Posted by whiterabbit on June 26, 2003, at 0:20:45
In reply to Re: tough call, posted by Dr. Bob on June 25, 2003, at 18:21:37
Some things to consider-
I have no doubt that AVLS has serious suicidal intentions. I think it's quite common to threaten suicide for a period of time as a means of "testing the water" - once you progress from contemplating suicide to actually voicing the idea
you've crossed a threshold; the unspeakable has been put into words.With that said, from time to time it's necessary to consider the welfare of all posters over the one. PSB is not a suicide hotline staffed with trained counselors who can determine a suicidal crisis with some objectivity and send immediate help. While the rest of us have much to offer in the way of emotional support, most if not all of us are struggling with serious and painful issues of our own. We have little reserve for dealing with something as heavy as prolonged suicidal threats, inferred or otherwise. A poster "warming up" for the act itself by writing of suicide - either (rarely) in a straightforward manner or in mystical, poetic terms meant to romanticize an ugly and tragic event - this poster is causing havoc across the board and taking a dreadful emotional toll on the other posters who feel helpless to stop the downhill slide. Worse, these self-destructive thoughts can be a trigger to those on the edge.
For this reason it's necessary to delete posts threatning suicide and block posters who persist
in writing, inferred or not, about their wish to die. This is a tough call but, having been there myself, I'm pretty sure of one thing:By the time a person has determined there is no alternative to suicide, they are past the point of being dissuaded at the last minute by any post, no matter how heartfelt or meaningful, from others on PSB. When suicide is imminent that person needs immediate, real-life intervention -
whether they like it or not. And usually they won't.I didn't like it either. But if that person is in so much emotional pain they become bent on self-destruction, then he or she is no longer the best judge of what the next critical step should be.
-Gracie
poster:whiterabbit
thread:236867
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20030508/msgs/237138.html