About suicide and loved ones

[Big Orc Man]

I've known multiple diabetics who have suffered from similar depression issues.  I really don't think most people realize just how much diabetes interferes with normal brain functioning, and how crushingly difficult it is to live with.

Not really sure what to say in response to this, except I'm glad his attempt failed and that someone was quick and alert enough to keep him from suffering severe damage in the process.

All I can say in terms of advice is it would be good to figure out exactly what triggers led up to the attempt so he can try to avoid those in the future (whether it was visiting a specific place, feeling a specific emotional response, etc.).

I guess it would be good for him to know that not only is he not alone suffering from depression, he's really, really not alone suffering from depression as a diabetic person.  It's disturbingly common, so there's nothing uniquely wrong with him or aberrant about him.  Hopefully he uses this as an inflection point for his life decisions and uses his second lease on life to beat the depression.

[Bonhomie]

I'm keeping this one brief. The source behind his decision was that he struggles to manage his own expectations. Such as the six years worth of a study which he tried to choke into half a year as a self taught student which he thought would be doable. The national bar was this week and when he realized he wasn't going to make it, it felt like his last chance to prove himself had gone away. We have a good sense of what needs to be done to help him now and while the road is long and hard, at least this is going to be progress.

This situation moved our family in unimaginable ways. Only we and his friends know abut this for the time being. He will be discharged from the facility soon and we're going to do our everything in our own personal ways to make sure this never has to happen again (we're getting support in this as well). All the things you said were so kind and helpful and acted as a guide through my talks with him...

I want to again express my thanks to all of you. You can't imagine what your support means to a person in a time like this.

Thank you.

[Bouquet of Roses]

My sincerest sympathies to both you, your family, and your brother.
I don't advertise this much, like most of us don't, but I've been there.
And I'm terribly sorry I haven't checked the forums enough to know about this thread untill now.

My own attempt, some three and a half years ago, included a couple hundred pills, or sorts of medicaments, such as morphine and other highly destructive things.
I apparently, in the ensuing blackout, threw up most of them again, but had severe side-effects for a month and a half after, including lowered liver functionality.
Combined with self-medication by alcohol for a couple of years before that, it's practically a miracle my liver's almost functioning normally by now.
For a month and a half after, I kept it to myself, played the side-effects, including severe shaking - lack of motor-skills, inability focus, and a worsened sense of failure, off as some strange disease.

He sounds alot like myself, in a lot of aspects.
And I wish there was an easy fix, I really do, but there isn't, which you've likely discovered by yourself now.
But there are tools to deal with it, when the problem does arise, and most important of those is, in my experience, family.
That you're doing so much as you are, caring so obviously, that's probably the biggest, most important thing you can do at all for him.

I've lived with my own depression for well over a decade now. I know how easy it is to hide it, how easy it is to fool people. Even those closest to us. Especially those closest to us.
You'll have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't slip back, and if he does begin to, don't be gentle. Don't ask "How are you, anyway?"
Tell him, straight up, what you've noticed, that there's no point in trying to hide it, and then ask Why.

Signs to be particularly aware of are many and varied, and it's enough to make any sane person dizzy.
But some few of them are:
Reclusiveness. We do tend to prefer being alone, not wanting to impose on others with our "downers".
Exaggerated happiness. This one's extra difficult. 'Caus when the treatment does start to work, he'll likely be hit by a huge sense of relief, which may very well make him seem like an entirely different person, at least for a while. Or it might be an act.
The slow retreat into solitude. This one's hard to notice, too. It's so slow and gradual.
You know him very well, I'd think, and you know the habbits he's been holding on to. It's important you help him break them, make new ones, habbits enforcing the lighter sides of him. Being social, playing games, being around people.

And one last little important thing-
Don't forget yourself.
Your own strength and well-being is a top-priority, too. Don't let his disease beat you down. Take some time to yourself, on occasion, recharge, have some fun.
Don't let your life grind to a standstill.
That'll only make him feel worse, too, and it'll leave you worse off for helping either of you.

If you ever need to talk, feel free to PM, here or on IRC (Jaenas), or you can have my skype/email if you'd like, for more immediate responses.

Best of wishes.

[Hound]

Bonhomie everyone loves you and your brother and we are all here for you. Manhugs buddy.

[Slimebomb]

I am sad to hear about this and while I (luckily) don't have to share a similar story or even particularily good advice, I wish you to know that I am feeling with you and hope that everything becomes as good as possible as quick as possible for your brother, you and the whole family!

[SN]

Send your Rascal brother all the best from me, old pal.

What he needs is time, care... and focus. Both professional and of those that are close to him.
I've been in similar situation once before and truth is - you'll never know what the outcome will be.

It's silly how life is so similar to "EFU" - if your character does not have a clear goal, you'll end up getting bored and discarding him/her. Just me musing.

All the best, take care of him, man.

[sylvyrdragon]

I wish there were words I could say to make this all easier, to make this all just go away.  Loving someone that suffers from such is a tough and long journey.  What people tend to forget.. it's not only the sick that suffer. YOU and your family need to seek guidance and understanding as well.  While your Brother is getting the help (both medical and psychological) Please don't ignore your own needs.  You do yourself and him no good if you are to stressed.  You know where and how to find me if you need to just vent.  To let it out without being judged.  We are here for you, as strange as a family we may seem.. we still are one.  <3

Send your Brother our love and let him know.. we are all still here to harass the piss out of him (just like we always did) when he's ready to come back.