Committing suicide...

[greenmatter]

Why is it that cannabis boards seem to bring out the most closed off and conservative of people? I'v seen this issue discussed on many different boards, suicide and youth. And invariably when the FACT of young gays being at much higher risk of suicide is brought forward the party turns nasty. Hey no one is condoning or condemning homosexuality, it just a sad fact that gay youths have a higher probability to commit suicide than there straight friends.
Lets practice what the Herb teaches, tolerance and compassion. nough said.

you are right ... my bad.

it just amazes me that it is so "in" to divide the masses into tiny factions. colors,countries,religion and lifestyle can earn a human being the stigma of being singled out and seen as different. that is not a cool place to be if you are thinking about ending your life.

is it possible that gay youths are not wired to kill themselves any more than the straight youths are? or is it just the way our society deals with this group of people that pushes more of them into becoming statistics ?

when we evolve to the point that we have enough tolerance and compassion to no longer see all these things that divide us, i believe the numbers will even out.

 

[Hydrosun]

I doubt there is any difference in stats for gays or straights. I also doubt that there are good numbers on the sexuality of teens, as most teens are developing / growing into their sexuality and not very likely to be honest with adult survey takers.

We may well be able to track M v F statistics but gay v straight teenage deaths shouldn't be easy understand.

None of my gay friends have killed themselves or straight for that matter, but the high school suicides I hear about never mention sexuality.

 

[mithra]

Here are the facts:


Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey. A 2009 study, "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes" led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and conducted as part of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, shows that adolescence who were rejected by their families for being LGBT were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide. And for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey).

It would be great if we could look around a persons colour, sex preference ,wealth, and just see the person under the layers of shit. I mean, really, what does it matter if your straight and I'm gay? Not a whole lot of anything, we all still need the same things, to be loved and valued. But sadly we are not programed that way.

 

[mithra]

Suicide is the leading cause of death among gay and lesbian youth. (1)
Gay and lesbian youth are 2 to 6 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. (1)
Over 30% of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth. (1)

Sources: 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide: Gay Male and Lesbian Youth Suicide.” (1989)

 

[LayedBack]

I haven't read this whole thread but I would like to say I agree that healthy young people really shouldn't commit suicide. Very often they do this or think about it because their life isn't going as planned, perhaps they are gay, or being bullied. Or a loved one died. But the thing is life can always get better in these situations.

HAVING SAID THAT - Some people have health issues that are truly horrendous. And some people go through things that are so terrible that I can't blame them for suicide. I have chronic pain, and for people like me we will ALWAYS be in pain every second of every god damn day. And it gets to the point where you don't want to go through it any more. So I can't blame people who commit suicide in situations like this. And if you don't go through this, you really can't judge because you've truly got no idea what it's like.

The fact is, in the 21st century especially in America these fuckheads have adopted draconian police state laws. Most of us chronic pain sufferers don't get the opioid medication we deserve, or the cannabis that would help us continue our lives. It's sad to think how badly the DEA, retarded politicians and prosecutors have fucked up my life and everyone else with terrible diseases.

Personally I don't understand why people are being made to suffer, when they could just take a simple opioid pill to relieve that. Go to Pain Relief Network forums if you would like to read the truth about what's going on.

It's better to be informed now, because soon you might watch your loved one die in an enormous amount of pain while taking Tylenol 3s and codeine. Or you might be the one going through that yourself.

Every day is a fucking blessing! Smoke some weed and enjoy it while you can.

 

[Hydrosun]

Here are the facts:


Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey. A 2009 study, "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes" led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and conducted as part of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, shows that adolescence who were rejected by their families for being LGBT were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide. And for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey).

It would be great if we could look around a persons colour, sex preference ,wealth, and just see the person under the layers of shit. I mean, really, what does it matter if your straight and I'm gay? Not a whole lot of anything, we all still need the same things, to be loved and valued. But sadly we are not programed that way.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among gay and lesbian youth. (1)
Gay and lesbian youth are 2 to 6 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. (1)
Over 30% of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth. (1)

Sources: 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide: Gay Male and Lesbian Youth Suicide.” (1989)

I think those are some points of information and agree with your conclusion that it is more common for those facing huge stress (family / societal rejection) to kill themselves.

I'd just like to say that sexuality isn't the maker the "family / societal rejection" is the marker.

It would be interesting to see a comprehensive study that compared regions of the country. My guess is that the Northern California region would see a much small difference in gay v straight suicide rate than the bible belt. If that is the case then it strengthens my argument that sexuality isn't the root cause it is social ostracization.

 

[azad]

I lost my daughter in 2005 she was only 10yrs old.she was poorly from birth with an unexplained illness.she had a hard life and when she left this world i found it very hard.
i never thought about suicide,but found it hard to think she was all alone some where with out me there to care for her.
It took me about 3 years to see the world in the same way again.
I was a diffrent person,void of the dreams and hopes i once had in life...peace and love to all..

 

[longearedfriend]

I doubt there is any difference in stats for gays or straights. I also doubt that there are good numbers on the sexuality of teens, as most teens are developing / growing into their sexuality and not very likely to be honest with adult survey takers.

around my parts

30% of all suicides are caused by homophobia

apparently, 1 person out of 10 is homosexual

and the person who said that suicide is a human thing, that it's normal

I really don't think you have experience the mental torment and suffering some have

people out there are looking to help, for one to understand, and two to find solutions

 

[mithra]

I agree with you Hydro sun. If a gay youth were accepted by his or her family and peers, I think the statistics would even out.
I'm lucky I live where I'm treated just like anyone else. All my co workers are older straight married men, and at first they were always trying to hook me up with there daughters Even after I came out to them it made no difference at all, I still get invited to their kids birthday parties, a big thing in the Italian community I guess lol,and go out to one of their houses for supper at least twice a week.
I love these guys, they treat me like a son.

