Is suicide a sin?

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Aquila

You're tragically mistaken.

well, so are most people, apparently. The road to hell is very wide. I'll tell you what i have witnessed to be the fruits of your methods of intervention, where the depressed are concerned; burnt out counselors. No doubt my posts come across as "be evil to them" or whatever--but they can be accomplished in love. Where, exactly, do you perceive the mistake to be? Understand that this concept is not my own. Also, i will grant that it may not be universal; but prevalent, at least.

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Interesting short video...

yes, perhaps some small number of humans simply lack the right medication, to be not depressed. Ok. Every single person reading this is chronically deficient in Omega 3 and vitamin D, too--two very critical foods needed for proper brain function. I will grant that this may be a factor in most cases; but personally detest the idea of an Rx for remediation. But hey, whatever works.

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Another interesting video...

another pov with some validity, surely. i would reject the inevitability of it all here, and reiterate that changing your mind is ultimately up to you, as it is only in your best interest to do so, and no one else's. I like these approaches, as long as they are received and acted upon. But one often gets apathy in response to a therapy; naturally, i guess. A big drawback to an Rx "cure" is that it becomes a crutch, and often ends up compounding the problem. I like them for like 1 dose, sometimes, simply to show the person how chemistry may affect the brain. Interesting to note that a second dose, this time with the meds emptied out and corn starch substituted, produced similar results.

To me, focusing on the chemistry is possibly ignoring that we initiate chemical changes in our bodies simply by our choices. May not always be the case, however.

[thephnxman]

There is the Spirit of TRUTH, and a spirit that deceives.

If a man embraces TRUTH, can he be deceived? Or is a man deceived when he loosens
his grip on TRUTH? If a slave is bought by a FREE MAN, can he go back to his previous
owner and be subject again to the "selling block"?

"If the Son has set you free, you shall be free indeed."

[shazeep]

i have to admit that i was basically "delivered" of depression, even though it took a while. Essentially, it started with me deciding not to be depressed anymore, even though it took maybe another year to accomplish. i strongly suggest that this be the primary goal of any counseling or intervention; a clear, unreserved declaration by the sufferer to rid themselves of depression. Note that this may take weeks, and in some cases will not be obtained.

[Aquila]

It has taken me years to understand my PTSD. Those of us who served and suffer from PTSD and understand it will be the first to tell you that what you're saying is an ignorant bowl of ......... You THINK you know what this is all about, but you have no clue.

Do you know what it is like? Let me describe it...

You're hanging out with some friends from work and your family. You hear a firecracker and you startle. It's ever so slight. But... at that moment... the dominos begin to fall. Suddenly you feel "flushed" in the face. You're still hanging out with your friends and family, smiling and talking. But your face feels flushed. You take a deep breath and focus on the conversation. Suddenly you can feel your heart start to beat faster... you still nod along and carry on your conversation. Thoughts feel hurried, racing. You don't realize it, but your smile as left your face and you clearly don't look so good because your wife or your coworker asks, "Are you okay?" You smile and say, "Yes, I'm doing good!" You begin to feel very hurried, anxious, irritable. You feel like it's hard to focus on the conversation. It's like someone has grabbed the "marry-go-round" of your mind and has started spinning it at 100mph without your permission. You CAN'T control this. It's as uncontrollable as the clouds that darken the mid-day sun. You begin breaking into a cold sweat. You feel stuffy and like you can't breathe. You excuse yourself because you need quiet. No talking. No interaction. No noise. No light. No stimuli. You walk into the bathroom and turn off the lights. You look down, your hands are shaking. You stare at them like they belong to someone else. Why are they shaking? It was just a stupid firecracker. A STUPID FIRE CRACKER!!!! You begin to feel anxiety and rage. You want to SMASH THE MIRROR OVER THE SINK AND SCREAM. You begin to get intrusive thoughts. The electric bill is due... and you're short on cash. You want to grab your wife by the throat and shake her because she overspent at the mall. If she walked in on you right now, it would take every ounce of your will not to. And what about Sgt. Richards? How's his wife doing? You shake yourself, Sgt. Richards? Why am I thinking about Sgt. Richards??? HE'S GONE! And that dead beat pastor who played you for a fool... took years of your devotion and then trashed your chances at ministry. You'd like to get your hands on him too! What? Why are you even thinking about that guy??? You haven't been in his church for over 8 years. Are you crazy? You feel like you're crazy. You feel like you're loosing your mind. That mirror... you want to BREAK IT. Why? You don't even know why you want to do this. You breathe. Breathe in... breathe out. Breathe in... breathe out. If you don't control your breathing, it too will continue to race. It's like your body has a mind of it's own and is on a roller coaster. You remember your rapid eye movement therapy that helps to stimulate the brain in a manner that eases the nervous system. You sit down on the toilet. You close your eyes and breathe. You rhythmically move your eyes back and forth, from side to side. Intrusive thoughts come and you just let them go. You can't stop them. That day grandpa died and you performed CPR for 40 minutes, you lost him anyway. The day your mom died. Her funeral. Sgt. Richards. That pencil-necked pastor who said all of this is in your head and you just need to "decide to be whole". You sit there, thoughts racing in and out. 10 minutes... 15 minutes... 20 minutes. You realize that your thoughts have slowed down. Your breathing is less hurried. You don't feel so flushed. Blood pressure is stabilizing. Then out of the blue... you feel like crying. You just want to curl up and cry. You're fighting back the tears. Your wife knocks on the bathroom door. "Honey, it's been a half-hour, are you okay?" You reach out and hold her close. You quietly cry. She says, "Honey, what's wrong?" You answer, "I don't know. I think it was the firecracker." She holds you like a child as you quietly let it go on her shoulder. All those heightened emotions and intrusive thoughts... they are slowing down and melting into weeping. You're exhausted. She tells you that you should go lay down and get some rest. She states she'll tell your company that you just started feeling ill. You lay down and you pass out within seconds of hitting the pillow. You wake up five hours later, soaked with sweat and feeling like you didn't sleep a wink.

