[Alffe]

* Suicidal people really want to die, so there's no way to stop them.

False. They are depressed and need help. With help, they can feel better and find other solutions.

* Talking about suicide will cause a person to attempt suicide.

False. It's just the opposite: not talking about it could escalate the problem. Even thinking about it makes the suicidal person feel worse. Talking will help bring understanding. Talking about it can help to provide a feeling of relief and encourage them to get the professional help that's needed. Discussing the subject openly shows that you take the person seriously and that you care.

* If a person really wants to kill himself or herself, no one has the right to stop him or her.

False. We would help a person who was physically sick or injured: we need to help a person who is mentally ill.

* Improvement following a suicidal crisis means that the suicide risk is over.

False. Most suicides occur within 3 months following the beginning of "improvement", when the individual has the energy to put their morbid thoughts and feelings into effect. Relatives, physicians, and friends should be especially vigilant during this period.

--Myths on suicide came from: McIntosh,J., Hubbard.R. & Santos,J (1985)

[Alffe]

Loneliness can be made more intense by what you tell yourself it means.
Young people are particularly susceptible to the following misconceptions regarding loneliness:

"Loneliness is a sign of weakness, or immaturity."

"There's something wrong with me if I'm lonely. These should be the best years of my life."

"I'm the only one who feels this way."

If you believe these misconceptions you may believe that loneliness results from a defect in your personality. Research suggest that young people who think of loneliness as a defect tend to have the following difficulities:

* greater difficulty in taking social risks, in asserting themselves, in making phone calls to inititate social contact, in introducing themselves to others, in participating in groups, and in enjoying themselves at parties.

* less skill in self-disclosure, less responsiveness to others, and a greater tendency to approach social encounters with cynicism and mistrust.

* more likelihood of evaluation themselves and others in negative terms and more tendancy to expect others to reject them.

They often report feeling depressed, angry, afraid, and misunderstood. They may become highly critical of themselves, overly sensitive or self-pitying, or they may become critical of others, blaming others for their situations.

When these things happen, lonely people often begin doing things which perpetuate their loneliness. Some become discouraged, lose their sense of desire and motivation to get involved in new situations, and isolate themselves from people and activities..

________University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

[Alffe]

Interesting...I saw much of myself in reading this and am hardly a young person. I think much of it can be atributed to depression, regardless of ones age.

[jaded2nite]

False. Most suicides occur within 3 months following the beginning of "improvement", when the individual has the energy to put their morbid thoughts and feelings into effect. Relatives, physicians, and friends should be especially vigilant during this period.

So True!!!!!!

[thelonely1]

Originally Posted by Alffe

* greater difficulty in taking social risks, in asserting themselves, in making phone calls to inititate social contact, in introducing themselves to others, in participating in groups, and in enjoying themselves at parties.

* less skill in self-disclosure, less responsiveness to others, and a greater tendency to approach social encounters with cynicism and mistrust.

* more likelihood of evaluation themselves and others in negative terms and more tendancy to expect others to reject them.

They often report feeling depressed, angry, afraid, and misunderstood. They may become highly critical of themselves, overly sensitive or self-pitying.

When these things happen, lonely people often begin doing things which perpetuate their loneliness. Some become discouraged, lose their sense of desire and motivation to get involved in new situations, and isolate themselves from people and activities...

I couldn't have described myself better if I tried.

[Alffe]

We all experience feelings of loneliness, depression, helplessness, and hopelessness, from time to time. The death of a family member, the breakup of a relationship, blows to our self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, and/or major financial setbacks are serious problems which all of us may have to face at some point in our lives. Because each person's emotional makeup is unique, each of us responds to situations differently. In considering whether a person may be suicidal, it is imperative that the crisis be evaluated from that person's perspective. What may seem of minor importance to someone else - and an event that may be insignificant to you can be extrememly distressful to another. Regardless of the nature of the crisis, if a person feels overwhelmed, there is danger that suicide may seem an attractive solution

[DMACK]

MOUNTAINS & MOLE-HILLS

David