What pissed you off today?

[Lizzie_Borden]

Nope. That's perfectly ok. It's the ignorant ones who bug me, and you've never struck me as ignorant.

I'm generally not. I can be a bit naive at times, but I know myself. And I own my shit.

 

[Soumis]

Doctors.

 

[rida]

Losing my pre-paid train card with little short of 6,000JPY charge in.

 

[seela]

Hearing that I probably have to go to surgery because of my wrist. Apparently my scaphoid is a goner.

 

[Cattypuss]

Pain in my neck, and my newly long-distance relationship. He used to be a 40-minute drive away, which allowed for stayovers mid-week. Now he's a weekend commuter which means that Mon-Fri he's a 2.5-hour drive away

 

[MisterSir]

I'm seriously afraid one of my friends is about to kill herself. And I can't get hold of her. Either her phone's not on or it's not taking calls and I don't even know where she lives to get emergency services around there.

 

[MisterSir]

Update: She did try. She hasn't been successful, at least not immediately. I managed to get through to her, the ambulance crew was with her, they were either on the way to the hospital or there already. I don't think I've ever been this manic about anything before. I'm still seriously scared, now I'm waiting so I can call A&E again and hope she's arrived.

 

[Keroin]

Update: She did try. She hasn't been successful, at least not immediately. I managed to get through to her, the ambulance crew was with her, they were either on the way to the hospital or there already. I don't think I've ever been this manic about anything before. I'm still seriously scared, now I'm waiting so I can call A&E again and hope she's arrived.

So sorry to hear this MS. I hope she's OK and I hope you have a RL someone to help you through this as well.

 

[MisterSir]

It was just intense in an obviously bad way. I nearly cried when I was talking to her out of sheer relief.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I'm seriously afraid one of my friends is about to kill herself. And I can't get hold of her. Either her phone's not on or it's not taking calls and I don't even know where she lives to get emergency services around there.

Update: She did try. She hasn't been successful, at least not immediately. I managed to get through to her, the ambulance crew was with her, they were either on the way to the hospital or there already. I don't think I've ever been this manic about anything before. I'm still seriously scared, now I'm waiting so I can call A&E again and hope she's arrived.

Glad to hear she wasn't successful, and that she's getting at least *medical* help. I hope they strongly refer her to some effective counselor or agency that can help her begin to deal with the issues that got her to this point.

As for *you,* our friend, I hope YOU have someone available to discuss this with - as Keroin said, RL - so you can sort out your feelings both toward her and what she tried to do.

A couple of things you need to keep at the forefront of your consciousness in regard to this incident:

• It's not your fault. It's hers, for not finding a way to deal with her issues. See the third point below for more related to this, but first and foremost, I repeat, it's not your fault.
• You cared enough to actually try to do something, rather than just blow it off and say, "Oh, she's just trying to get attention." That speaks volumes - good ones - about you.
• Suicide, and attempted suicide, are quite often vengeful acts. Yeah... that sounds strange, but it's true. The suicide attempter frequently has in their mind, "Oh, they'll be so sorry they drove me to this," or "They'll really regret that they didn't help me through this," or "That'll show them." Suicide is anger acted out, whether it occurs through depression or any other "cause." Give her your love (as a friend, distant relative, whatever), and sympathy for having to go through the issues she's fighting, but NOT for attempting to guilt-trip the world by removing herself from it.

I'm not a counselor or mental health professional by any means. If you have one "on tap," see him/her and discuss this with them. If not, seek out your wisest friend(s) and talk about it. Good luck.

 

[intothewoods]

Glad to hear she wasn't successful, and that she's getting at least *medical* help. I hope they strongly refer her to some effective counselor or agency that can help her begin to deal with the issues that got her to this point.

As for *you,* our friend, I hope YOU have someone available to discuss this with - as Keroin said, RL - so you can sort out your feelings both toward her and what she tried to do.

A couple of things you need to keep at the forefront of your consciousness in regard to this incident:

• It's not your fault. It's hers, for not finding a way to deal with her issues. See the third point below for more related to this, but first and foremost, I repeat, it's not your fault.
• You cared enough to actually try to do something, rather than just blow it off and say, "Oh, she's just trying to get attention." That speaks volumes - good ones - about you.
• Suicide, and attempted suicide, are quite often vengeful acts. Yeah... that sounds strange, but it's true. The suicide attempter frequently has in their mind, "Oh, they'll be so sorry they drove me to this," or "They'll really regret that they didn't help me through this," or "That'll show them." Suicide is anger acted out, whether it occurs through depression or any other "cause." Give her your love (as a friend, distant relative, whatever), and sympathy for having to go through the issues she's fighting, but NOT for attempting to guilt-trip the world by removing herself from it.

I'm not a counselor or mental health professional by any means. If you have one "on tap," see him/her and discuss this with them. If not, seek out your wisest friend(s) and talk about it. Good luck.

