I just heard the news that Anthony Bourdain is dead of an apparent suicide. This flabbergasts me, but it just goes to show we don't know what goes on inside the heads of others.

I've had my low moments in life, but suicide has never been on the table for taking care of things. I hope that anyone reading this who feels that sort of desperation can reach out to someone for help, or if you know someone who might be in that situation, that you try to help, but too often it seems, the warning signs go unrecognized by others or we don't want to talk about it.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Hmm...
According to CNN, Bourdain is dead of an apparent suicide , a message that comes close to the designer Kate Spade's suicide recently, which launched a major discussion on mental health in the United States.
I think it's not only a problem in the US.
Depression is a state of mind that seem to have becoming more of a problem in our Western world.
Or is it?
Don't think so if you are looking back in history and compare.

Just read this yesterday...

US suicide rates increased more than 25% since 1999, CDC says

Suicide rates increased by 25% across the United States over nearly two decades ending in 2016, according to research published Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Twenty-five states experienced a rise in suicides by more than 30%, the government report finds.

More than half of those who died by suicide had not been diagnosed with a mental health condition, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC.

"These findings are disturbing. Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in the US right now, and it's one of three causes that is actually increasing recently, so we do consider it a public health problem -- and something that is all around us," Schuchat said. The other two top 10 causes of death that are on the rise are Alzheimer's disease and drug overdoses, she noted.

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Rate being up is no surprise. The rate of hateful bigotry and bullying in the US is up. When you make people feel bad about who they are and it isn't something they can change ...

Always a difficult subject for me.

First, because my life was ruled by depression for over 40 years. But it never took me so low that I considered taking my own life.

And second, because I lost a younger brother to suicide over 40 years ago. Nobody really understood that he was having such a difficult time with life that he chose to leave it.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

I think whilst local rates and individual suicides might change based on hate or bigotry or bullying across the world (not just in the US) it is unlikely they will change much.

I mean there has been hate and violence for thousands of years and at times so oppressive that very few of us would not have killed ourselves just based on oppressive or difficult lives.

If the statistics change significantly it generally means a socio-economic-political issue.

If in the US there has been a 25% upward change in suicides in 18 so years (about a generation) then perhaps a proportion of US society has been left without proper hope by us older ones and those in power or profit.

I do not see people who kill them selves as bad or going to hell. (I suspect the only people in hell are those that love to hate.)

Families and loved ones hurt.

There is a difference between a single suicide and the statistics.

The statistics let us know as a society we should change and be more.

The individual lets us know how fragile we can be and how much we should put all our effort into cherishing each other.

I'm with kittyman. It's a damned difficult subject when you have lost someone.

.. still we should try because we are worth it...

Rate being up is no surprise. The rate of hateful bigotry and bullying in the US is up. When you make people feel bad about who they are and it isn't something they can change ...

Agreed.

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~Sue~

I came very close to committing suicide when I was 15. I couldn't tell you why.

My dad committed suicide when he was 55, nearly 40 years ago.

I was also suicidal when I was in an Army unit where I was being treated poorly and I wasn't handling it very well (1990).

I guess I have suffered from depression for many, many years. At some times it was worse than others.

Since the 90's I have been taking antidepressants and they help, thank God. I haven't had thoughts of suicide for several years.

One day when I'm old I may take my own life, but it will only be because I'm not able to care for myself anymore and my quality of life is in the toilet.

No, you can't tell what's in the mind of another. Many people who commit suicide give no clue that they are even unhappy. That's what we do. We act normal while, inside, we are in turmoil.

May all victims of suicide rest in much-needed peace. <3

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~Sue~

There is a difference between a single suicide and the statistics.

Indeed. "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Look at this statistics from our Nordic countries.

OMG! Why are so many in Greenland suicidal?
Actually you cannot tell because there are only less than 56,000 people there.
And if only one person chose to take it's life in Greeland you get these anomalies.

Rate being up is no surprise. The rate of hateful bigotry and bullying in the US is up. When you make people feel bad about who they are and it isn't something they can change ...

Agreed.

I know and understand your next post.

