I think more awareness of mental health is paramount. Depression is a physical illness if not properly treated can lead to suicide.
On the weekend Sydney newspapers front pages were filled with Charlotte Dawson's suicide. Sadly her body was found in her apartment on Saturday.
On Sunday I watched the finale to INXS and Michael Hutchence suicide.
In the papers I read of Charlotte's friends disbelief. I did not know her but I imagine Charlotte to be like most depressed folk, what you see is not what is reality of their internal life.
I wonder if Charlotte was able to allow anyone past the mask of OK-ness. I somehow doubt it.
What most people would have seen was the part if her coping, putting on a brave front, leaving the angst for at home behind closed doors or possibly channelling to helping others unaware of her true angst as she did on twitter.
With Michael Hutchence we saw the effects of a head injury change his trajectory in life. An obviously passionate artist was sadly king hit. This resulted in the loss of his senses you and I take for granted - taste and smell. I don't know about you but I would be devasted not to be able to taste a strawberry choc top or smell a mans scent.
A blow to the head can lead personality changes. Many folk recognize these changes and are confused and angry, feeling out of control. These behavioral changes are not usually fun, we heard from the band of Michaels increased irritability and aggressiveness. This of course can lead to depression as the person struggles to cope with the changes and feels helpless.
Often in my work with depressed folk there is an underlying disappointment.
In Charlottes case that might have been her divorce from Scott Miller, whom friends called the live if her life. We recently saw his presentation on 60 minutes of his descent into addiction and the associated behaviours that accompany this. Perhaps she felt a sense of failure. No one falls in love, gets married and hopes to divorce. Personalizing the failure while idealizing or romanticising the other is something I hear a lot of. A relationship is 50/50 both parties have a responsibility in its enhancement or demise.
Seeing Michael Hutchence's friends from INXS on TV we got close to the distress and disbelief of this loss of life.
Those of us ( my Uncle killed himself when I was aged 12.) who are left behind have to deal with the shock and lack of explanation. And anyone who has faced a sudden loss knows if the grief that follows.
Suicide on the face of it seems like a senseless act.
Interesting fact -health professionals are encouraged not to use "committed suicude" which harks back to a time when suicide was a crime.
In Australia the laws for suicide and attempted suicide varied for each state. It is no longer illegal to commit suicide or attempt suicide, except for the Northern Territory where it is illegal to attempt suicide.
The suicide laws were abolished in NSW in 1900, in South Australia in 1935 under section 13A of the Criminal Consolidation Act, and in Victoria in 1958 under the Victorian Crimes Act.
We now know no it's an issue of mental health ( except for the Northern Territory, I'm not sure what's going on there) .
So for those who have been touched by the grief of suicide know all your emotions are ok, nothing can ever replace your loved one but in time you can go on with the loving memory.
Sometimes it's easy to get stuck In the why? Or for me it was a sense of betrayal and broken promises as my Uncle had left me in order to deal with his pain.
I sought help for that stuck point and it has certainly helped me.
Please know there is support out there.
Sadness and anger is a normal reaction.
Best wishes philipa.
More info : www.psychsolutions.net.au
