When I read your post David, I had this sudden realization about why people don't want to tell others when they feel suicidal. Your 'guilt by association' thought just hit me, as to why talking about suicide is sooooo hard for people who want to commit it.

This has probably been said here before, but, I had my AHA moment and thought I would share it. It helps to make it solid for me. We don't even want to say when we are feeling suicidal because it makes us feel guilty, afterall, it is wrong. It is illegal. It does go against everything life is about. Why would someone want to talk about something like that to others?? And, yet, it is sooooo very vital for the person who is in that space.

Gosh, if we could just remove that stigma!!!!!! If we could just get people to be more compassionate for those who suffer with those thoughts...hummmmm, just to remove that guilt that the thoughts are even there, and the desire to act upon them. And that, too, is some of the difference. There are those who will think about it but don't have the emotion in it to act on it. And then there are those of us who can get downright passionate about it, and will act on it.

People who don't have the emotion and passion in it, all they do is think about it, just don't get the ones who will carry it out. Okay, just thinking out loud here, because I know I can....