Suicide

[cheesecake]

I know that Clayton's suicide has resulted in many folks in the CareCure community thinking about suicide. Some folks are even actively suicidal. The plus is that people are talking amongst one another about how they are feeling.

This whole thing caused me to pause and try to pull together some resources. I looked up "suicide clusters/contagion and found this definition:

http://www.hhs.gov/faq/healthprogram...alth/1704.htmlSuicide contagion is the exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors within one's family, one's peer group, or through media reports of suicide and can result in an increase in suicide and suicidal behaviors. Direct and indirect exposure to suicidal behavior has been shown to precede an increase in suicidal behavior in persons at risk for suicide, especially in adolescents and young adults.

CareCure can be considered a "peer group" because folks have a common denominator, spinal cord injury. Many folks have talked about embracing one another and the realization of how important folks are to each other. Still others are now openingly talking about feelings of being suicidal.

I thought it might be a good idea to post some resources. I hope if anyone is giving suicide serious consideration, they will reach out and contact others or ask for help.

Please take care........

SUICIDE HOTLINES



About.com’s List of Suicide Hotlines by State and Province (Canada)
http://depression.about.com/library/...htm?once=true&

Aware Foundation’s Suicide, Depression and Mental Health Hotlines
http://www.awarefoundation.org/resou..._hotlines.aspx

Canadian Suicide Hotlines
http://suicidehotlines.com/canada.html

Suicide Hotlines.com
http://suicidehotlines.com/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
www.afsp.org

Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network
www.spanusa.org

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
www.mentalhealth.org

Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education
www.save.org

Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP/ACPS)
www.suicideprevention.ca

Here are some resources for Depression as well:

Source: MedlinePlus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html

Websites

University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Depression: Questions from the Clinic http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.a...1&return=24467

University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Adjustment to Spinal Cord Injury
www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=45578

University of Washington: Depression and Spinal Cord Injury
http://sci.washington.edu/info/pamph...ession_sci.asp


International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred)
www.ifred.org
2017-D Renard Ct.
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-268-0044

American Psychological Association’s Nov. 1999 article “Guidelines for spinal cord injuries don’t go far enough”
www.apa.org/monitor/nov99/pi4.html

American Association on Health and Disability’s Health and Disability News
http://www.aahd.us/page.php?pname=pu...ets/prevelance
“Depression Prevalence: Depressive Symptoms and Clinical Depression and People with Disabilities”
http://www.aahd.us/page.php?pname=pu...eets/treatment
“Depression Treatment: Depressive Symptoms and Clinical Depression and People with Disabilities”.

National Institute of Mental Health’s Depression and Other Illnesses
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/HealthInform...ooccurmenu.cfm
Has a section specific to depression and stroke.

American Association of SCI Psychologists and Social Workers promote research to improve quality of care and works to improve skills and techniques of members.
Publications: SCI Psychosocial Process (quarterly journal) at www.aascipsw.org/.

Chatrooms

NeuroTalk Communities--Depression
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com

The information contained in this message is presented for the purpose of educating and informing you about paralysis and its effects. Nothing contained in this message should be construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Should you have any health care related questions, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider promptly. Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before embarking on a new treatment, diet or fitness program. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this message.

[HeathQuad]

Thank you very much for the links of information. Interestingly enough we were talking about this sort of thing in chat earlier today. I myself am one who went through these tendencies a couple of years ago and we were discussing how this had sort of brought a relapse of those feelings back.

Just to talk in chat helped me out tremendously. The two people that were there (you know who you are) helped out greatly. But true that these things tend to bring the thoughts back to the forefront of someone's mind. As stated above if this is going through your mind please contact someone, a friend, a relative, a therapist or heck even me because I have been through it. This injury brings about a lot of changes but it doesn't have to be a final change.

Heath

[Tiger Racing]

Originally Posted by cheesecake

I thought it might be a good idea to post some resources. I hope if anyone is giving suicide serious consideration, they will reach out and contact others or ask for help.

Thank you for taking the time to post this information and I hope that people avail themselves of the help that is out there. Please don't wait until you are actively thinking about death. It's normal to be sad and to grieve one's loss after an accident or injury, but sometimes it's a good idea to get help dealing with even those feelings, let alone when they deepen into depression and feelings of hopelessness.

