Facing up to the reality of suicide
There is always a way out. There is always hope.
These are the words of a heartbroken Newmains woman whose younger brother took his own life last year.
And Marianne Mearns’ touching Facebook post, which focused on the aftermath of Stephen’s suicide, has stuck a chord with thousands of people after going viral last week.
Marianne posted a poignant open letter encouraging those suffering from suicidal thoughts to “think again” and to contemplate the realities of what their death would mean to family and friends.
And the 28-year-old student nurse said she has been overwhelmed with the public reaction.
Marianne told the Wishaw Press: “Since I posted it online, it has just went crazy.
“All I was doing was trying to put across from a family’s point of view.
“The messages I have been getting include parents who have had a similar experience to me and even people with suicidal thoughts and that message has made them think again.
“If I can just save one life then writing the post will have been worth it.
“I don’t want another family going through what we have.”
Marianne admitted she was torn on whether or not to include all the details of what her family went through in the aftermath of Stephen’s death.
However, she believes it was necessary to show e x a c t l y the impact suicide ide has on a grieving ing family.
“It wasn’t hard ard to write,” she said. id. “Once I started d it was hard to stop. p.
“I started d writing because se of the high h number of f suicides in the e Wishaw area a over the past t year and it hurts s me everytime I read about another family having to go through what we did. “If someone who has had suicidal thoughts reads it then hopefully it will help them re-consider.” Now back at university after taking a year’s break, student nurse Marianne admits she will never get over her 19-year-old brother’s death. But she stressed there is help out there for people struggling with mental health issues. She a added: “Since Stephen passed, a all of the family h have grieved in d different ways. “It’s hard to help e each other when so something that has h helped me won’t he help someone else. “It’s not been ea easy and I’ve str struggled myself to get through it. I’m now back at uni after hav having to take a year out out. I’m hoping that once I have qualified I may move into the mental health side of nursing.
“I think my own experience could help others.
“People have to realise there is help out there. Of course it isn’t perfect and we would all like to see more help available but if people can speak to their families or someone else then there is always a way out.
“There is always hope.”