“Suicide
is for cowards”
“I
have no respect for anyone who takes their own life”
Sitting
at work after the news of Robin Williams death, these were not the
reactions I expected. Amongst the pain stricken declarations of
sorrow at this shocking and devastating news, were dabbles or idiotic
naivety. “How could someone take their own life?” I heard above
the usual office chit-chatter.
How
could someone have never even considered the possibility? How could
such an idea be absolutely foreign? How easy it could be just to end
everything, how could that not even be tempting? I envy anyone who
has never even thought of and cannot even comprehend the concept of
dabbling in what is deemed the extremely 'taboo'. In a society where
our whole lives seem predetermined by society, politics and the media
freedom is an illusion to many. At times, the only decision one can
take a hold of is ending ones life; is it really surprising that
people choose to take the one decision which is truly ours?
“But
it's selfish” reply the masses of naïve, narrowed minded people.
Even so, how hard must things get for someone to think that their
death will be less of a burden than their life has been on their
friends and family. Mental illness is not a decision, it is no more
chosen than people who are diagnosed with MS or Cancer, although many
would agree that euthanasia or assisted-suicide for the latter is
more 'socially acceptable' than a mentally ill person committing
suicide despite the great resonance between terminal illness and
depression.
What's
with the stigma associated with depression? Why is it that people say
the word with an instant roll of their eyes? As if it's not a 'real'
illness. And of course, a rich person definitely can't have
depression (one says in that aggravating, drawling know-it-all voice
whilst rolling their fucking eyes) because at the end of the day rich
people get sad and they “go buy a Lamborghini”. I'm sure it works
like that. Rich person feels lonely they just “call one of their
celebrity friends over”. Wow. When did money start to arbitrate
happiness? It's a duly taught nod to modern culture that the societal
obsession with money and fame have indoctrinated many into believing
that celebrities and the like have it all. Invincible super-beings.
If only.
I
wish so too, as much as I'd love to believe that one can reach such a
stage of invincibility no one is immune from the hankering beast that
is mental illness; who's victims lay far and wide. It's part of human
nature to be vulnerable, to suffer, worsened so by the unkindness and
narrow-mindedness of these other's who feel that suicide or
depression is 'beneath them'. I applaud your prognosis. I hope to god
you're right.
