Suicide!
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I never investigated a suicide and found that the person had a problem or problems that was totally different than the problems that many other people also face. Most importantly I never investigated a suicide where there was a problem too horrible or too bad that one act would not have taken care of it. That act would have been to lay that problem at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. There is no sin (and that is what most problems are or at least start as) that Jesus cannot forgive and help the person deal with.
If you are contemplating suicide you probably think I don't understand. Okay let's look at that. While I was a Police Officer the law enforcement profession had the highest suicide rate of any profession. It was the second highest profession as far as alcoholism. Police Officers are under stress every day. You may not like them, you may not think that they have a hard job, but think about this. If they think someone has a gun and is about to try to hurt them, they have mere seconds to make a decision on what to do. Do they take this person's life or risk being killed themselves? If they decide to take the life and then find out that the person did not have a weapon, they will be judged by people who have never been in that situation and who have all the facts and plenty of time to make their decision. If they don't take the person's life and that person does have a weapon and the will to use it, they may very well be the next name listed on my Police Memorial page.
The other thing that adversely affects Police Officers is the amount of death and pain they see on a daily basis. Day in and day out it seemed that I dealt with death. In order to keep my sanity I had to have a defense mechanism. Like most Police Officers I put up a wall and became cold and detached from the death and pain. That helped me not have too many nightmares although I did have some, but it changed me on the inside. The pain was there, I just refused to admit it.
I could look at death and then go eat my supper. I could stand around a horrible death scene waiting on the coroner and talk to other officers about the weather or what we were going to do in the morning, or tell jokes. Slowly something started to happen to me, I began to feel so cold and so old that life was no longer a pleasure. I would look at the dead bodies and feel like at least they were out of the pain of this world, they were at peace.
That was a LIE! They were not at peace, they were just in a different hell, one that I almost got sucked into. I believe that is what happens to most Police Officers who commit suicide, they begin to think that the pain will go away if they kill themselves. I was in a lot of pain, my marriage was all but over, I had no friends other than other Police Officers, I did not feel well physically or mentally, death sounded good. It sounded like a way to escape.
So let's now look at suicide itself. It is the killing of yourself. If you are going to kill yourself then you better first think about what happens after you are dead. Maybe you want to hurt someone you think doesn't care about you. Well if they don't care now, why are they going to care if you kill yourself? Maybe you want to have everyone feel sorry for you. Okay that might work, but you won't be around to know about it, and sooner or later they will get over your death anyway. Maybe you have screwed up so badly that you think this is the only way out. WRONG! For one there is nothing that can't be faced and taken care of if you are willing to face it. Second if you kill yourself, then what?
What happens after you die? Do you believe that you just become part of the universe? If so then you truly have no hope. Or is there an after life? If so what does that mean?
The Bible says: (Hebrews 9:27 NIV) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment... Once you are dead the only thing left is to wait to answer to God for the life you led while alive. If you kill yourself because you got pregnant and could not face it, or because you had an abortion, or because people found out you are a homosexual, or because you lost your family due to an sexual immorality, or you were caught with drugs, or you are an alcoholic who can't stop, or a drug abuser, no matter what the problem, you will face judgment for it.
Think of it this way. Once you die those sins and problems are permanently attached to you, you can't get rid of them, all you can do is wait until God judges you for them. However, while you are still alive you can get rid of them. You can take them off yourself and place them at the feet of Jesus Christ. He has already died for them. He already paid the penalty for you. He has already faced judgment for your sins. All you have to do is ask Him to forgive you and take away your sins.
Laying your sins and burdens at Jesus' feet won't take away all the consequences of your sins. If you are pregnant you will still be pregnant and have to deal with that problem. Whatever your problem is you will still have to deal with it. The good news is you won't have to deal with it on your own any longer. God will help you, He will give you strength. He will never leave you alone again. You will also be able to find other Christians who will help you carry your burden.
Many people look at Christians and feel that there is no way 'those' people can understand what I am going through. Again this is a lie. Christian churches are full of people who have laid sins at the feet of Jesus. Most churches are full of "forgiven" adulterers, alcoholics, drug addicts, abusers, homosexuals, thieves, liars, people who have had abortions, people who thought about or even attempted suicide, people who thought their lives were worthless, people who at one time thought they were too bad of a sinner for God to love and forgive.
