𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝘁 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲!
Let's talk about 𝕊𝕌𝕀ℂ𝕀𝔻𝔼. It is definitely an uncomfortable topic, and my words are meant to provoke discomfort and conversation.
Should someone in an altered and negative mental health state be criticized for "attempting suicide", "completing suicide", "committing suicide", "un-aliving themselves"? 🆈🅴🆂 and 🅽O.
I put those terms in quotations because the "appropriate" terms are forever changing. Just call it whatever feels more acceptable for yourself. No judgement!
So let's talk about why we 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 criticize someone who has attempted or committed suicide. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱/𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻! They have tried 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 they can to feel better, to find support, to educate themselves on mental health and their physical condition if they have one, and 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 has helped. Suicide is the 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 way out of feeling pain every day. Now, chronic illness and severe mental health struggles 𝗰𝗮𝗻 lessen the blow to those left behind the 𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 bit, but not by much. We saw the pain you were in, we suffered with you, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. We know our mental health system and medical system may have failed them repeatedly, so now we are left with a lot of anger too. We do understand that death was a 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 resort. It was your choice.
Why should we feel 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘁 with those who have attempted or committed suicide?! 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 or would have 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵?! How many parents are left wondering what they could have said and done? How many kids are left behind without their parent? How many spouses can now not function and take care of the remaining family? How many friends are left questioning everything they ever said?!
𝗔 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 experience for the loved ones left behind. Their worldview is forever changed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a common outcome.
Why would you intentionally do this to people you love? You were 𝗼𝗻𝗲 person suffering - now 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟱 people are now in extreme pain. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿. So how about fighting as hard as you can to treat your mental health struggles? 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, find the 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 medications, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 as much as you can! And 𝗜𝗙 at the very end, you really feel like you can't live, why not apply for Medical Assistance in Dying? (Coming March 2023 to Canadians with severe mental health struggles). Plan your end. Say your goodbyes, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲. Let those left behind have the best chance for healing. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
Comment below on your opinions on suicide.
Send this to a loved one that has suicidal ideation. Maybe this will help to change their perspective.
To those thinking about suicide, please know that there are those out there who love you and would be impacted by your death. It may be hard to think of these people, but they are there.
- to "You know who you are". I hope you read this. You are loved.
