Recently, I intervened to prevent a friend from committing suicide. My friend is alive and I have the satisfaction that I knew what to do and had the opportunity to do it. That means a great deal to me because I value my friend. Her decision to live redresses some of the loss I feel because I was unable to prevent my son's death by suicide.
Stressful events cause temporary depression in most people.
Others suffer from major depression or manic depression, inheritable illnesses that may lead to suicide. People with schizophrenia also may attempt suicide. Accompanied by abnormalities in brain chemistry, episodes of depression arise with or without apparent cause. The risk of suicide sky rockets if depression is coupled with chemical dependency. Historically, mental health and chemical dependency treatment have traveled on separate tracks.