Man found hanging in Sydenham hill Woods

[Medley]

still failing to see how this is not news

[Otta]

Not really. The "consequences" for him were that everything is finished. He was at a point so low it seems that that was preferable to carrying on. That is absolutelky tragic and I have nothing but sympathy for peole that reach that point.

But mu point stands, you have absolutely no idea if he had so much as a friend, let alone a greiving family.

Would you condemn a thread about a teenager being stabbed and killed in the street? There have been threads on exactly that subject, and I don't remember anyone saying that it was irresponsible because they family might see.

[Jeremy]

In case his family or friends are reading... perhaps some thoughtful words of condolence may be more appropriate than drawing attention to your sanctimonious displays of superiority.

[Otta]

Indeed.

[katanita]

Very sad. This is not a newspaper, obviously, but thought it may be useful to share the Samaritan's guidelines for the media on reporting deaths of this sort as I think a lot of this is relevant to their discussion in public fora as well http://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/media-guidelines-reporting-suicide/advice-journalists-suicide-reporting-dos-and-donts.

[Blah Blah]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In case his family or friends are reading...

> perhaps some thoughtful words of condolence may be

> more appropriate than drawing attention to your

> sanctimonious displays of superiority.

Who was that aimed at? Otta I'm guessing.....

[Sue]

katanita Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Very sad. This is not a newspaper, obviously, but

> thought it may be useful to share the Samaritan's

> guidelines for the media on reporting deaths of

> this sort as I think a lot of this is relevant to

> their discussion in public fora as well

> http://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/media-guide

> lines-reporting-suicide/advice-journalists-suicide

> -reporting-dos-and-donts.

Thank you. Those guidelines are all very sensible.

[Otta]

Blah Blah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Jeremy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > In case his family or friends are reading...

> > perhaps some thoughtful words of condolence may

> be

> > more appropriate than drawing attention to your

> > sanctimonious displays of superiority.

>

> Who was that aimed at? Otta I'm guessing.....

I'm 99% sure you're guessing wrong.

[hellosailor]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Would you condemn a thread about a teenager being

> stabbed and killed in the street? There have been

> threads on exactly that subject, and I don't

> remember anyone saying that it was irresponsible

> because they family might see.

My point wasn't anything to do with a family that we don't even know exists, it's that I find it in poor taste to start a thread about someone's suicide as if it was a point of local interest. The section is called 'General ED Issues/Gossip' - out of interest which one of these would you classify someone presumably suffering from mental illness or depression taking their own life as? General ED issues? or Gossip? It wasn't even in ED..

It is not even comparable to discussing someone being stabbed on the street and dying in ED, which is relevant to the larger community as a serious violent crime is something we reasonably might want to know about for issues of safety etc. A close relative of mine committed suicide, albeit in her own home, out of interest if she'd lived in ED would this also have been worthy of the local issues / Gossip section of the EDF or would the fact it had been in her own bedroom rather than local woods have meant it was treated with a bit more seemliness?

Plus the 'think of the poor person who found them' line is always one that has irked me. Yes, not good for the person who found them, but a f*** of a sight better than being him or potentially his family, to be honest.

[hellosailor]

ps I'm not actually intending to have a go at you Otta, I generally agree with 99% of what you say and think you're really sound! But making a more general point about some of the reporting / discussing of suicide being pretty off key sometimes, no offence meant. xx

[Otta]

None taken, but we disagree.

"Yes, not good for the person who found them, but a f*** of a sight better than being him"

Well not really, being as he's dead and will never have to get that image out of his head.

And no, if someone killed themselves in their house, it probably wouldn't get mentioned here because there wouldn't be a load of police and stuff. That's what draws people's interest.

Believe it or not, I suspect we'd share similar views about suicide, and I would HATE it to come across (as I think it has) that I'm somehow blaming / having a go at this poor guy for being inconsiderate and doing himself in in public. When you're that low, stuff like that isn't even an issue. But in the cold light of day for the rest of us, it is.

And if he did leave anyone behind who ever reads this, I am sorry for your loss.

[SearchDog]

I have thought long and hard about commenting on this post but have chosen to do so due to the high level of hits with the hope of something good coming from something thats very tragic.

