Big Bad Kitty
lolcat
I finally found something that explains how I feel.
Emotional Suicide
Ending Your Life without Killing Yourself
© L. McBee
Jun 4, 2007
Life is meant to be lived and experienced. Emotional traumas can cause some individuals to give up long before the body stops breathing.
The human spirit is both strong and fragile. The desire to live is instinctive in all of us at birth. It is only through tragic and extreme circumstances that some lose touch with that instinct and choose, instead, to put an end to their existence.
The latest data available from Suicide.org suggests that more than 30,000 Americans die from suicide each year and more the 750,000 suicides are attempted. However, statistics are not readily available concerning the number of Americans who stop living their lives long before they die. Unable to cope with the emotional demands of fully participating in life, these individuals forego the pleasures of usefulness, joy, life experiences and virtually all activity not directly linked to sustaining their existence.
This version of suicide can lead to self-destructive behaviors ranging from physical deterioration due to lack of activity to extreme drug or alcohol abuse. These individuals often decline invitations to participate in family gatherings, holidays, and other outings. Frequently, they will alienate themselves from their family, friends and other associates; some becoming almost agoraphobic.
The onset of such an emotionally tragic state of mind can often result from the sudden loss of something extremely and profoundly important to the individual. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a career, or physical health, these losses can be overwhelming and debilitating. If the individual is unable to refocus their purpose and energies toward something that provides them with a new and meaningful purpose, depression and a loss of self can easily become dominating forces in a once, well-lived life.
Depression is not only a leading cause of emotional suicide, but the behavior itself will, in turn, intensify the depression. Left untreated, this cycle can become debilitating to the point of having virtually the same consequences of physical suicide, up to and including eventual, early death.
Those who care for an individual suffering from this condition are greatly affected. According to information from FamilyAware.org, family members and friends may experience extreme feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Unawareness of what they can do to help, combined with insistence from the sufferer that he or she wants to be left alone, leave many confused as to whether or not to intervene at all and unaware of the options that are available.
Should you or someone you know find yourself in this situation, understand that help is available and necessary. Regardless of what someone suffering from this may believe or try to convince others, it is neither normal nor healthy to limit one's life existence to only those activities necessary to continue breathing. Purpose and the pursuit of accomplishment and contentment are vital components of life. Although emotional suicide does not result in the sudden and unexpected loss of life that traditional suicide causes, it indeed creates a slower version of the same tragedy for both the sufferer and those who love him or her.
Emotional Suicide
Ending Your Life without Killing Yourself
© L. McBee
Jun 4, 2007
Life is meant to be lived and experienced. Emotional traumas can cause some individuals to give up long before the body stops breathing.
The human spirit is both strong and fragile. The desire to live is instinctive in all of us at birth. It is only through tragic and extreme circumstances that some lose touch with that instinct and choose, instead, to put an end to their existence.
The latest data available from Suicide.org suggests that more than 30,000 Americans die from suicide each year and more the 750,000 suicides are attempted. However, statistics are not readily available concerning the number of Americans who stop living their lives long before they die. Unable to cope with the emotional demands of fully participating in life, these individuals forego the pleasures of usefulness, joy, life experiences and virtually all activity not directly linked to sustaining their existence.
This version of suicide can lead to self-destructive behaviors ranging from physical deterioration due to lack of activity to extreme drug or alcohol abuse. These individuals often decline invitations to participate in family gatherings, holidays, and other outings. Frequently, they will alienate themselves from their family, friends and other associates; some becoming almost agoraphobic.
The onset of such an emotionally tragic state of mind can often result from the sudden loss of something extremely and profoundly important to the individual. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a career, or physical health, these losses can be overwhelming and debilitating. If the individual is unable to refocus their purpose and energies toward something that provides them with a new and meaningful purpose, depression and a loss of self can easily become dominating forces in a once, well-lived life.
Depression is not only a leading cause of emotional suicide, but the behavior itself will, in turn, intensify the depression. Left untreated, this cycle can become debilitating to the point of having virtually the same consequences of physical suicide, up to and including eventual, early death.
Those who care for an individual suffering from this condition are greatly affected. According to information from FamilyAware.org, family members and friends may experience extreme feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Unawareness of what they can do to help, combined with insistence from the sufferer that he or she wants to be left alone, leave many confused as to whether or not to intervene at all and unaware of the options that are available.
Should you or someone you know find yourself in this situation, understand that help is available and necessary. Regardless of what someone suffering from this may believe or try to convince others, it is neither normal nor healthy to limit one's life existence to only those activities necessary to continue breathing. Purpose and the pursuit of accomplishment and contentment are vital components of life. Although emotional suicide does not result in the sudden and unexpected loss of life that traditional suicide causes, it indeed creates a slower version of the same tragedy for both the sufferer and those who love him or her.
