FB Post on Suicide

 6-September-2024 I posted this on Facebook and it obviously hit a nerve as there were lots or responses.

What's on your mind?

It's 3am

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a man younger than me who'd taken his own life.  Now two high school kids will grow up without a dad.

It's a topic "we" don't talk about. I dare not use the "the word" for fear the algorithm will bury my post.   The rate is double the road toll and nothing is said.  My sarcastic interpretation is the government & public service can't make money from it.

At the remembrance service we heard about the many good things in his life. 

I wondered about the lead up.

As we stood around beforethe service, No one talked about it at all.

At other times people say things like:

It's selfish.

Could I have done something?

He suffered from mental health issues.

I think: "did he feel loved and connected"

It's a tough gig this thing called life.

For me, after my marriage crashed, I was very low.  So low that I researched ways to make sure one is successful in checking out. Luckily people saw this and stepped forward. Invited me into their lives and that helped but feelings of inadequacy, failure, wtf is wrong with me were very strong.

This fellow was a smart fellow. Lots of friends and plenty of talent. Had had a life with a ton of experience. It was suggested that because he was smart he was able to hide whatever was happening inside so all appeared normal.

It's hard to know what to do. I do know that after such events we all ourselves things like "what could I have done" and "if only I'd known".  For some maybe there are signs but obviously for others it's hidden.  An internal bubbling pot of inadequacy and failure.