Tell Me An Inspirational Story -- Fast!

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Originally my girlfriend and I were going to go to the Hollywood Bowl tonight to see the movie Grease. When that fell through we were going to have a romantic night at home. Apparently instead we decided to have a terrible argument with her in tears and me silent. It seems my ongoing depression and poverty is taking its toll on her. And even though I keep everything bottled up inside me it has been taking an increasing toll on me lately. I have been trying to fight my depression and get a real job recently, but it just seems too much too bare sometimes. It is always like one step up, three steps back. Tonight I really thought more seriously about ending my life than I have in a long time. Only my girlfriend texting me saying she was afraid what I might be thinking and not to be foolish really brought me out of it. So obviously I didn't. And obviously I need some cheering up.

The one cliche people always say to suicidal people is things might get better. So does it? I'd really like to hear a story about you or someone you know who was in a dark point in their life when everything seemed hopeless, but now is in a much better place.

 

[Kestra]

There's no way to know if things will get better. They did for me. I used to not be able to look out a window several stories up without wanting to jump out of it. I've gone through periods in my life where I have cried every day for more than a year straight. No, I'm not exaggerating. I've been in such dark places that it's difficult to really talk about even today.

But it did get better. When something goes wrong now, my immediate reaction isn't "I need to kill myself." I find life fulfilling in ways I could never have imagined.

There's no way of knowing what the future holds for you, but I wish you the best. And I'm here for you, if there's ever anything I can do. There are people who care about you and wish you well, and I'm one of them.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Yes, things can definitely get better. And there will be a whole lot of people here who will tell you that they survived very dark times. Taking your own life is something that can never be undone-- it will destroy any possibility of your life getting better and it will hurt the people you know more than you can imagine. If you ever feel like committing suicide, please come here or call a suicide hotline or call a friend or something. And, if you haven't already, think about getting professional help, including medication; there's no shame in going to a doctor when you don't feel well.

 

[sojourner]

Almost lost my left foot to infection about 3 years ago. It's now permanently nerve damaged to the point of no feeling/control.

Thank God "House" made people with canes sexy again.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Listen, it can get better.
Five years ago my son was in a very bad place. He was depressed (depression runs in our family) even though he had just graduated from a very prestigious school and had an excellent job lined up. As anyone who has lived with depression knows, your circumstances don't mean anything if you are in a real clinical depression.
He was seeing a shrink. He was on meds for depression.
And yet he was in a depression he could not break free from.
He went out with his friends one night, drank himself into a near stupor, went home and took almost 100 pills. He then got into his car, gunned the engine and aimed for and hit a tree. He could have died from the accident. And he certainly could have died from the overdose.
He didn't.
After about a year of therapy with a DIFFERENT therapist (this one a cognitive behavioral therapist), meds and NO drinking he started to see life in a different way.
Today he is happy. Is he blissful? I don't know. But he is living a happy, productive life and is looking forward to the future.
I haven't discussed this openly here before because i feel it isn't my story to tell.
]But i've "watched" and "listened" to you long enough to realize that you need help and you need to hear that IT CAN GET BETTER.

Please feel free to call me. I'm going to PM my number to you. PLEASE consider a change in your therapist. The one my son originally went to was terrible for him. The new one he went to made all the difference in the world for him. He still sees her. There is no magical cure. But life CAN get better.

One more thing: you do not realize how many people you will leave behind ...who will be HEARTBROKEN if you were to kill yourself. I would have been beyond devastated had my son succeeded. I probably would have killed myself if he had. PLEASE remember that there ARE people who care and would miss you beyond words could ever convey.

One last thing: today my son is very VERY grateful that his suicide attempt was not successful.

 

[Myasishchev]

The one cliche people always say to suicidal people is things might get better. So does it? I'd really like to hear a story about you or someone you know who was in a dark point in their life when everything seemed hopeless, but now is in a much better place.

