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Predicament: Suicide 3/27/2012 7:33:09 PM
I asked a friend of mine how he was doing. He said that all was well. It was Spring Break, he passed two subjects with an A but failed the third course and while he was studying for the finals, his friend committed suicide. “Suicide?” I asked, a little shocked. He said yes. He didn’t know. His friend was this happy go lucky individual, who would plan the activities of the group; who was always happy and gung ho. But sadly, he did commit suicide.
How could my friend know or anyone knew what was going on within him, especially when he was that person who was happiest and one who leads the group? There may be hints but in his case, the hints were absent. What could one do in order to stop the other person from killing oneself? Do we care about the person committing suicide?
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Suicide is a state of mind where you are crazy or you are driven into despair. You are bipolar, depressed or experiencing schizophrenia. Or, you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. I classify the first two groups as being “crazy”. There is no solution to them unless you are administered drug or you stop taking alcohol or drugs. But those who are in despair, when one has stress factors such as troubles with interpersonal relationships or financial difficulties, are the ones you could probably help or have influence over without the use of drugs.
I’ve only heard of people killing themselves and have not experienced close loved ones wanting to kill themselves. At the university I attended when I was back in Manila, my classmate committed suicide. We don’t know the reason why. At any rate, we were not privy to his affairs. But it was tragic, indeed. Another one was when this young man committed suicide because he did not get the attention of his father. His father was too busy with his own business affairs that he ignored his son. It was too late when his father realized how awful and tragic it is to see his son commit suicide. You seem to hear things only after the fact. You never hear them before it happens or when it was happening. Otherwise, there is still a chance to help them out.
Suicide is a state of mind that tells those individual that there is no solution to the problems facing them. Their thoughts cannot move forward or find a solution to their problems and therefore they have reached the end of the line and death is the only answer. That is why it is very important for us to empathize with them and listen. Listen to their plight and be one with them. Do not judge, just listen. As much as you can identify if you are a candidate for suicide, you cannot react positively to get out of your troubles. It is up to those outside to come in and help you out.
Suicide is different from Euthanasia. True, it is still killing oneself, but killing oneself because of an illness you cannot alleviate. It becomes more positive than negative. Do I support Euthanasia? I cannot! Because of my Catholic tradition, I view killing oneself as a sin. Euthanasia is not allowed in the Catholic tradition because of the sanctity of life. Only God can take away life. But this country has a host of belief in which I cannot impose my beliefs. So do I support it?
For me, I do not support euthanasia, as I mentioned. But if it happens to others, people of other belief than my own, then yes, I support euthanasia. We are a diverse country anyways and my beliefs are a small part in this vast majority.
I cannot, however, solve the problem with suicide. Will I go through it if it happens to me; be in my normal mental state but inundated with stressful circumstances? I will seek help. For I have a support system to do so. I have friends and family who would listen to me. And although I live alone, they are a drive or phone call away. Besides, I have problems that I have defeated over and over. Yes, they are grave but because of this support system, I begin to see the light. And even if I have the gravest problem, the worst problem is to die because there is no finding a solution to the problem. Death is the end. Let’s cross the river when we come unto that bridge.
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