SNAP SHOTS ON
SUICIDE [
Suicide in not Weakness
]
The Bible is
silent on the topic. "The sixth commandment is
often used as a prohibition against suicide, but is
suicide truly self-murder or an often-irrational,
impulsive act of despair? If God can forgive the most
heinous crimes of murder, why should suicide be
unforgivable?”
“How important
are genetics in predisposition to suicide—the visiting
of the sins (genes?) of the fathers upon the children
for generations (Exod. 20:5)? Just last week, I saw a
patient whose father had hanged himself at age eighty,
whose forty-year-old brother had jumped into Niagara
Falls, whose younger brother had shot himself in his
thirties. Is she "predestined" to be suicidal, at worst,
or depressed, at best? If suicide is the end result of a
long mental illness, such as paranoid schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder, or major recurrent depression, is it
any different from death from heart disease or cancer?”
AN
OPPORTUNITY
“The stigma of
suicide could be reduced with more awareness in society
and particularly in the church, which would allow people
to seek help more readily. We need to talk about
suicide, and people need to see the church as a safe
haven.”
OVERVIEW OF
DYNAMICS
There is no
specific psychological or sociological profile of those
who commit suicide. One does not have to have a
long term mental or physical illness to commit suicide.
“The suicidal
person is temporality overwhelmed. The failure of the
ability to cope and function normally leaves the person
with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.”
“The common fear
is of something worse than death—the continued pain or
degradation if one continues to live in the present
situation or emotional condition.”
“The person is
feeling hopeless and helpless, because problem solving
coping mechanisms are not working."
DESTIGMATIZE
SUICIDE
“Sermons break stigmas. When pastors are willing to talk
publicly about mental illness, they take away some of
the shame associated with these conditions. Churches
need to be much more willing to acknowledge and
destigmatize the presence of mental health issues in
their faith communities.”
“Churches should also seek out those who are hurting and
offer their time and resources to help. Some specific
ways church leaders can support their neighbors who have
a mental illness are to ask good questions and let
people share their stories. We should always be quick to
listen instead of offering judgment.”
“Overall, our
call as Christians in the midst of a suicide crisis
comes from Jesus. When Jesus saw hurting people, he drew
close to them, cared for them, and sent his disciples to
care for them. Our call, then, is clear. We must seek
out the broken even when it is messy and difficult. The
church without the broken is a broken church.”
Pay attention
to risk factors.
Listen for verbal warnings.
Notice their emotions.
Look for changed behavior.
TOP
MENTAL
HEALTH
SUICIDE
GRIEF
ABUSE
