SUICIDE: The Tragedy under the Dark Cloud of NO HOPE
Some life experiences cause us to stop, look and really listen. In our normal day to day existence, we wonder what we could do for someone who is struggling. Maybe we struggle from time to time ourselves. I once heard that there is just a small window of severe hopelessness where troubled people go when discouragement takes over and self destructive thoughts consume. Given the right intervention at the right time, tragedy miraculously can be avoided. I know, at least for my younger brother by just 15 months, he felt like the world would be a better place without him.... He just wanted to fly. To be rid of his struggles once and for all. Two failed marriages, alcohol and drug addictions, children that didn't want much to do with him, strained relationships with family members who were disappointed and unhappy being let down because of failed responsibility and continued unreliability. How do we help people that are in that realm of discouragement and hopelessness?
After my brothers suicide, it was a very tragic and difficult time for our entire family. I had plenty of thoughts of what I could have done, should have done, or wish I did..... It really served no purpose, other than to put me "unavailable" in my own relationships with others. In our troubled world, many find suicide the easy escape from their own dark prison. And what it does is leave a trail of heartache, tragedy and tears.
On a recent holiday we took with a tour group traveling back East, we went to a beautiful place that overlooked a gorge with a very picturesque view from a bridge.... Along this bridge walkway were posted little notes of encouragement, love, direction, help, support....for anyone that was contemplating ending their lives by jumping from this bridge. I hardly remember the view for the tragic vision I had of what had probably occurred there many times before. The harsh reality of heart ache and despair.
My own father, in his aging years, experienced some trauma related health issues that took psychiatric counseling to help heal his heart and soul. He was very close to my brother, and felt a connection to him in his struggles that none of us had realized. Despair can do that. Making our existence miserable. Giving way for declining health and unhappiness. I didn't want that for myself.
I determined that all I physically could do was look for opportunities to reach out to people who were in that difficult prison of hopelessness. We chose to be involved with the 12 Step Addiction Recovery Program through LDS Family Services. This is a program we led and helped implement on both our full time missions to New Zealand. We witnessed many miracles come about. Restored hope and happiness. Countenances were changed. Priorities established and restored. We now have been called to serve from home in our own community helping those struggling with Pornography Addiction, and the Spouse and Family Support group of the Pornography Addict. Working with the spouses of the Porno Addict I have seen plenty of despair, betrayal, maybe even thoughts of an easy out of divorce. Satan can not only get to the addict, he can also take down the entire family into his realm of misery. The fight is real, but it can be overcome.
There never is an easy fix for any addiction. It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can we find hope and healing from whatever has turned our happy existence upside down. There is a need for more reaching out, rather than looking for ways to ignore or avoid. Taking the addict or spouse out of their private misery into the supporting loving group setting, miracles start to happen. As we learn to love and support those who struggle, we can see lives change, hearts heal and hope restored. Is it worth it? Oh yes. It is worth every minute in a very humbling and fulfilling way. I feel my brother by my side as I reach out with love and support, in any way I can, in this troubled and difficult world.
After my brothers suicide, it was a very tragic and difficult time for our entire family. I had plenty of thoughts of what I could have done, should have done, or wish I did..... It really served no purpose, other than to put me "unavailable" in my own relationships with others. In our troubled world, many find suicide the easy escape from their own dark prison. And what it does is leave a trail of heartache, tragedy and tears.
On a recent holiday we took with a tour group traveling back East, we went to a beautiful place that overlooked a gorge with a very picturesque view from a bridge.... Along this bridge walkway were posted little notes of encouragement, love, direction, help, support....for anyone that was contemplating ending their lives by jumping from this bridge. I hardly remember the view for the tragic vision I had of what had probably occurred there many times before. The harsh reality of heart ache and despair.
My own father, in his aging years, experienced some trauma related health issues that took psychiatric counseling to help heal his heart and soul. He was very close to my brother, and felt a connection to him in his struggles that none of us had realized. Despair can do that. Making our existence miserable. Giving way for declining health and unhappiness. I didn't want that for myself.
I determined that all I physically could do was look for opportunities to reach out to people who were in that difficult prison of hopelessness. We chose to be involved with the 12 Step Addiction Recovery Program through LDS Family Services. This is a program we led and helped implement on both our full time missions to New Zealand. We witnessed many miracles come about. Restored hope and happiness. Countenances were changed. Priorities established and restored. We now have been called to serve from home in our own community helping those struggling with Pornography Addiction, and the Spouse and Family Support group of the Pornography Addict. Working with the spouses of the Porno Addict I have seen plenty of despair, betrayal, maybe even thoughts of an easy out of divorce. Satan can not only get to the addict, he can also take down the entire family into his realm of misery. The fight is real, but it can be overcome.
There never is an easy fix for any addiction. It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can we find hope and healing from whatever has turned our happy existence upside down. There is a need for more reaching out, rather than looking for ways to ignore or avoid. Taking the addict or spouse out of their private misery into the supporting loving group setting, miracles start to happen. As we learn to love and support those who struggle, we can see lives change, hearts heal and hope restored. Is it worth it? Oh yes. It is worth every minute in a very humbling and fulfilling way. I feel my brother by my side as I reach out with love and support, in any way I can, in this troubled and difficult world.
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