What is the point of life? My answer would be to enjoy it, experience, explore, love it, something along the lines of that. Now what do you tell someone who isn't enjoying their life and is suicidal? I'm kinda stumped, do you tell them it'll get better, just wait a little longer? How long before till life gets better? Have you ever experienced this with anyone and is there any way to help them at all?
I am Mentally Ill and have been suicidal. Mental Illness can cause day to day life to be unpleasant. If you have a friend or someone tells you that they are Suicidal do not try and 'help' them, instead refer them to a Mental Health Professional or a Suicide Hotline who can properly talk to them and help them and refer them for further Mental Health Help. It is very important to not try and help someone so serious about taking there life if you are not a qualified mental health professional. What or how would you feel if that person or friend ended up dead because you and only you tried to 'help them'? Leave it to the Professionals. Peace and Hope to all, Pillhead2
Although it's callous, I ignore those sort of people. I mean, in my experience, I have never known anyone sad enough to actually want to kill themselves and they are just looking for attention they soon shut up once ignored. The people I have known who have had genuine problems though, they have battled hard and it is a testament to their character. Maybe the person you know is strong enough to pull themselves through it, however I cannot give any sure fire answer as to how to deal with someone actually considering suicide- it's all to personal to the case.
I was depressed and suicidal for awhile. It turned out I felt helpless and trapped because I felt like no one cared and no one was listening to me. I even was on Prozac and it didn't do anything. After I started talking to a psychiatrist (I was 14) I got better. There are people that only do it for attention, but, from my own experiences, the people who really do feel this way usually just want to know that they have a friend, someone to listen to them and confide in.
As Imaginary Being said one cannot give any sure fire answer as to how to deal with someone actually considering suicide - it's all too personal to the case. Also the circumstances of the case. My mom is 80 and losing a lot of her faculties. She sounds classically depressed when I talk to her on the phone and often says she wishes she could die. I doubt she would ever attempt it, but if I were in such a state I would. In fact I have considered it and it is quite possible that I may someday off myself; especially if I think dementia is ahead of me. I'm a firm believer in quality of life and fact is I've had a good life. Now, figure someone considerably younger, in good health - that would be a whole different personal case. If they are expressing these thoughts to you, then maybe try to direct them to some professional counseling but don't count on it. Depressed ppl are often reluctant to take the anti-depressants or follow psych treatment. Maybe they want assurance that someone is there (but don't get sucked into some lifelong dependency). It is a hard question and as stated there is no real professionals in some areas of the human condition. Ultimately it is a person's choice - or at least that is what I believe.
worded excellently Shale. it's a hard thing to deal with, but i think most of these people need to experience more things in life. they need to feel a potential energy to have their own mind say "knock it off" for themselves to get out of that state of mind. I was depressed for a long time too (like most people), and pretty badly too, and this is what happened to me. i kinda just grew out of it from truly acknowledging things like freedom, and the whole concept of not caring what other people think. for example, me and my friend were talking about how you can frickin do anything in life, including everything bad and can still live and be happy. If i completely ruined my credit score and finances, there is always redemption. what also helps me is not taking things for granted, like the home you have, the family and support that pretty much everyone has and such. These things are very hard to grasp, which is why theyre in the situation in the first place of course, but thats why its a hard thing to deal with. Also what helped me, was existential studies. its a huge pill to swallow and everyone chokes, but once its down, everything, literally everything, is better. a huge thing to do, is to give friendship and love to someone. humans cannot live without other human contact, and thats a fact. if you know someone like this, give them hugs, find what they do cute, admire their being. cuz they need it obviously. i dont necessarily think professionals do help like normal people can. peers are such a strong force for individuals. attitude plays a big role in this too, cuz they aren't even willing to do things, then forget it, its just a thing that they'll have to grow out of. or if theyre complaining "oh this frickin sux i wish i wasn't depressed", do they honestly think that? Yes i must say that it is a addicting to go down that spiral of depression, but the logical mind needs to kick in. idk what else to say. hope that helps at least a lil
i'm going to be honest and say the person im referring to in my post is actually me. sorry it was just one of my "off days", it's usually in the mornings for some reason and it doesn't help that the job i just started at is insanely boring so my mind tends to wander off to not so nice places lol, the thought is never too far from my mind unfortunately. your guys comments are always helpful and put me in a better state. if you know my situation to this point from being on this forum i'm like crying inside for some sort of real life friendship in my life right now, im working on it =p. just a matter of time right? "i dont necessarily think professionals do help like normal people can. peers are such a strong force for individuals." i believe this too bogus, just a matter of finding some hehe. i guess all these factors like my job and what im actually doing to meet and socialize with people are controllable, it just takes time but how long before i can make these changes? i don't know, im trying...or i'm not trying hard enough.
I'm probably not the only one here who suspected it was you. Also, IDk if I am the only one here who from time to time actually contemplates suicide. And the one time that scared me into abandoning the thought I was about your age in my early 20s and pretty much alone and not happy with that. I was walking thru the Marigny in New Orleans at night - alone - thinking about how to do it when I realized I had the drug contacts - I could pull it off. The fact that it was doable sorta got me out of the whole mindset. Since then I have had a lot of fun, two long term relationships, lots of good experiences and now all these cyberfriends who mostly substitute for touchable friends. So, any advice I can give is to think very hard before attempting anything. Being alone is usually not for long, being in a funk will pass so it is best to stick around and wait for the improvements.
You really must elaborate. If you can articulate it, we can understand, and chances are we can help. eg You say you're bored with the job. possible solutions: -Go back to school, study something your interested in -Teach yourself a skill, maybe programming, or web design, or cooking, how to make coffee -Bring laptop to work, play world of warcraft. -Find another job Though I'm going to assume the cause of your depression is being alone. You might not be in a relationship, or have never had a relationship your entire life. And everywhere you look, everyone else is either in a relationship, or has been in one. This is my situation, and I found it very painful But the pain will go away, and I'm still in the same boat. Yes Ive been diagnosed with depression and psychosis and been on a psych ward and did loads of drugs and yada yada. I still see therapists and they are nice to have a chat with. I recomend you find a free or cheap youth mental health clinic perhaps? the pain just goes away after a while. So relax =) Maybe play world of warcraft its a pretty good game lol
i agree with this. you are the one who gives meaning to your own life. the things you do and want to do. the way you define and experience life is the meaning of it. i've never been depressed. i've been mad, desperate, pissed off, I've felt hopeless sometimes, but i've never been depressed. i also know i would never be able to take my own life. at least not directly. if i wanted to die i might take enough heroin to do the job, but i wouldn't be able to pull the trigger on myself. i'm the kind of person who always sees a way out, no matter how stuck i might become. And i don't think most people who make themselves out to be suicidal really are that. a lot of people contemplate ending their life, true. but that does not make one suicidal. it takes a bit different kind of state of mind for that. so in case of a friend who is not enjoying life the best thing to do would be to try to understand what the underlying cause is that is making their life miserable. and to help with that. there is nothing in this life that is incurable.
im actually feeling a lot better right now. i just got done talking with a guy around my age from a chat and he introduced me into the world of jazz and frank sinatra, which i loved when i heard it. he told me about music events that i could attend and meet people and all sorts of things that im really excited to go out and do this weekend. i havent looked forward for anything in soo long! socializing is good ;D
