Deseret News | Suicide survivors

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Readers' forum: Suicide survivors

Clark | 3:28 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

I know there are some people who equate Utah's suicide rate to one of two scenarios.

1 - The "pressure" some people feel to live up to the high standards of Utah's conservative religious culture.

2 - Closeted gays and lesbians who want to change, but can't. Either that or they are afraid to come out to their family members.

Those two descriptions might fit some of Utah's suicide victims, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

Drug addiction, alcoholism and domestic violence play a part as well.

Die by suicide? | 6:03 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

You make it sound like this is something out of their control. They commit suicide, not were killed by it.

What? | 6:50 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

How do you do a study on dead people> It would be a retrospective study which is hardly a quality study.

Comments continue below

Christopher | 8:36 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

If you commit suicide, something is really wrong in your head. If everything is right in your head you want to live. Psychiatric disorder? Of course.

Re Clark | 3:28 a.m. | 11:58 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

I agree with "Clark | 3:28 a.m.", that It's not as simple as 1 or 2 things.

I know many would like to blame this all on the church, but you can't just blame it all on someone else, their religion, their life style, etc.

If it's the pressure of high expectations of the church... How do you expain the recent suicide swarms in the Bay Area and other places? Mormons go to them too?

In the end it's up to every individual, not placing the blame on someone else.

We should do what we can to help, but the usual blame-game rarely helps.

re clark again | 12:25 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Clark,

many of us can attribute addiction/alcoholism and domestic violence right along with suicide to the two reasons you listed too.

Anonymous | 1:10 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Much is attributable to the ease of finding a means of comitting suicide that works. We got a lot of guns.

To "Anonymous | 1:10 p.m." | 2:34 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

"Anonymous | 1:10 p.m." says, "Much is attributable to the ease of finding a means of comitting suicide that works. We got a lot of guns".

And in the California they have lots of Mass Transit Vehicles, right? So that has become THEIR suicide means of choice?

You have been reading about the suicide swarm going on in the Palo Alto, Mt View area right?

The didn't use guns... they ALL stepped in front of commuter trains.

So OBVIOUSLY outlawing guns is NOT the answer, but thanks for trying to make EVERYTHING fit within your little political box.

Obviously if they don't have a gun they can choose any number of OTHER means. Got it?

George | 3:30 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Depression can lead to suicide. Depression, as seen from an outsider, is illogical but nevertheless very real.

to Christopher | 8:36 a.m. | 3:50 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

You are spot on! The brain and body do amazing things to keep a person alive when working properly.
The only time I can see shame in a persons suicide is if they refused to get help when it was offered and available.
(This is not to say just because someone gets help means they never commit suicide; sometimes problems are bigger than the help. No shame there. I mean when someone actively refuses on a consistent basis. I know one example by name, but shall not post it here.)

Self Help | 9:25 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

After wasting thousand of dollars on professional counseling for depression (including expensive meds), it dawned on me one day that I am in control of my life, no one else is and if I was EVER going to get better, I needed to fix myself. I conducted an experiment with myself as follows:
#1: Everyday I would force myself to look for an opportunity to sincerely compliment another person, then I would do it.
#2: Once everyday I would describe something beautiful I saw that day, perhaps a sunset, a bird, whatever to at least one other person.
#3: Everytime I depressing thoughts, I would exercize, sing,read the scriptures, something to occupy my mind with positive thoughts.
#4: I preformed some act of service to another person each day unasked and unannounced.
Doing these simple things each day kept my mind focused on positive things and even though I still struggle occasionally, I am doing much,much better. I hope this is of some value to someone else out there.

Ifandbut | 2:22 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Christopher:
All life ends, some just prefer to get it out of the way instead of wasting time on pointless things.

Re "Ifandbut | 2:22 p.m." | 4:48 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Ya... what he said.

What do you expect when kids like the swarm that committed suicide in the Bay Area are taught by their parents that their mear EXISTENCE inevitably ruins the World for everyone else (Hint: Global Warming follower's basic philosophy).

Anonymous | 1:26 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009

This event isn't about why or whether we have the right to blame people for suicide. This event is about the people left behind and how we can prevent suicide. It's easy to blame when you are posting a comment on a webpage... it is much more difficult when you are a survivor. Take this event for what it is... a chance to save lives.

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