(John 3:16 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Eternal life, that is what it is all about. If you believe that God sent his Son to die for your sins and then you ask Him to come into your heart and take control, He will and He will give you eternal life. You will be surprised how much your life changes. Your problems won't seem so large anymore or so hard to face.
The choice is yours. Eternal life through Jesus Christ and face the problems of this life with His help, or eternal separation from God in Hell because you won't face the problems of this life and would rather hurry your journey to judgment. No I don't candy coat it, because I care and I don't want to see anyone make this horrible, unchangeable, final choice to rush into eternal punishment.
I am often asked what happens if a Christian commits suicide? I personally don't believe in 'Once Saved Always Saved,' I believe that no one can snatch you away from God nor can you lose your salvation, but I also believe that you don't lose your free will upon accepting Christ as your Savior. So if you choose to turn away from God after your salvation I believe that is possible. So back to the question of what happens if a Christian kills them self; take a look at this verse and decide for yourself. Remember that Paul is speaking to Christians! (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV) [19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; [20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
NOTE: I want to make one thing clear. I believe that suicide is a sin against God and I believe that if you have not accepted Christ as your savior before your death your fate is sealed unto judgment. However, I don't want anything I have said to be taken to the extreme. If a person has a chemical imbalance or other disease which limits their mental faculties then that is not the same thing as choosing to commit suicide with a clear mind. Let me be blunt, if you are reading this page and are looking for a loop hole so that your conscience will be clear to kill yourself, then by the fact that you are doing so shows you are in control of your mental faculties and I believe you will be held accountable to God against Whom suicide is a sin.
I have often been accused of discouraging people from taking medication for their 'mental illnesses.' This has not been true, although I have said that I think God is the answer. However, the more I study this issue the more I am inclined to do just what people have been accusing me of. That is recommend that if you have not already started on a mind altering drug not to at least until you have really look into the matter. Below I have listed two drugs and what they are prescribed for. Then what the possible side effects are. Take a close look, you might be surprised.
Suicide and Prozac
Prozac is prescribed for the treatment of depression--that is, a continuing depression that interferes with daily functioning. The symptoms of major depression often include changes in appetite, sleep habits, and mind/body coordination; decreased sex drive; increased fatigue; feelings of guilt or worthlessness; difficulty concentrating; slowed thinking; and suicidal thoughts.More common side effects may include
Abnormal dreams, agitation, amnesia, anxiety, changeable emotions, confusion, decreased sex drive, drowsiness and fatigue, inability to fall or stay asleep, nervousnessLess common side effects may include
Apathy, exaggerated feeling of well-being, hallucinations, hostility, irrational ideas, paranoid reactionRare side effects may include
Antisocial behavior, delusions, suicidal thoughtsSuicide and Xanax
Xanax is a tranquilizer used in the short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety or the treatment of anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorder is marked by unrealistic worry or excessive fears and concerns.Xanax is also used in the treatment of panic disorder, which appears as unexpected panic attacks and may be accompanied by a fear of open spaces called agoraphobia. Only your doctor can diagnose panic disorder and best advise you about treatment. Anxiety associated with depression is also responsive to Xanax.
More common side effects may include
Anxiety, confusion, depression, dream abnormalities, inability to fall asleep, irritability,Less common or rare side effects may include
Concentration difficulties, fear, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, stimulation, talkativeness, uninhibited behaviorSide effects due to decrease or withdrawal from Xanax:
Blurred vision, decreased concentration, decreased mental clarity, diarrhea, heightened awareness of noise or bright lights, impaired sense of smell, loss of appetite, loss of weight, muscle cramps, seizures, tingling sensation, twitchingLet me also recommend a couple of books that you should read before trusting in psychology.
Manufacturing Victims by Dr. Tana Dineen
Psychology Debunked by Lisa & Ryan Bazler
Prozac Backlash by Joseph Glenmullen
Your Drug May Be Your Problem by Peter Breggin and David Cohen
The Anti-Depressant Fact Book by Peter Breggin M.D.