See https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=78677&postid=1938808
The comments in the article linked http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/06/09/stolen-suv-driven-by-15-year-old-crashes-killing-3-teens-police-say.html

For a second there I thought I clicked on Fox News Guatemala.

Not surprised . She will be told by liberal therapist “ it’s not her fault “ and “ she is a good person “ . Schools teach them no values and social media makes it all about ME ! Surprised she didn’t post live video of the carnage while making cool gang signs

Never knew any Americans named "Carbajal."

New York is a sanctuary city, probably illegal and will get a slap on the wrist.

Probably offspring of liberal Democrats who should have been sterilized anyway

MS-13 trainees.

They were running for the boarder.

The above tell you all you need to know about bullying and how it is increased in the USA.

CBS Sunday Morning just did a story on the US suicide rate. I had no idea that more people die of suicide than by car accidents.

That was a good piece; I just watched it. I think it's healthy and good to talk about it.

I think about how I expect to die and when it may be, and I am seriously very interested in what happens at the crossroads of life and death, but that's different than contemplating suicide.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Good article:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anthony-bourdain-and-the-myth-of-having-it-all_us_5b1c56b3e4b0bbb7a0ddac09

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

I agree. Statistics can be used in all sorts of nefarious ways.

When I was talking about them I mean relative (percentage) based.

For me what you show are raw data of 'individual' deaths that are not relative.

Statistics in the general sense should never be confused with just a raw count of numbers.

Statistically the number of people (percent of population) who commit suicide rises and falls with all sorts of social and economic and political events.

For example when Britain chose to leave the EU the number of suicides rose just enough to be noticed.

The same happens again and again in the US where political and economic changes happen.

Higher rates of suicide tend to happen around changes towards conservative or right wing attitudes (aggressive or bullying mindsets people spoke about?) and economic downturns.

... but still there is a an 'individual' (maybe biological) number of people who commit suicide regardless.

It's hard to know how to help either group :(

There is a difference between a single suicide and the statistics.

Indeed. "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."
Look at this statistics from our Nordic countries.

OMG! Why are so many in Greenland suicidal?
Actually you cannot tell because there are only less than 56,000 people there.
And if only one person chose to take it's life in Greeland you get these anomalies.

I think in a lot of cases, people don't have friends who are receptive enough to talking about deep things like suicide. I have a few close friends, but even as much as we share, it's pretty clear to me that they are uncomfortable talking about deep psychological issues. From what I've gathered about Anthony Bourdain, just by the very nature of his traveling job, he was around a lot of very diverse, interesting people; and while I think that may have been a good psychological resource for him, and maybe he did try to open up to them, I also think it could have been more isolating for him. ~When you tell a friend, or anybody, what is bothering you, if you don't get a certain feedback, you tend to withdraw, but that's no fault of the other person, really. It's a delicate balance to be a good friend, and not be too intrusive on them, while still being open to their needs.

Aren't we all kind of scared about life and death? I don't know which is scarier, really. I think it's all interesting though, and it's something we should talk more about and not pretend everything is ok all the time.

Just out of the blue, say this to someone you are friends with: "Thank you for being my friend". I think it will start a good conversation.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Aren't we all kind of scared about life and death? I don't know which is scarier, really. I think it's all interesting though, and it's something we should talk more about and not pretend everything is ok all the time.

Just out of the blue, say this to someone you are friends with: "Thank you for being my friend". I think it will start a good conversation.

thank you Gordon,
for your well thought out post. All my life i am scared about life and death. i know a lot of people here will call me a coward but it is just who i am. there is soo much meanest and cruelty in the world. i never have thought about suicide and would never attempted it. sorry if i am using the wrong words i am not an educated man. i an a little tired right now so i will post latter. Gordon i will send you a PM.

My friends, love is better than anger,
Hope is better than fear,
Optimism is better than despair,
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic,
And we’ll change the world.

Good night everyone.
Byron.
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/view_profile.php?userid=56091
Peace on Earth.

......
i know a lot of people here will call me a coward but it is just who i am.
....

I doubt anyone here will see you as a coward.

To be able to understand ones thoughts and feelings and then know, accept and speak them is heart, soul and intellect.

This is strength without a doubt.

thank you cRunchy.

Had some rough patches but still breathing.

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