Damn it all to Hell. My friend's death the other day was a suicide.

[shadowknows69]

He hung himself right in the front yard of his apartment complex. That makes three of my friends who have taken that route now. Why is there so much despair in "The greatest country in the world"? :cry:

[marylanddem]

1. That is very sad & must be so hard for you

Depressive disorders are dangerous biochemical illnesses & many many people struggle with them day by day, many secretly.
They are treatable, however, and new treatments continue to emerge. Never give up hope.

[atommom]

2. So sorry to hear that. What a tragedy for everyone involved. nt

[Donnachaidh]

3. Lots of folks don't see much of a future ahead

The sad thing is, the ones who REALLY get pounded with that revelation are the ones that are likely to do something extreme like suicide.

Suicide rates are going up all over the country, for all ages. Of course, the MSM isn't going to broadcast THAT news anytime soon.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{shadow}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[pleah]

4. shadowknows69, I am so sorry to hear this.

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. I am so sorry...

This may be the greatest country in the world, but right now, with the economic conditions the way they are, people often cannot see their way out...

Safe passage to him and to all your friends who've left us this way...

Hugs for you...:hug: :hug:

[tblue]

6. I'm so sorry to hear that.

So sorry for your loss. :hug: Sorry that your friend was in such despair. :cry:

I've always thought there would be more homicides and suicides in these times of economic insecurity and upside down priorities.

[spanone]

7. ...

:hug:

[Subdivisions]

8. I'm so sorry.

:hug:

[Maat]

9. Safe passage to the Great Beyond for him.

May he rest in peace, and may his comforting and protective energy/consciousness surround his loved ones and friends for eternity.

We have to do so much more in this country to make people hopeFUL, instead of hopeless.

[Maat]

10. Safe passage to the Great Beyond for him.

May he rest in peace, and may his comforting and protective energy/consciousness surround his loved ones and friends for eternity.

We have to do so much more in this country to make people hopeFUL, instead of hopeless.

[shadowknows69]

11. The scary thing is that I understand

I live with depression, you never would have guessed it from this guy although I hadn't seen him in recent years. Some of us have to make the decision every single day to go on, and some of us don't make it.

[Mollis]

14. I also know how you feel...

I have struggled with depression since my freshmen year of high school. It can get very hard to deal with.
We just all need to rememeber everyone that is here for us.

[Mollis]

12. So sorry to hear that

I recently lost a close friend, but to a car crash.
I understand that people are in despair, I just hope they hold on until it gets better...when, hopefully, Obama can help us all out.
Even my 6 year old brother sees what's happening on the news, and asks me what the economy is and what is going on with it.

[lynnertic]

13. .

:hug:

[City of Mills]

15. Sorry man...

Sometimes there just are no good answers. I can relate to what you're going through. It seems like such a drastic step, considering he never know how things would've turned out down the road.

[ljm2002]

16. Sorry to hear it, Shadow...

...it is so hard to know what to say when that happens. I myself have struggled with suicidal depressions in the past, thankfully that seems to be over now for a good many years. But it sure gave me some insight into why people can do it -- many people say it's weak, it's cowardly, all those sorts of value judgments. All I know is, when I was in the throes of it, all I wanted was for the pain to stop.

Prayers to you and to his family and friends.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. My sincere condolences, shadow.

:hug:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. So Sorry To Hear That.

Do you know what might've facilitated his decision? Was it financial hardship? Heartbreak? Etc?

I have always been a firm believer that suicide rates are so easy to reduce, if only there were enough outlets in place for a person to seek help. Most often it just takes someone who can be trusted, and who has the capability to supply the reasoning and logic necessary to turn the person around from the dark thoughts. But all too often, such people are not readily available to someone suffering from a mindset that would lead to suicide.

I personally have saved many people from taking such an extreme action, and it's amazing how little the person usually needs to be awakened to how bad a decision it is.

One rule of thumb I've always believed as it relates to those who are suicidal, is that it isn't that they want to die because they don't want to live; but instead they want to die because they want to LIVE so badly, that not being able to live 'normally' hurts them so badly to the point they just can't take the torment anymore.

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your friend, and god bless you, his family and his other friends through this hardship.