 

[greenmatter]

Here are the facts:


Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey. A 2009 study, "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes" led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and conducted as part of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, shows that adolescence who were rejected by their families for being LGBT were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide. And for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey).

It would be great if we could look around a persons colour, sex preference ,wealth, and just see the person under the layers of shit. I mean, really, what does it matter if your straight and I'm gay? Not a whole lot of anything, we all still need the same things, to be loved and valued. But sadly we are not programed that way.

i will not sit and dispute numbers with you. you are right about the facts and figures but you are missing the point i was trying to make.

i don't think being gay makes you more prone to think about suicide. i think the way society (and sadly enough some of their own families) treat a group of people leads to said group having some ugly statistics. gays are not treated badly because they are gay, they are treated badly because society loves to single out small groups of people and abuse them. the us and them mentality may contribute to this problem more than any other factor.

when everyone around you makes it hard to live in your own skin stupid shit can happen, and sadly the numbers you posted proves it does. it is very sad, but it is also very true.

 

[immaculate]

Edit: Rambling

 

[longearedfriend]

hey greenmatter... sorry about that, it wasn't a perfect quote

Just to clarify

I know you did not say that suicide is normal

the reason I interpreted it that way...

was because you said it was human... and since we are human, and you say suicide is human,
with that train of thought suicide seems like a normal thing (reading that made it seem like it was acceptable)

that's why I said that

sorry for not taking the full correct quote

I reread all the posts before and after and understood why you said it was human... because it's not only homosexuals
it's a human thing

 

[bozga]

My grandpa commited suicide 22 years ago, after that my grandma got shizophrenia. I know how suicide leaves impact on family and can ruin people's lives .. I would never do this kind of shit, because we all need to fight! It's so stupid to commit suicide when you die anyway one day.........
peace
boz

 

[BlazingSaddles]

My father committed suicide at age 34 leaving my mother, myself (aged 4), my brother (aged 3), and then another whole family from his first marriage with 2 more kids aged a few years older than my brother and i plus another wife of course.

I still dont know the true story of what happened exactly because my mum has lied to me and my brother about it our entire lives (im 30 now).

What i do know is mum and him had a big fight one day and he drove off to a park somewhere and took a massive overdose of anti depression or anti anxiety pills and died. They found him 4 days later.....

This is true story and its definitely fucked me and my brother up in life a bit not to mention all the other people he has hurt very bad because of his selfish action.

I dont say this lightly when i say "fuck him and fuck suicide its for pussy little bitches" Il stop there before i get too far out of line

BlazingSaddles

 

[mithra]

you have every right to be mad, and I have the deepest sympathy for you and your other brothers and sisters. I can hear the pain in your post. Its too bad your mother dosnt tell you everything, you deserve this, at the least it might help you to put things together. You probably are still carrying a lot of guilt, survivors usually do, especially when something so terrible as losing a parent happens at your young age of four.
I hope in this life, you find someone that really loves you, you deserve that.

 

[BlazingSaddles]

you have every right to be mad, and I have the deepest sympathy for you and your other brothers and sisters. I can hear the pain in your post. Its too bad your mother dosnt tell you everything, you deserve this, at the least it might help you to put things together. You probably are still carrying a lot of guilt, survivors usually do, especially when something so terrible as losing a parent happens at your young age of four.
I hope in this life, you find someone that really loves you, you deserve that.

Thanks man, i appreciate that. Yeah there's definitely a bit of unresolved pain.. and anger etc.. Counselling has been suggested on a number of occasions but all the psychologists and councillors ive ever met have been weak as f$%^ and definitely not people i could open up to.

Theres no guilt on my part moreso anger but that gets less as i get older (31 now). Its pretty pathetic though what happened all i can do is start my own family one day and start a new path. As for my fathers memory there isn't one really.. I just think what a selfish fucking loser.

Not much else to say really..

It is what it is..

 

[Donald Trump]

true man.. is what it is.

when i think about it.. suicide is weak and all... but that's the choice they make and the end result is pain and suffering for others, like your case, when they choose not to be responsible for the things they should be (kids and all)... some people just don't want to deal with all their responsibilities and they create more than they can handle and, possibly felt bad, and choose to end the stress/worries. It does seem selfish and it mostly is, but everyone deals with life differently. I'm sure you have accepted accountability for your own life and I hope you don't let all that keep you down too much. I had 2 friends that have been through your situation. One of them killed themselves a few years ago.

i knew an older guy once that killed himself because of money problems but he had a fat life insurance policy so he shot himself as a sacrifice for his family.

 

[Strainhunter]

t......

i knew an older guy once that killed himself because of money problems but he had a fat life insurance policy so he shot himself as a sacrifice for his family.

That can easily backfire.

Most life insurance policies contain an exclusion for death by suicide since like with most other insurances they cover fortuitous losses, not intentional ones.

 

[steppinRazor]

i think its more complex than some may think it is..yes its selfish.
but..i think some people may not know why they do it.
for example, my life is going great right now, but i think of suicide on a semi often basis. NO idea why. it just pops into my imagination and i'll ponder it for a bit..even happened today, way before i even had cranked up IC and came across this thread.

mental illness is another issue, and for some who have such an illness cant be blamed entirely

 

[mithra]

Ya I think we all flirt with death, or at least the idea of it, from time to time. Its just facing our mortality, which is coming our way, eventually. Of course we will never know "death", because at that moment we will cease to exist. And there wont be anyone to know anything.