Stop Suicide Now!

I’ve had 2 friends during my life take their own life. With the recent suicide of the Horizon employee, it irks me that people on multimedia are glorifying or joking about it. Calling him Sky King or glorifying that he did barrel rolls and went out in a blaze of glory is so wrong. It only encourages others to either do the same or try to top his final act.

My first friend had a long issue of talking of suicide. Most of the time he was fueled by alcohol and the fact that he never really left Viet Nam. The day finally came when he was serious and no one took him as so. He committed his horrifying act in front of his wife and kids. His life, his struggle with his inner demons was over but they had to live on with that forever in their minds.

The second friend was having marriage issues. He never thought that he’d come home one day and his wife and kids would be gone. He thought they were working on it and that it was on the mend. The letter she left him basically said she had enough and was headed back to Alabama with the kids. She must have been planning it for a while, because it had to take some time to get things arranged. Anyways, a friend came over to do some computer work with him and found him at the dinner table where he shot himself while he was reading the letter from her.

These acts of suicide are very senseless and the effects don’t stop at the time of death. I’ve had a wonderful life, but it hasn’t always been wonderful. With a couple of failed marriages and relationships, career struggles, financial issues and on and on, I’ve never once thought of taking what is wrongfully called the easy way out. My theory was if I committed suicide, the other guys won. Life goes on no matter what it throws at you.

Suicide is real and it is a national problem. 22 Veterans commit suicide every day. TWENTY-TWO! That is unacceptable! These people gave part of their life to have us live in a free society. The military needs to step up more on prevention, VA and most of all you and I. If you’re a true friend, you are there for the ups and downs. You also need to ask if everything is all right. If not, a friend helps them to get help. A friend is there to talk

During one of my divorces, I went in for counseling. He wasn’t a psychologist, just a person to vent to. Tell your feelings to and letting you get all that stuff off of your chest. He didn’t suggest things to do, he let you figure that out yourself. It did me a lot of good. Though going through a divorce sucks, he helped make it easier. Once I moved off base and the divorce was final, I just stopped going to see him. I wish I had one more time just to say thanks!

Before another divorce, my wife and I went to marriage counseling. This counselor was terrible. After 60 days she asked if we wanted to continue. My wife was excited to but I said I wasn’t coming back. I felt it was a Dave bashing session and all I was getting from it was worse feelings about me. Funny thing though, I never got a bill from her. Fortunately I had some close friends that I talked it over with and they helped me through it all. That’s what I really needed, friend support. My marriage was over and they helped me through the tough spots. For that I’ll always be grateful for. They know who they are.

Step up! Be a real friend. Be there and listen. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to know it all. You don’t even have to have been through similar experiences. Just be there when your friend needs you.

 

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