helped me. It was a very long process and it was a lot of hard work, but it can be done”.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what happened to emeraldkity4’s post, but I was responding to his/her comments.</p>
<p>Many things: Wasn’t doing well in school, didn’t have a lot of money, was emotionally abused by my father, wasn’t able to go to the school I wanted to, drove a car that had a lot of problems with it. Those are just some of them.</p>
<p>Like I said, it was a very long process and many things helped me to overcome my depression.</p>
Not many people can do this. </p>