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I do believe suicide can be prevented but it will take society to be able to talk about it openly. Mental illness isn't up there with cancer yet in acceptability. When people ask how my mom died I always have to pause and think a moment.
Do I say? "A long illness."

The reply by Hurbertg described..."I FIND THAT "MOOD DISORDERS" AND "PSYCHIATRIC" ILLNESS" TO BE A GENERIC WAY OF DESCRIBING THE CAUSES OF SUICIDE....I ONLY REMEMBER ONE PERSON WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS..."

It is well known that drug and alcohol abuse go hand in hand with mental illness. People mentally ill or not turn to them as "medicine". Not always good, but for the ill person person without meds or with- alcohol is a depressant-sleep aid and so on.

Trying to keep mentally ill people on a regular med plan is a whole other bag of worms.
Once people get regulated on meds they suddenly feel "better" and stop taking them.

It is near impossible as well for a person on Medicare/Social security disability to see a psychiatrist because they don't take Medicare.

posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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