Many people attack me for my stand against psychotropic drugs. They claim I am ignorant of the benefits of these drugs, or they claim that I must also be against things like anti-biotics. They miss the point that I am against these drugs for three reasons. First, there is no medical tests available to determine the need or doses for these drugs, where anti-biotics and other medicines have a clear diagnosis protocol that is used before prescribing. Second, these drugs have horrible side affects which often include suicidal thoughts and actions and even depression, which is exactly what they are supposedly prescribed to treat. Third, the patients symptoms can actually get worse if they try to quit taking the drugs. Look at the following question and answer section by a Doctor who for the most part believes in these drugs, yet admits they have some very real dangers which anyone thinking of using them should be told about:
Quotes from ABC's Primetime Live posted here: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Health/story?id=333966
Dec. 15, 2004 - Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, appeared on "Primetime Live" to discuss the often-unrecognized side effects of antidepressant drugs. Here is a sampling of his answers to your questions on the subject.
Tominell in Texas asks: What tests should a 15-year-old girl take before she is diagnosed bipolar and depressed, other than a verbal interview?
Dr. Glenmullen: There are no medical tests to diagnose bipolar disorder, depression, or any other psychiatric condition: no blood tests, X-rays, brain scans, or any other objective tests. Medical tests should be used to rule out other conditions that can look like depression such as thyroid conditions. But all psychiatric diagnoses are subjective and based on the patient's personal history rather than on objective medical tests. This is what makes psychiatric diagnoses susceptible to being abused at times. In recent years, many patients who have toxic reactions to antidepressants are misdiagnosed as bipolar and put on powerful anti-manic drugs because the pharmaceutical industry has not adequately educated doctors on how to recognize antidepressant toxicity. For years the pharmaceutical industry denied antidepressant-induced suicidality, saying it was the patients' underlying depression. In effect, this was blaming the victims. Now that the FDA has officially warned that antidepressants may make patients suicidal, the pressure to diagnose patients who do poorly on antidepressants as bipolar is the latest variation on this theme of blaming patients rather than the drugs.
Daisy in Alabama writes: I am 17 years old and after it was suspected that Lexapro was the reason I slashed my entire body with a razor blade on more than one occasion, I was told to just stop taking it. Now I have perpetual headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, agitation, muscle pains, hallucinations, cold chills, and problems with my balance. I wonder if, like Paxil, Lexapro is not very effective in adolescents? What percentages of people have reported problems?
Dr. Glenmullen: The only antidepressant that the FDA has approved as effective for depression in children and adolescents is Prozac. Other antidepressants that have been tested for depression in patients under 18 years of age have failed the tests; they were no better than sugar pills. Lexapro is one of the 32 antidepressants that the FDA has warned may make patients suicidal or more prone to self-harm, which is apparently what happened to you. And, like the other antidepressants, Lexapro can cause all the withdrawal symptoms you report if stopped cold turkey. If one restarts the antidepressant and uses a program to taper off slowly, these symptoms can usually be reduced or eliminated so that one remains safe and comfortable. Examples from studies of the percentages of patients affected by antidepressant withdrawal reactions if they stop the drugs cold turkey are: 78 percent of patients stopping Effexor, 66 percent of patients stopping Paxil, 60 percent of patients stopping Zoloft, and 14 percent of patients stopping Prozac. The withdrawal reactions vary from mild to severe. Why do antidepressants vary in the percentages of patients who experience withdrawal reactions? Because this depends in large part on how quickly they wash out of the body when stopped cold turkey; the faster an antidepressant washes out of the body, the more likely it is to cause withdrawal reactions. The brain needs time to adjust to slowly lowering the dose of antidepressants. You shouldn't stop them cold turkey because of the potential for severe withdrawal reactions.
Teddie in California asks: My daughter has been having recent and frequent emotional breaks - just graduated 18 years old. I have her in therapy and the therapist has prescribed Zoloft - I am very leery of any antidepressants - but I have a strong family history of emotional/mental illness. Can you point me to further information about Zoloft - or would you have any advice for me?
Dr. Glenmullen: The FDA has not approved Zoloft for depression in patients 18 years old or younger. Zoloft failed in two studies of patients under 18 because the drug was no more effective than a sugar pill. Yet it is the most widely prescribed antidepressant for this age group. So, be sure to get your daughter a thorough evaluation and good, reliable information on what drugs, if any, the FDA has approved for children with that diagnosis. As many as 89 percent of prescriptions for antidepressants for children and adolescents are for drugs and conditions not approved by the FDA for this age group. This is a serious problem now that the FDA has warned that the drugs can make children and adolescents suicidal.