It wouldn't be helpful to mention that absolutely nothing has gotten better since a suicide attempt back in November, would it? Well, that's not quite true, the wounds have basically healed.

But, there's a lot of things I enjoy I'd "miss" if I were dead, and there's always the possibility that things could get better. Rationally speaking, they likely will, since I'm pretty great, less my emotional problems. I don't know about you. Someone's agreed to have sex with you, so you must be all right.

But, by the way, your girlfriend isn't going to put up with suicidal behavior forever. I'd cut that shit out now if you still feel like having a girlfriend.

When I get really depressed, I find it helps to listen to The Wall (Roger Waters understands me!), watch the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode "Dumber Dolls" (do I really sound like that?), or MST3K episodes (Mike is funnier, but Joel is best for dispelling the blues). This is probably idiosyncratic.

 

[JarodRussell]

Tonight I really thought more seriously about ending my life than I have in a long time.

What the fuck is that going to achieve? Leaves your girlfriend and everyone else who cares about you in terrible sadness, and you deprive yourself of the fun that might be still to come. Suicide means running away like a coward, and leaving everyone else behind. Suicide is the most egoistical thing one can do, you gotta realize that. Are you really thinking about killing yourself over unemployment and relationship troubles? Seriously? You have a girlfriend, I assume you also have all of your limbs and senses intact, damnit you have a dog dressed as Yoda! You're better off than 50% of the members on this board, for crying out loud.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Something i want to add: my nephew died at age 20 due to a drug overdose. It was NOT a suicide attempt and frankly, the amount of drugs in his system wasn't even enough to KILL him. It was a mystery to the family and to the ME.

However, what i want to get to is this: he was not a popular kid. He was overweight. But he was a genius. He was sweet and we loved him. He never could have dreamed how many lives he touched. It was a surprise and shock to us at how many people turned up for his wake and funeral. It was incredible. People came up to us telling their stories of how he touched their lives. We never knew. HE never knew.

When a person kills themself they have no idea how many lives will be forever changed. They have no idea how many people loved them. How many people they touched. It's a shame. I say this often. If there are people in your life that mean soemthing to you....tell them. You never know what tomorrow may bring.

Please think about this. You have made an impact on people. YOU WOULD BE MISSED.

 

[JarodRussell]

It's really frightening how much people can lose perspective when they're depressed. Normally I don't agree with the following logic, but for everyone thinking about suicide, I can only say this: "It could be MUCH worse!"

You're living in a first world country. You have everything you need to live, even if you're unemployed. Millions in your country have no job. Some have to live under a bridge, and then there are some who don't even have that bridge. You could be living in prison, but no, you're a free man.

You could be living in Darfur, or Burma, or any other hell on this planet, as well, think about that for a second. You could have your limbs chopped off. You could be blind or paralyzed. You're none of that (I suppose). Now think about all the stories of amputees that live a great life, how they achieved it, and how happy they are. And now think how you still have everything nature provided you with. Doesn't make that you even happier? You can achieve everything they achieved and double that.

You're complaining about relationship troubles? Everyone has those. And they could again be MUCH worse. Be happy you actually have a relationship, and think about the fun times more often. And if it really doesn't work out, then just drop it. Then you'd be living the life of every other Single man in your country. So where's the big problem again? Your troubles are shared by half the population, one way or another.

None of what you have to endure justifies suicide. NONE. Because there are other people out there who live lives MUCH, MUCH worse than yours, and who don't kill themselves. Because there are people out there who live lives EXACTLY like yours, and who don't kill themselves.


At this point I'd post the motivational speech from "Rocky Balboa", about keep getting hit and keep moving forward, but that would be way too pathetic.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

TBWCW, I sympathize with your situation, but I'm afraid we have a policy on the board to close down any threads dealing with posters contemplating or discussing a potential suicide. I wish you the best, and hope you get the help you need, but a message board is not really the best place to seek such help.