:hug:

[shadowknows69]

22. I hadn't seen him in a few years OMC, you fall out of touch, even though we shouldn't

The obit said he left behind a fiance so I don't know if there were problems there or not. I know when we used to hang he liked his drinks, as did I, and considering the place we used to frequent he could have gotten into harder things. Sometimes you just wake up and decide it's a good day to die I guess. I'm all too familiar with that particular emotion.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

26. I Know That Well, And Used To Have Them Often YEARS Ago. That's Why I Say Pot Saved My Life.

There were times I woke up too inside my own mind, and I would be in that irrational kind of state where suicide actually seems acceptable and would consider finally doing it (though one time in my life I actually did attempt it, and I have never been the same since. Long story). But I always had a pact with myself that before I tried, I would smoke a joint. Every single time, no matter how serious I had been, after smokin a joint or a few bong hits of some good kind bud, I would always end up losing the desire. I would almost laugh at myself, and remind myself to be strong. I'd just chill, relax and enjoy the high, and then live to see another day. I can absolutely guarantee that had I not smoked a joint some of those times, I wouldn't be here today.

[Cary]

19. My friend drove his car, pedal to the floor, into a brick wall.

Monday.

Don't understand it. :-(

[LiberalHeart]

25. A guy I worked with years ago did that -- drove into a viaduct wall. And...

...a friend called me once to ask if we could get together. I told him I couldn't because I had to drive my husband to the airport (he was going back home to see his parents over Christmas). My friend killed himself that night. Christmas Eve. In the parking lot where he worked. Shot himself. He'd been passed over for a big promotion. I beat myself over that for years. It was clear by the conversation on the phone that he was down, but I didn't have a clue how down.

[Cary]

31. Suicide is a rotten thing.

Always so senseless.

[LiberalEsto]

20. I am so sorry

That's just plain awful and sad.

The damned Repukes have just about ruined this country. Young people don't see much of a future for themselves.

Let's hope we get a New New Deal in January.

[applegrove]

21. So sorry.

[blues90]

23. I am really sorry to hear that.

Not that it helps but I deal with depression nd have to try to fight it every single day. I know a few people who also deal with it.

For me it makes the things I used to enjoy and look forward to a window to the past. It makes even picking up my guitar a dreadfull event when it was always something I looked forward to.

I don't know what's in the future and it does look pretty bleak most of the time. One would think the older you get you would have become secure but now that is not the case.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. Oh, that's so awful

I don't know what it is, but I've been hearing of a lot of suicides lately, only one of them being someone I knew (having met her a couple of times). I think people see that the country as a whole is on a downward slope, and it only compounds whatever personal feelings of despair they have.

So sorry about your friend. I'm sure you were a good friend to him.

:hug:

[firedupdem]

27. Sorry...my sister would have been 46 yesterday, she

committed suicide almost 3 years ago. I struggle with depression daily as well. It's a sad world sometimes.

[foxfeet]

28. I'm very sorry

Please consider joining a "Survivors of Suicide" support group. They can help and you've had multiple losses. Your local crisis line or mental health agency should be able to refer you. I wish you peace.

[MissMarple]

29. How are you doing, buddy?

:hug: I am so sorry.

Do you have someone to talk to, to help sort this out?

[jwirr]

30. Very sorry about your friend. Let all here who recognize that we to

are suffering from depression make a vow to each other that we will seek help before we take that last desperate step over the cliff. Let us join together in our common need and take positive action.

[Ezlivin]

32. You've got my sympathy

A friend of mine killed himself last year because of his financial situation.

Before he killed himself he looked at me and said, "I don't know if I could handle life if I were in your situation." (I'm in a wheelchair.)

I told him, "You just find a way around the obstacles and keep on goin'."

Apparently he felt his obstacles were insurmountable.

Anyway, I feel for you and wish you the very best.

[SidneyCarton]

33. I'm so sorry.

May these dark days pass soon.

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. I am so very, very sorry. *hugs*

[formercia]

35. The boys drove my sister to suicide

The truth was more than she could stand.

[plaintiff]

36. I have lost exactly 6 friends to suicide over the years. I don't think any were for the same reason

and of course some we won't ever know. None of them were in the last 10 years and so predated our current situation. It's terrible and sad no matter when, of course. :cry:

[specimenfred1984]

37. Sorry. A friend of mine's son did the same thing in August

age 20, whole life ahead of him. There are no answers, no rational reasons why. Blaming this or that doesn't help a bit, doesn't bring them back. Try to be there for the loved ones, it helps a little.

[polly7]

38. I'm so sorry .....

I live with depression and ptsd too and know how hard it is to live with it, and to lose people because of it. My deepest condolences.