Post by Erica on Sept 9, 2008 11:43:46 GMT -1
Trev asked me to start a thread a few weeks ago on the subject of suicide. This is a little hard for me to talk about, but I believe that it’s something everyone needs to discuss more openly. There is a stigma about suicide, and it often gets hidden when a loved ones dies from taking their own life… or even tries without success.
I had a met my friend in high school, she was one of my best friends. We had a lot of great times together, but slowly drifted apart after we graduated. I moved away for school, and she got married and moved to another area. We would only see each other on rare occasions.
A few years ago, I ran into her aunt and she told me she was back in town. I called her and we met for coffee. She told me about her divorce, and then told me she had been struggling with her mental health. The stress of her divorce was a trigger for her, and at that point she had been in the hospital a few times.
Last year I moved. It was harder for us to keep in touch, but we would email. She was moving a lot, and was in and out of the hospital again. Our last few emails she was very sick, and would say things I was not sure how to respond to. I wanted to be there for her, but honestly, I didn’t know how. I would tell her that I hoped she was feeling better, and kept my responses short.
I got a phone call a few weekends ago, and found out that she had killed herself.
I was shocked by the news. The next day I went to work, but I was unable to focus, I found myself feeling very guilty. I am not sure how to explain it, other than say it was physically painful how much guilt I felt. My mind was riddled with thoughts that I could have done something, could have been a better friend, I could have tried to keep in better contact.
The truth is, I couldn’t have saved my friend.
In the last few weeks I’ve been reading a lot about bereavement and suicide. I just read that 90% of people who take their own lives are struggling with their mental health. It’s an important conversation to have, and I wanted to help open it for others.
If you have a friend who is struggling with suicide, talk about it. If you are personally struggling with thoughts of suicide, it’s important to get professional help. I know I couldn’t have saved my friend, but I believe is she would have been more open about her thoughts to take her own life, she may be alive today.
I had a met my friend in high school, she was one of my best friends. We had a lot of great times together, but slowly drifted apart after we graduated. I moved away for school, and she got married and moved to another area. We would only see each other on rare occasions.
A few years ago, I ran into her aunt and she told me she was back in town. I called her and we met for coffee. She told me about her divorce, and then told me she had been struggling with her mental health. The stress of her divorce was a trigger for her, and at that point she had been in the hospital a few times.
Last year I moved. It was harder for us to keep in touch, but we would email. She was moving a lot, and was in and out of the hospital again. Our last few emails she was very sick, and would say things I was not sure how to respond to. I wanted to be there for her, but honestly, I didn’t know how. I would tell her that I hoped she was feeling better, and kept my responses short.
I got a phone call a few weekends ago, and found out that she had killed herself.
I was shocked by the news. The next day I went to work, but I was unable to focus, I found myself feeling very guilty. I am not sure how to explain it, other than say it was physically painful how much guilt I felt. My mind was riddled with thoughts that I could have done something, could have been a better friend, I could have tried to keep in better contact.
The truth is, I couldn’t have saved my friend.
In the last few weeks I’ve been reading a lot about bereavement and suicide. I just read that 90% of people who take their own lives are struggling with their mental health. It’s an important conversation to have, and I wanted to help open it for others.
If you have a friend who is struggling with suicide, talk about it. If you are personally struggling with thoughts of suicide, it’s important to get professional help. I know I couldn’t have saved my friend, but I believe is she would have been more open about her thoughts to take her own life, she may be alive today.