I understand your perspective, but from everything I've learned on the subject, I think a lot of people who attempt suicide aren't angry, but are in so much emotional pain and/or misery that suicide seems like a relief. In fact, often the fear and concern for loved ones is what keeps people from completely carrying through with an attempt.

MS - Sorry you have to deal with this. I hope she has access to counselors and comprehensive therapy.

 

[catalina_francisco]

I understand your perspective, but from everything I've learned on the subject, I think a lot of people who attempt suicide aren't angry, but are in so much emotional pain and/or misery that suicide seems like a relief.

Yup, and being someone who has had to deal with the aftermath of a parent who suicided it really gets me sometimes when I hear people claiming suicide is just an attention seeking, cowardly act of someone not willing to deal with their issues like an adult. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be a way to deal with an issue when you are in so much pain, especially when that pain has extended over years, or in my fathers case, decades. It is pop psychology and which stems from the 'blame the victim' philosophy, and usually from people who have never been to the depths necessary to contemplate suicide seriously.

Catalina

 

[Cattypuss]

MS, so glad your friend is still with us. She probably needs an ear. If she's not ready to talk to friends, I hope she will call Samaritans, who are there 24/7 for totally non-judgmental listening, whatever it is that's on her mind. They're also there for YOU, if you need an outlet for how this experience has affected you.
xx

http://www.samaritans.org/?gclid=CI7Yt7XclqQCFUg-4wod43VsSQ

 

[Cattypuss]

I think a lot of people who attempt suicide aren't angry, but are in so much emotional pain and/or misery that suicide seems like a relief. In fact, often the fear and concern for loved ones is what keeps people from completely carrying through with an attempt.

Yes. This.

 

[ultramarineblue]

Glad to hear she wasn't successful, and that she's getting at least *medical* help. I hope they strongly refer her to some effective counselor or agency that can help her begin to deal with the issues that got her to this point.

As for *you,* our friend, I hope YOU have someone available to discuss this with - as Keroin said, RL - so you can sort out your feelings both toward her and what she tried to do.

A couple of things you need to keep at the forefront of your consciousness in regard to this incident:

• It's not your fault. It's hers, for not finding a way to deal with her issues. See the third point below for more related to this, but first and foremost, I repeat, it's not your fault.
• You cared enough to actually try to do something, rather than just blow it off and say, "Oh, she's just trying to get attention." That speaks volumes - good ones - about you.
  

I'm not a counselor or mental health professional by any means. If you have one "on tap," see him/her and discuss this with them. If not, seek out your wisest friend(s) and talk about it. Good luck.

This.

I understand your perspective, but from everything I've learned on the subject, I think a lot of people who attempt suicide aren't angry, but are in so much emotional pain and/or misery that suicide seems like a relief. In fact, often the fear and concern for loved ones is what keeps people from completely carrying through with an attempt.

MS - Sorry you have to deal with this. I hope she has access to counselors and comprehensive therapy.

And this.

It's no secret to anyone that's been around this board for a while that I've been that low. I haven't tried but I've certainly entertained the thought. It was always through just wanting to not be miserable anymore. She needs professional counseling. Not every counselor is equal and there are no quick fixes.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

• Suicide, and attempted suicide, are quite often vengeful acts. Yeah... that sounds strange, but it's true. The suicide attempter frequently has in their mind, "Oh, they'll be so sorry they drove me to this," or "They'll really regret that they didn't help me through this," or "That'll show them." Suicide is anger acted out, whether it occurs through depression or any other "cause." Give her your love (as a friend, distant relative, whatever), and sympathy for having to go through the issues she's fighting, but NOT for attempting to guilt-trip the world by removing herself from it.

I'm not a counselor or mental health professional by any means. If you have one "on tap," see him/her and discuss this with them. If not, seek out your wisest friend(s) and talk about it. Good luck.

I understand your perspective, but from everything I've learned on the subject, I think a lot of people who attempt suicide aren't angry, but are in so much emotional pain and/or misery that suicide seems like a relief. In fact, often the fear and concern for loved ones is what keeps people from completely carrying through with an attempt.

MS - Sorry you have to deal with this. I hope she has access to counselors and comprehensive therapy.

Yup, and being someone who has had to deal with the aftermath of a parent who suicided it really gets me sometimes when I hear people claiming suicide is just an attention seeking, cowardly act of someone not willing to deal with their issues like an adult. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be a way to deal with an issue when you are in so much pain, especially when that pain has extended over years, or in my fathers case, decades. It is pop psychology and which stems from the 'blame the victim' philosophy, and usually from people who have never been to the depths necessary to contemplate suicide seriously.

Catalina

Damn. Guess I need to brush up on my communications skills. I didn't intend to say or imply, nor did I want MSir to infer, that suicide or attempts are always anger-generated, only that, according to each of the psychiatrists who treated my mother before and after her four suicide attempts, and the two psychiatrists who treated a very very good friend's wife after *her* suicide attempt, that they *OFTEN* reflect the attempter's anger. In re-reading my post, I note that I did leave out the qualifying adverb the last time (see underscored portion) I mentioned anger as a suicide/attempt trigger, and apologize for thus muddying up my message. It should have said, "Suicide is [often] anger acted out."

