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EPSYCHODELIC STALL RUNSFORD LARYEA
VERY day, we are slapped across the face by the harsh reality that more and more people are unfortunately falling for the deceptively seductive psychological advances that come with suicide and suicide ideation. These are undeniably tough times we are living in with all sectors of our general lives experiencing turbulences such as we have never seen before and of course, by virtue of being an active participant in life (generally), psychological stress and mental health breakdowns are most likely going to be an extra common occurrence among individuals. These are what we use to grow, strengthen and build our characters as individuals, however, it becomes a worry when more people struggle to see past that and turn to ‘ending it all’ as a solution.
What we need to understand is that our minds and the way they work have the potential to be our worst enemy or best friend. Sounds clichè, I know but hear me out. Basically, the way you think, how you think it and for how long you think about that particular thing slowly becomes engrained firmly into our belief system. This is how you have a self-image, for instance, or what your personality is like; these little chunks of thoughts and emotions form the ‘whole’. Alternatively, this is exactly the same way we treat the negative parts of ourselves, our physical appearances and our being in general; we assimilate our weaknesses so deeply that in the end they have a say in who we think we are.
Roots
Before we stray too much, my suspicions suggest that is where the roots of suicide ideation and actually committing the act lie. Many people are on the wrong end of the economic instability that is currently going on, and by this, I mean they are struggling to find and keep jobs. They are not earning enough to live comfortably and support their families, the pandemic thrust thousands into unemployment, many more of whom are knee-deep in debts. There are many youths out there who are struggling to kick-start their own independent lives and because of the current economic landscape, they still need family support for everything, six years after having graduated.
Psychologically, these are ‘heavy granules’ to constantly have to process and try to overcome and consequently, overtime, these negative thoughts about yourself, your potential, your abilities and your future become more prominent than what is positive about you. Losing your independence after losing a job, for instance, is something quite detrimental to experience; similarly, having to pass on the role of breadwinner
to someone else because you are no longer able to fulfill it can be psycho-emotionally damaging, however, the truest expression of your character as an individual is seen in how you retaliate in the face of that particular adversity.
Also, our love relationships tend to do a significant job in fuelling the prevalence of suicides as well. This is eerily common in younger people (who are admittedly still at the infancy of their emotional development), even though there are adults who find themselves vulnerable. Loosely, a love relationship hinges on the fact that your partner loves and cares for you, something that boosts your confidence and makes you feel significant.
Explains
The moment your partner decides to end the relationship for whatever reason, all those psycho-emotional benefits that came with you being a part of the relationship come crumbling down, which explains where your sadness, dread and feelings of inadequacy come from after a break up. For some it becomes too hard to deal with because we are not built the same nor do we have the same resilience patterns.
Even though not all bases of the foundations of suicide were covered in our piece today, the minimum intention was to turn an eye to the depth of some of what many people go through and how it affects them. Still, words of encouragement and advice to anyone who feels overcome or overwhelmed by thoughts of taking their own life; find someone you trust to talk to about it. That is the only way you can flush out those thoughts and ideas to make room for fresher and more optimistic ones. You matter. Send comments to runsford0505@gmail.com.