As you may know (or not) from my previous postings, I am a search and rescue volunteer with the South East London Search and rescue team (SELSAR). We search for missing vulnerable people in collaboration with the police.

I'd like to offer condolences to the family of this person should they be reading this. Events like this are devastating for the family and I have witnessed this first-hand several times in my capacity as a search and rescue volunteer. However, I am always surprised by the grace and gratitude a family conveys despite tragic circumstances.

And to all other readers, I wish to share some insights with hope of perhaps saving a life at some point in the future. You do not have to wait for 24 hours to report a person missing to the police- this is a myth you often see on tv police shows. The police can mount a search immediately for a missing vulnerable person. A vulnerable person is someone who may despondent and may be at risk of suicide, an elderly or infirm person,someone suffering from dementia, a child or anyone who could be considered at risk in other ways. The police will then call upon SELSAR (in our area)to help search for that person. There is often very high chance of successfully finding them alive and well. We are specially trained to deal with whatever situation we find including prevention of suicide.

Take care of your loved ones!! and if one person remembers this posting at some point in future that helps them find a missing family member it will not have been a waste!!

Thanks

[hazelnunhead]

Searchdog thank you for that, I have not wanted to come back to this thread to comment, as I didn't want to enter into a debate on such a tragic post, it felt the wrong space to "argue" a point. However, both your information, and that from the Salavation Army that someone else posted is really useful. I will remember what you have written.

[DulvilleRes]

Suicide is clearly a horrible thing for all concerned. It touches I think far more people than is generally thought, and my heart goes out to anyone affected on any level. However I think it should be talked about more openly. Whether the EDF is the right forum, I don't know, but in general terms if it remains something that is not discussed, I think that it is more likely to occur.

The reason I say this is I've had a strong recent exposure to suicide recently via work, and I learned a number of things that I previously had no idea about. For instance, a number of the suicides attempts I had exposure to were as a result of a temporary frame of mind, and not surprisingly alcohol and drugs are quite often involved. Were it not for intervention, these could well have ended fatally. Generally speaking, if its 3 in the morning, you've been drinking, and you think it is a good idea to take your own life, it is invariably a state of mind that will pass. I've had the somewhat salutary experience of seeing people who were literally pulled back from the brink, having attempted to take their own lives in these circumstance, out having a coffee with their mates as little as 6 weeks later.

There will always be those I think who are deadly earnest about taking their own lives and will find a way, but I really didn't appreciate how many people are temporarily tipped into thinking it is a good idea. My feeling is being able to share and discuss insight and experience like this might just help someone who is feeling utterly distressed, gain some perspective.

The Samaritan guidelines are great, equally I have spoken to healthcare professionals (one of whom helped frame the guidelines) who specialise in this painful area, who believe the way forward is to promote greater open discussion of it.

[Pickle]

Some good advice from the most recent contributors to this post.

I lost my younger brother to suicide last year, he was 34. It leaves families and friends with a lifetime of "what ifs", I wish I had done more to support him through a tough time in his life, and that he had been more open about his struggles. Sadly too late for our family, but hopefully others will read and take time to think about vulnerable people, be it family, friends or colleagues.

My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of this man.

[Blah Blah]

You make assumptions there based on toxicology data DulvilleRes that is not really what is going on. Suicide is rarely an impulse act. It is the end of a long road of pain and depressive illness. For the depressed person, suicide is actually a moment of calm. It is the answer to everything and a decision of sanity in the mind of the person considering it. What it is true to say is that many people suffering from depression, self medicate with drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are NOT the reason why they commit suicide though.

Absolutely, it is a subject that should be more openly discussed because the level of ignorance and prejudice shown towards people suffering from depressive illness in this country is shocking. I just don't know if this is the place to do that.

Here's a useful link, it's a TED talk that gives some insight to the mind of a person who came to the point of suicide.

And here's another that pretty much sums up the mismatch between understanding, treatment, and resources.

In the UK there has been an alarming cut in resources to mental health services at a time when depressive illness is on the rise. Recent Welfare reforms have hit those with mental health conditions particularly hard and many of them are committing suicide. We should be ashamed of what is happening at the moment.

[caz6868]

r.i.p.

condolences to the family and friends i am one