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Pain (mine) sucks.

I much prefer inflicting it to experiencing it, though I wouldn't inflict *this* type of pain on another.

 

[Keroin]

Bureaucracy and stupidity.

Oh wait, they're the same thing.

 

[midwestyankee]

Bureaucracy and stupidity.

Oh wait, they're the same thing.

K, I'm often with you in spirit but I think it would be worth it to read past the article here into the comments. A National Park Service employee clarified the situation: the man was trying to dig in a protected area, not just any beach.

As the NPS employee put it:

So here's what this case is analogous to: a reporter shows up at Yellowstone with a shovel and starts digging. A park official tells him it's not allowed. The reporter, being a wiseguy, says, "What - you mean I can't make mud pies?" The park official replies, "No. Now get out of here." Then the Raw Story runs a headline saying, "Making mud pies in Wyoming is illegal, feds tell reporter."​

Now this is not to excuse our federal folk who have caved in to BP's interests more than I would like during the Gulf "cleanup" but I do think that a wider perspective takes some of the apparent idiocy out of the story.

 

[BiBunny]

K, I'm often with you in spirit but I think it would be worth it to read past the article here into the comments. A National Park Service employee clarified the situation: the man was trying to dig in a protected area, not just any beach.

As the NPS employee put it:

So here's what this case is analogous to: a reporter shows up at Yellowstone with a shovel and starts digging. A park official tells him it's not allowed. The reporter, being a wiseguy, says, "What - you mean I can't make mud pies?" The park official replies, "No. Now get out of here." Then the Raw Story runs a headline saying, "Making mud pies in Wyoming is illegal, feds tell reporter."​

Now this is not to excuse our federal folk who have caved in to BP's interests more than I would like during the Gulf "cleanup" but I do think that a wider perspective takes some of the apparent idiocy out of the story.

Yeah, but I was on the Gulf Islands National Seashore a few weeks ago (not the part in Pensacola, but the part in Okaloosa County), and nobody was being harassed for digging, making sandcastles, etc. Of course, I don't think the oil slick actually made it that far, but still. The whole thing is technically a "protected area," but unless the guy was over in the dunes, they normally people do as they please on those beaches.

 

[ultramarineblue]

How petty people can be. It shouldn't surprise me. It shouldn't bother me. It still does both.

 

[Keroin]

K, I'm often with you in spirit but I think it would be worth it to read past the article here into the comments. A National Park Service employee clarified the situation: the man was trying to dig in a protected area, not just any beach.

As the NPS employee put it:

So here's what this case is analogous to: a reporter shows up at Yellowstone with a shovel and starts digging. A park official tells him it's not allowed. The reporter, being a wiseguy, says, "What - you mean I can't make mud pies?" The park official replies, "No. Now get out of here." Then the Raw Story runs a headline saying, "Making mud pies in Wyoming is illegal, feds tell reporter."​

Now this is not to excuse our federal folk who have caved in to BP's interests more than I would like during the Gulf "cleanup" but I do think that a wider perspective takes some of the apparent idiocy out of the story.

I actually watched a full report on CNN this morning. I get the problem. Apparently there has been paperwork crawling through for 3 months trying to let the official clean up people dig deeper than 6 inches. So, yeah, I know the story. It's called the usual paperwork bureaucratic bullshit.

 

[BiBunny]

There's also this.

 

[midwestyankee]

I actually watched a full report on CNN this morning. I get the problem. Apparently there has been paperwork crawling through for 3 months trying to let the official clean up people dig deeper than 6 inches. So, yeah, I know the story. It's called the usual paperwork bureaucratic bullshit.

I get that that would drive any caring person crazy - but since your original link made no mention of the three-month paperwork crawl, I assumed it was based solely on the Raw article. Not defending the park people but the posted article seems a tad slanted to me.

 

[Keroin]

I get that that would drive any caring person crazy - but since your original link made no mention of the three-month paperwork crawl, I assumed it was based solely on the Raw article. Not defending the park people but the posted article seems a tad slanted to me.

I wanted to link the CNN report but couldn't find it.

Basically, the deal is that not only can Joe Schmo Reporter not dig deeper than six inches, neither can the people in charge of cleaning up the oil and tar balls. Now, that mess goes down much farther than six inches and the problem is that with very low/high tides, the oil becomes exposed, melts in the heat and washes back out into the water. Here they have an opportunity to clean the stuff up and their hands are tied by legal hoo ha.

The park people are doing their job as they've been instructed I'm sure. It's the guys at the top who are asleep at the helm. It's not about building sandcastles, it's about protecting a fragile ecosystem from further damage.


Yes, I'm a bit riled by it all. Sorry.