Suicide is one of the most violent and traumatic ways to lose someone. I often hear a question: How does a person come to the point of taking their own life? Of course, each case is unique, but there is something common that haunts those who consider suicide, which is the inability to bear pain.
Generally, people who have suicidal tendencies show a lack of internal resources and coping mechanisms. It’s as if the individual hasn’t yet learned to suffer and is looking for a way to escape pain, rather than facing and overcoming it. The stress becomes unbearable. Negative thoughts prevail. The pain is intolerable. Anxieties turn into true demons. The internal loneliness is overwhelming. Suddenly, there is no self-esteem left, the problems seem unsolvable, and the person sees themselves as a burden to their family. And as strange as it may seem, amidst this whirlwind of emotions and existential emptiness, the person feels that the only thing they can still control is when they will die.
My answer to the frequently asked question is: surely, the person who committed suicide didn’t want to die; they just wanted a way to rid themselves of their immense pain, and suicide was the only or easiest way they found.
Suicide is actually the result of a breakdown in our value system that creates a deep void and pessimism. Things lose their appeal. Everything loses meaning. Living no longer makes sense.
Suicide exists because, unfortunately, people still ignore or underestimate emotional pain. And just as a qualified professional is needed to treat physical pain, a skilled professional is also necessary to address emotional issues.
It is essential to prevent suicide by being vigilant for any signs that someone close to us is in deep distress and in need of help. But it is also necessary to care for those left behind, as suicide is a death that leaves many questions and several open wounds for family members.
Thais Clemente