Sheri in Michigan asks: What are the long range side effects after discontinuation? I have trouble with sequential tasks, comprehension, staying focused and complete gaps in memory, which I did not have before - Is there anything I can do to help restore some of the lost skills?
Dr. Glenmullen: This is an important question for which we need more research. Many patients on antidepressants report memory problems. And memory problems are a recognized withdrawal symptom in patients who go off antidepressants cold turkey. But exactly how long-lasting memory problems are has not been adequately studied. The most common reasons why patients don't want to stay on antidepressants indefinitely if they no longer need them are weight gain and sexual side effects. But memory problems are another reason why patients want to go off. But, whereas we know quite a lot about weight gain and sexual side effects, we know little about memory problems and other cognitive difficulties.
Deb in Atlanta asks: Are suicidal thoughts associated with the use of the antidepressants, or more with the withdrawal? Have similar occurrences shown up in adult users?
Dr. Glenmullen: Suicidal thoughts and behavior are associated with both the use of antidepressants and with antidepressant withdrawal. The new FDA warnings that antidepressants may make patients suicidal specifically cite both going up on the dose and going down on the dose as the most risky periods. In other words, one needs to be the most concerned about this side effect whenever the dose changes: when one starts an antidepressant, increases the dose to get more of a therapeutic effect, decreases the dose because of side effects, or tapers off the drugs when they are no longer needed. This is true for adults as well as children and adolescents. The most dangerous period is the first month or two after changing the dose up or down. The FDA warnings list a number of antidepressant side effects that can contribute to new or worsening suicidality including "anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, akathisia (severe restlessness), hypomania, and mania." Unfortunately, the FDA warnings provide little information beyond listing these side effects. This has created a lot of confusion among doctors and patients. In The Antidepressant Solution, I take each one of these side effects and discuss how they can exacerbate or cause suicidality, how to distinguish antidepressant-induced suicidality from the suicidality of depression, and how to treat antidepressant-induced suicidality. Akathisia is the antidepressant side effect most linked to suicidality and the one that many doctors know the least about. Akathisia is a form of toxic, drug-induced agitation that has long been reported to cause suicide and violence. In light of the FDA warnings, no one should change the dose of their antidepressant, up or down, without knowing how to do so safely and comfortably.
You may not know his name, but Richard Jeni has probably made you laugh at least once or twice.
The standup comedian, a frequent guest on the Tonight Show and the star of several comedy specials and a short-lived sitcom, died this weekend of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Police were called to a West Hollywood home Saturday upon receiving a call from the 49-year-old's girlfriend, Norma Eisenman, who told police, "My boyfriend shot himself in the face."
He was alive but seriously injured when officers arrived, and he died shortly thereafter in hospital.
According to Eisenman police have not officially confirmed the death as a suicide, and are still investigating the matter. An autopsy was to be performed on Jeni Monday.
The comic had recently gone on tour with his standup act, and most recently appeared in the HBO comedy special A Big Steaming Pile of Me.
A previous special, Platypus Man, won a Cable ACE award and was the basis for a UPN sitcom, which ran for only one season.
Jeni also made regular Tonight Show appearances when Johnny Carson was host, and continued the tradition after Jay Leno took over.
Born in Brooklyn, he was first noticed in 1990 for his special Richard Jeni: Boy From New York City, following that up with the immensely popular Crazy From the Heat.
Fellow comedian Frazer Smith said up-and-coming comedians were inspired by him.
"He was probably one of the best standup comedians in the last 50 years," he said. "He had tons and tons of material. He was looked up to by all the young comedians, a total pro."
Jeni appeared in films including The Mask, The Aristocrats, and National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off. He also wrote material for Chris Rock's turn hosting the Academy Awards in 2005.
Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the willful act of killing oneself. Suicide can also refer to an individual who has killed him or herself.
