what on earht are you all doing wih tis suiceide stuff

but FIS, if we bar suicide threads we may also have people's deaths to deal with. we just won't know about it

No one has to respond. I don't respond because I think people posting here usually want other people who have been through similar to respond.

I am sure that there are a number of repeat namechanging suicide OPs, just as there are with probably every helpline in the land. I wouldn't want all access to anyone shut down for that reason. I mean, among the regulars I am sure there are some unexpected truckers and 15 yo boys....

FAQ & Objectivity, so if the Samaritans, or NHS direct or some other organisation with trained people at the other end had an instant, one on one internet forum, would you have used that rather than mn?

yeah but Franny, we're talking life or death here. It's a different thing.

I thiknk you could argue the same about the relationships section for eg foxy

people could end up divorced if they get the wrong advice - well I think I have seen that happen a few times tbh! I wouldn't ditch the relationships section because of it, though

oops

FAQ, I think that's dangerous though. That you rely on an internet forum to stop you doing that.

I'm not attacking you personally but do you see what I mean? And as I said to objectivity, I'm glad you are around to still talk about this sort of thing.

FAQ, Objectivity - if you feel that you are still here because of posts you recieved here, you must be able to see what a horrific situation could occur if the right posts aren't forthcomng?

That responsibility just can't be fair.

if I hadn't posted when I did I either wouldn't be here now discussing this with you, or I would have scars on my body from harming myself.

Well it's because I can only describe it as though your mind splits. Maybe a 80/20 split?? You are 80 percent sure you have had enough.20 percent is about the ramifications. If the ratio was the other way round you might post/(lurk) more generally about therapy- I have when I've felt on top of things more and did in fact do so in the days preceding. When the split swings the other way,you still have the 20 percent bit that makes you even bother posting but you are posting with a mindset thatis saying 'I'm very certain I want to go, but I'mjust kindof checking in with reality here'.

I hope that sort of makes sense. If you were 100 percent sure then clearly you wouldn't be posting, you'd be pill popping already or tying a noose. But 80 percent can become 100 pretty quick and I can't imagine not having the pit stop I did here.

As for why not calling the Samaritans, apart from connotations:

Bad previous experience
Reallife voice
Having to make a phonecall (big deal for many people)
Having to explain
Having to talk to somebody when their voice is odd and you don't like them because of the image it conjures up
Feeling guilty because they sound so earnest
To real
Not anonymous enough
Being intensely involved for a whole convo - not being ableto dip in and out and reflect
Having to try and explain yourself

your link doesn't work objectivity

yes but FAQ, having a policy would discouarge people from posting stuff like that

we cannot make that call, we can't, just based on someone's postings on the internet (what sort of support they need) so I believe it's better to have a policy where the posts are stopped and the thread referred (how that would work I don't know)

"So those of you who have posted on MN when your intention is to commit suicide - why did you choose MN and not The Samaritans?"

Because I couldn't pick up the phone and call. I have enough trouble trying to make "normal" day to day phone calls (doctors, calling for quotes, information etc etc) when I'm feeling good - I would never have been able to pick up the phone and ring when I was feeling suicidal.

Even when I contact my RL friends at those lowest points it was via text - I couldn't bare to pick up the phone and actually ring.

Local branches of Mind are also good repositories of information - in fact I took two long calls from extremely distressed people today and I'm just the finance mangaer . There are usually staff around who can listen or who are available for drop-ins.

yes I agree with that.

Mental Health Services are not sexy so hardly any politicians take on the campaign for funding. It's something our MP has vocally campaigned for and both dh and I have added our support to try and keep mental health funding in the public eye.

I think it's something that should be taught at school (good mental health practices,...like regular exercise etc. etc., mental health awareness)

Very public suicide attempts / explorations of suicidal feelings almost always lead to 'copycat' behaviour in the population that witnessed them

for that reason alone it would really be better if a suicidal poster could be put in touch with someone who could PRIVATELY attempt to support them

but for numerous reasons as pointed out on the thread, this is not always possible

one thing that people may not have taken into account is that extremely needy long term depressives may have already been limited in their access to the Samaritans and other agencies

mental health agencies and charities are as we know not exactly well funded or copiously staffed and sometimes people have been through the entire system many times and are virtually deemed unhelpable

it's not enough to simply say "phone Samaritans" or "phone your GP"
those people may have already said "you know we can't help you any more"

of course MNers are extremely unlikely to be able to help in those situations either! but to refer and delete is not practical in terms of always providing support at the time the poster is asking for it

"These are life and death situations in some cases and you cannot say that the people that respond are going to say the RIGHT things."

Equally if someone posts in a desperate place in their own mind and then has their thread deleted almost immediately it could be a death situation.

I think if it was 'policy' to pull the thread though, people would know what to expect and it therefore is not a personal dig at them.

MNHQ could post on the thread then lock it - advising the OP that they were now going to contact them by email.

I think a lot depends on how the thread is pulled and that support is given, just not publicly.

and yes we should be pruni, absolutely

iirc there is 1 mental health professional for every 10 people referred

Its bloody appalling. It is such a waste of people lives

feel free to start by posting here then

So those of you who have posted on MN when your intention is to commit suicide - why did you choose MN and not The Samaritans?
So far, it's been said - don't want to trouble the samaritans - Why is it 'troubling' the samaritans (who are there solely for this purpose) but MN is a viable option?
Or because there are 'connotations' - how are the connotations different on here?

oh - and to add to my first post on this thread about my useless GP - after I'd been in hopsital after taking the OD (just two weeks after seeing the GP) and had been referred to the CMHT I had a phonecall from the Dr.s surgery asking me to make my "follow-up" appointment - so I did. When I saw her then she said "oh I didn't realise things were that bad" (FGS she asked if I'd had suicidal thoughts - I said yes! - and then said see you in 4 weeks!).

well objectivity, I am glad you are still here and I can see what you mean and you know, cigarettes are bad for your health (hides fags) but I STILL think it would be better to post a thread saying 'can everyone give me their experience of how counselling has helped them' rather than the 'I am going to top myself' because it evokes a totally different response. You got to the counselling bit at the end of the thread because you had climbed down from where you were and some kind and supportive people had hung around. Those kind and supportive people MIGHT not always be here and it can' tbe guaranteed that they are!

Filly, it is not because it is messy or tasteless, it is because this is not necessarily the right place!

These are life and death situations in some cases and you cannot say that the people that respond are going to say the RIGHT things. They may make it worse and then the forum will have someone's death to deal with.

yes I agree milkg

I bloody count my blessings that I have never been desperate enough to need an internet forum to talk me out of suicide.

But if my life ever skews off course enough that that feels like my only option, I would like it to be there really.

I agree Pruners.

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