September and the Selfish Suicide

 

September and the Selfish Suicide

This is Suicide awareness month, and I figured I would send out a message from the counselor and craziest person I know.  Me.  To be more specific, LPC and Bipolar.  I have heard it said, and even professed myself at one time, that suicide is a selfish things.  We say, “Think of how this has affected his family and friends.”  Let me state for the record and from a place of knowing, the person seriously considering or having committed suicide was most probably doing it as a kindness to the people they love.  One of the thoughts that goes through the individual suffering is that they are hurting those they love or at least greatly imposing on the life of those they care about.

My thoughts over the years have evolved into great compassion for those who suffer from a desire not to be.  Most often it is not to be a burden.  They feel they are or would be doing everyone they love a favor.  That is one of the main reasons the truly suicidal person doesn’t reach out.  They don’t want to be a burden.  I am putting the lyrics to a song I wrote that I think may better explain the mindset than any prose could.  It’s called Ponder.  I wrote it about 3 years ago.

Ponder

I could say that I am happy, I could tell ya life is grand

But that’d just be part of the story, backstage it can get pretty bad

I’ve still got my friends to see me through the day

A purpose and a reason to rise

But every moment’s lived on the edge

There I do abide

Friends they say “You’re not alone” They say they care

But I must rotate the burden

For one to bear it all just seems unfair

There on the edge so many sit, contemplate the dive

Will it end all of the suffering or should we learn how to fly

So, you may ask, “How can I help prevent this tragedy with those I love?”  Ultimately, you can't.  But you make the odds of someone ending it all far less probable if you do your best to be kind, patient, and forgiving.  I can tell you it is and will be greatly appreciated, and it will not go unnoticed.  Goodnight, my friends.

Hang in there to those on the edge.  Reach out.  You are loved.  You are not a burden.