This might happen once or twice a week. Sometimes once or twice a day. Triggers can be firecrackers, raised voices and/or loud laughter, loud motorcycles, preachers shouting through booming speakers, the slam of a car door, someone's McDonald's cup standing in a parking spot, an unexpected telephone call. Sometimes it settles upon you after discussing bills or the little lady nagging you. Stress. Normal people process stress normally. Your brain sends your entire body, emotions, and memory into alarm. Like the anti-theft alarm on a car. You're flashing and honking... flashing and honking... like some machine gone crazy... and you can't stop. Flashing and honking... flashing and honking... like some crazy machine that won't stop.

You sometimes feel like you'd be willing to do anything to stop this insane fast spinning marry-go-round in your head. Anything. Including... shoot it.

You have no clue.

[Aquila]

This isn't the "blues" or "feeling down". That's a pathetic wimpy version of just feeling down. Thinking good thoughts can actually help you with that. What I'm talking about takes you over. And once the ride starts... you're on it until it's over. The war never ends... the tragedies never end... the anxiety over the bills never ends... just up and down... up and down... up and down. It never ends.

And sadly, you tend to take those around you with you far too often.

[Aquila]

And if some wimpy idiot of a pastor tried to tell me about PTSD and depression using terms and explanations you guys are using... I'd be tempted to traumatize him enough so that he knows what this nightmare can be like. But the odds are... the fancy pants know it all would crumble and call the police during my introduction, I'd never get to the main body of my point. I'd not get to preach my sermon before the cops showed up to defend the ignorant hireling.

[Aquila]

All you want is quiet. A gentle breeze. Soft music. Safety. All you want is peace.

[Aquila]

Those suffering from unbearable psychological trauma, or chronic pain, who choose to end it all are victims not murderers. We failed them. We failed to understand them. We failed to properly understand their horror and anxiety. We failed to get the proper help for them. We failed to keep them from the PTSD-Isolation that destroys families, friendships, and the very bridges to help that they desperately need. We failed to speak words of healing and affirmation... in the face of their storm. While they are drowning in the turbulent sea of a mind that is out of control and a brain that is misfiring... we tossed them weights.

Instead, we judged them. Made light of their horror. And in so doing... put all the blame on them... as though they didn't already have enough self-depreciation and self-loathing. We just gave them another reason to feel like a failure, a nothing. And when you feel like you are nothing, void of life and peace, and like you've proven incapable of "fixing yourself"... there's only one way out. Yes, this attitude has contributed to more suicides than it has helped.