Suicide phenomena
Suicide ideation
Suicidal ideation is defined as considering or fantasizing about taking ones own life. Ideation may range from vague or unformed urges to meticulously detailed plans and posthumous instructions.Suicide Self-harm
Self-harm is not a suicide attempt. There is a non-causal correlation between self-harm and suicide; both are most commonly a joint effect of depression. Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is far more common than suicide, and the majority of DSH participants are females aged under 35, lacking any significant physical illnesses. Social issues are key as DSH is most common among those living in overcrowded conditions, in conflict with their families, with disrupted childhoods and history of drinking and violence. Borderline personality disorder is another frequent psychological factor. Individuals under these stresses become anxious and depressed and then, usually in reaction to a single particular crisis, they attempt to harm themselves. The motivation may be a desire for relief from emotional pain or a desire for attention, although the motivation will often be complex and confused. DSH may also result from an inner conflict between the desire to end life and the desire to continue living.Suicide Parasuicide
Many suicidal people engage in suicidal activities that do not result in death. These activities fall under the clinical designation of parasuicide. Those with a history of such attempts are almost 23 times more likely to eventually end their own lives than those who don't participate in such activities.Suicidal gestures and attempts
Edouard Manet: Suicide, 1877Sometimes, a person will make actions resembling suicide attempts while not being fully committed, or in a deliberate attempt to have others notice. This is called a suicidal gesture (also known as a "cry for help").Prototypical methods might be a non-lethal method of self-harm that leaves obvious signs of the attempt, or simply a lethal action at a time when the person considers it likely that he/she will be rescued or prevented from fully carrying it out.
On the other hand, a person who genuinely wishes to die may fail, due to lack of knowledge about what they are doing, unwillingness to try methods that may end in permanent damage if they fail or harm others, or an unanticipated rescue, among other reasons. This is referred to as a suicide attempt.
Distinguishing between a suicidal attempt and a suicidal gesture may be difficult. Intent and motivation are not always fully discernible since so many people in a suicidal state are genuinely conflicted over whether they wish to end their lives. One approach, assuming that a sufficiently strong intent will ensure success, considers all near-suicides to be suicidal gestures. This however does not explain why so many people who fail at suicide end up with severe injuries, often permanent, which are most likely undesirable to those who are making a suicidal gesture. Another possibility is those wishing merely to make a suicidal gesture may end up accidentally killing themselves, perhaps by underestimating the lethality of the method chosen or by overestimating the possibility of external intervention by others. Suicide-like acts should generally be treated as seriously as possible because if there is an insufficiently strong reaction from loved ones from a suicidal gesture, this may motivate future, and ultimately more committed attempts.
In the technical literature the use of the terms parasuicide, or deliberate self-harm (DSH) are preferred both of these terms avoid the question of the intent of the actions.
Suicide crisis
A suicide being attempted, or a situation in which a person is seriously contemplating suicide or has strong suicidal thoughts. It is considered by public safety authorities to be a medical emergency.Suicide note
A written message left by someone who attempts or commits suicide is known as a suicide note. The practice is fairly common, occurring in approximately one out of three suicides in the United States. Motivations for leaving one range from seeking closure with loved ones to exacting revenge against others by blaming them for the decision.Suicide Related phenomena
Assisted suicide
A suicidal individual who lacks the physical capacity to take their own life may enlist someone else to carry out the act on their behalf, frequently a family member or physician. This may or may not be considered a form of suicide according to different moral views of the practice, with opponents regarding it instead as akin to Murder. Assisted suicide is a contentious moral and political issue in many countries.Suicide and Murder-suicide
Since crime just prior to suicide is often perceived as being without consequences, it is not uncommon for suicide to be linked with homicide. Motivations may range from guilt to evading punishment, insanity, and killing others as part of a suicide pact.Suicide attack
A suicide attack is when an attacker perpetrates an act of violence against others, typically to acheive a military or political goal, that foreseeably results in his or her own death as well. Suicide bombings by Islamic extremists have been prominent in the news in recent years. Other historical examples include the assassination of Tsar Alexander II and the kamikaze attacks by Japanese air pilots during the second World War.Fake suicide
People sometimes fake suicide, usually in order to escape legal, financial, or relationship difficulties and start a new life. In order to explain the absence of a body, it is common to fake suicide by drowning. The term pseudocide covers not only fake suicide, but other fake deaths too (primarily fake Murder).Suicide methods
In countries where firearms are readily available, many suicides involve the use of firearms. In fact, just over 55% of suicides committed in the United States in 2001 were by firearm. Asphyxiation methods (including hanging) and toxification (Poisoning and overdose) are fairly common as well. Each comprised about 20% of suicides in the US during the same time period. Other methods of suicide include blunt force trauma (jumping from a building or bridge, or stepping in front of a train, for example), exsanguination or bloodletting (slitting one's wrist or throat), self-immolation, electrocution, car collision and intentional starvation.