C.

[jhope]

why in our culture is suicide demonized? it is a religious judeo-christian propaganda

[cheesecake]

I don't think that I demonized suicide. I do think that sometimes people think they are all alone, and in fact they are not. That was the whole point of this post. If you choose help, it is there. Isolation and lonliness are bitches, but SCI doesn't have to equate isolation.
Many people don't know where to turn for help, the list was simply resources.

[lynnifer]

Cheesecake, you are golden - and we are lucky to have you here!
Thanks for posting this.

[Obieone]

We had some experience with the phenomenon of a suicide cluster a few years ago within our lttle prairie community and although it wasn't in any way related to sci per se my understanding is that it can manifest itself among any "peer" group of people whether adult sci or teens ruled by the angst of their youth ... and is usually triggered initially by a suicide (or attempted suicide) of a member of that particular peer group.

In our case an unsuccessful suicide by a 17 year old girl in my daughters class ... soon followed by another young boy (successful) and then a number of other threats and attempts .... eventually over a period of about a year and a half things finally settled out but not after alot of intervention that included bringing in mental health professionals and the ultimate formation of a Community Youth Wellness Committee. It all involved alot of talking about a very difficult subject and dispelling of myths.

My point in bringing our particular situation to your attention is to help you understand that for anyone who might be entertaining thoughts of suicide since Clayton's passing it's important for you to know that it is not uncommon to revisit those thoughts and that it is imperative that you talk to someone about those feelings .... take them seriously and reach out ... ask for help ..... the moment most often will pass .... but while in the centre of that storm it is very difficult to believe that is true without some support!

We are going through a sad and scary time here at CC .... and I'm not meaning to sound trite but it's time to grieve our loss ... talk about what we are thinking and feeling .... and support each other as much as we can .... even from a distance !

Cheese has made available some excellent resources for any of you who may require help or even if you simply wish to educate yourselves more on the subject of sucide .... if you need to ..... talk to someone..... please!

Obieone

[Raven]

Originally Posted by cheesecake

I don't think that I demonized suicide. I do think that sometimes people think they are all alone, and in fact they are not. That was the whole point of this post. If you choose help, it is there. Isolation and lonliness are bitches, but SCI doesn't have to equate isolation.
Many people don't know where to turn for help, the list was simply resources.

Thank you CheeseCake for posting these links and bringing up this subject. It is something that I personally believe we many times feel like and don't address positively. I also agree with you that we do feel isolated and alone many times and the thought of suicide is something that crosses the minds of many of us at the beginning of our live with SCI. It crossed my mind. I attempted it also after my marriage failed. I think we go through some things we find it so hard to cope with at times and the thought will come up to our minds as a solution or a way of escaping what is hurting us so deep inside of us. I still remember the pain I felt at those times. Also, the need to talk with someone we trust or feel we can confide in is very important. I found this fact after my attempt. Many times it is so hard to tell someone how you are hurting emotionally inside of you and you keep quiet or you make it sound as if you are only kidding. But inside of you, you know you are not. The decision to go ahead with it can come on suddenly and you go ahead and do it or at least attempt it. Anyways, it was like that with me.

An understanding friend/confidant is much needed at that particular time. Depression is a big factor too. I honestly believe that we do need to reach out for professional help before we come to a final decision as to what is the answer. That is something that is hard to find at the time particularly since our mind is overwhelmed with our emotions of the pain felt. I truly believe we many times aren't competent to make a good decision because of these emotions. They are too overwhelming.

Thank you so much and I hope that we can be able to support, understand and be able to help each other or others at these times. I find that many times people who commit suicide are also considered as cowards. They are not. I believe it takes a lot of courage to deal with the pain within us too and find that it is way too much to take anymore. Possibly that is the reason why people who are comtemplating it don't tell others about what they are going through and their thoughts.

My thoughts on the subject.

Raven

[jody]

well writ thanx

[lynnifer]

I agree ... so well put Eileen.

OJ I wish I could snap my fingers and make it all okay. All I can do is hope the feeling passes for you. I'll keep writing politicians and newspapers (I'm due for a good one) about why research monies are still so needed.

Such an excellent time to get published too as both Canada and the US are led into elections ...