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Thoughts from an old progressive
Roy Pratt

An extremely important issue

Posted Monday, December 5, 2011, at 12:39 PM
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    Just plain scarey. I had no idea. And with Christmas right upon us, this is the time of year of increase.

    Please everyone, watch for others who you love, and just be compassionate. If you have a need to talk, reach out

    -- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 1:29 PM
  • Thank You Jessie.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 1:42 PM
  • Been there done that w/my daughter. Very hard subject for anyone to understand.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 1:51 PM
  • And I came very close to never being on these blogs. This is why I brought this up.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 1:56 PM
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    We are very glad you're here Roy. I think if we are truly honest, most of us have a moment in our history, where we have those doubts/thoughts.

    I had a long period of despair in my life, after losing my first child. I never put any detail to the thoughts, but life wasn't what I wanted to be in. I had a great friend who reached out to me, and I thank God for him. (RIP Stu) And of course, I had family, who I didn't want to leave. For them, I am also eternally grateful, to be here to so love my children/grandchildren.

    Sometimes, in the face of adversity, You just have to "Have Faith"

    -- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 2:02 PM
  • THANKS ROY.......I try to deal with this daily I spend most of my day checking on friends,telephone,visit whatever.check the smile,listen to the voice.I will say this IF you listen, people will tell YOU when they are in the .....I have done a host of counciling and they DO tell you,TUNE them in PLEASE.A HUG GOES A LONG WAY.......FOR BOTH

    THANKS BOTHER......TAKE CARE

    -- Posted by lamont on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 2:26 PM
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    Not much to comment about on Roy's blog anymore. If you disagree with what he is saying or get a bit of his "Topic" going to get edited. It was ok when he got off topic and said I'm sorry that fixed everything but now when someone may comment out of his rules bang you get edited.

    So go ahead and edit me, just for point of info your copy and paste article does have politics in it.

    -- Posted by Eagle_eye on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 3:48 PM
  • Eagle_eye, I was referring to anyone who would chose to make very hurtful comments on this subject. I know that all blogs go off topic. I don't attempt to stifle a different opinion, but keeping things on topic is my choice, as well as editing out inappropriate comments on a subject like this.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 3:59 PM
  • Joe, I'm sorry if my answer sounds a little terse or if the beginning of this blog sounded authoritarian. I went back on your blogs and re-read something you said.

    http://www.mountainhomenews.com/blogs/1289/entry/41821

    The one and only blog I ever edited I re-posted the entire simply to make a point. Any of us that have Live Writer can do the same.

    Now as to the article, yes it does have some politics in it, mainly what effect politics has on social issues that can be a matter of life or death. I see the subject of the article to be worthy more of a discussion of the social aspects of political decisions.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 5:16 PM
  • Thank You Roy I had been thinking about writing a blog about this very subject, but didn't know where to begin or how much I wanted to share.

    I have lost many many friends to suicide.

    I also have a son who is mentally ill. He is schizophrenic and bi-polar which they put a name to "schizo affective disorder" and usually once a year he has to be hospitalized because he becomes so depressed. This usually happens after Christmas.

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 5:31 PM
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    Roy I am not going to argue the point of my comment, what you post is up to you. My whole problem when someone on this site decides to write a blog and then turns around and they are going to decide to gets to comment and who gets edited just doesn't set well with me. The staff at the News takes on that subject who or edit, delete or not to. I don't need Live Writer to delete or edit on my blog.

    I really don't know where you are going with the post I made that you put here. If you want to go back further you will also find one I really turned loose on an individual for telling me how to fix my own recipe but I didn't edit the comment out.

    I don't know anyone that wants to see anyone take their own life over what is going on around them. People do it and we can't stop it. The Government pays a big part, to much most of the time in our everyday lives. All you have to do is look around you to the homeless, beating of kids, wifves, hubby's and the list goes on. We have all the money in the world to fix everyone elses problems around the world but can't take care of our own.

    End of the subject for me.

    -- Posted by Eagle_eye on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 5:44 PM
  • So, Buckshot, you also feel that I don't have the right to edit out comments that are meant to be hurtful to others when it comes to this subject?

    Until such time either Brenda or Joy tell me to knock it off, I will continue to run my blog as I see fit.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Dec 5, 2011, at 7:56 PM
  • I would have edited Wayne's comments in a heartbeat.And if I had the power I would have banned him just as Brenda or Joy did. The CENSOR as you call her has a criteria that includes swear words and excessive name calling. Like I said, there is nothing in the rules I agreed to when I started this blog that disallows editing comments. Heated debate is a good thing, posting hurtful comments on a subject like this is another matter. In the world of blogs there are two types of people, those who have no problem revealing themselves to the world, ie, real name, and those who hide behind a screen name. Those that have met me in person know that the name and picture are real. I have extended the offer to meet both you and CJW for coffee but have never been taken up on my offer. I will even drive to Mtn. Home to meet you. Once again, there is a vast difference between heated debate and purposely hurtful comments on a subject as sensitive as this. I hope you also noticed that I provided plenty of warning concerning the subject matter.

    Now, any comments on the subject matter?

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 6:03 AM
  • I DONT THINK DENIAL ALONE WOULD HAVE DONE THAT BUT I WILL SAY THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST STRAW.I will say that the person who writes and article that slants the facts shouldnt be writting them.PEOPLE IN DESPERATION DO DESPERATE THINGS,AND THAT IS NOT AND ALIBI.SOME of us have the mental capacity to work things out some of us dont.I wonder what they would write if she prostituted herself?????????? there are people who see that as a viable option among other things.I dont know about on the dole ,and murder there is a lot of people in positions they never thought they would be in. I dont think there on the dole maybe they need a little assistance.

    -- Posted by lamont on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 8:13 PM
  • Mentally ill for sure. Reuters can be a little difficult to figure out where their slant is since they are an European news agency. I really don't like the headline or it's implication. Every reporting agency has it's own slant and ax to grind it seems.

    Buckshot, you can e-mail me through my link up in the bio. I am in Boise almost every weekday. I really would like to meet you.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 8:15 PM
  • I have a very hard time trying to figure out parents who kill their children. Did they show signs of being ill or unstable beforehand and no one noticed? Being one who seriously contemplated suicide, I have a whole new perspective on the subject and listen much more carefully now than before.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 8:35 PM
  • Medicaid mental health services for adults have been severely cut back for both adults and children in this state. Having someone to talk to is important, but having a mental health professional to talk to is the best bet. You mention depression. That is a medical condition that almost always requires medication at the least, medication and therapy in the worst cases. The medications are not cheap and neither are the blood tests that go with them. So, a job, but no insurance means no medicaid, no medication, no therapy and possibly suicide. Yes I know about the programs that help provide free meds, and they usually take 4-8 weeks to get qualified for. So in the meantime, assuming of course you can figure out how to afford to see a doctor, then how do you come up with the money for the meds which can be more than $100 a month. In closing, it isn't that they feel there is nowhere to turn, there just flat isn't.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 8:57 PM
  • Grrrr, please disregard the first "for adults". I should know better than to try and do long comments in the small box as opposed to something like word or notepad.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 8:59 PM
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    What I think is that when someone kills themselves, they are not balanced at that time. They are NOT thinking clearly. There are so many reasons.... "wanting it to be over" "Wanting attention" (not realizing they will never know of the attention) ... etc...

    But when a Mom kills herself and her children, or attempts to kill her children, a whole nuther thing has come in. I lose a bit of sympathy for that. There are strong instincts in people, and the "Mother Lion" is/should be one. Leave the kids in safety, fight for them, give them a future.... Looking down the barrel at their frightened face ... ugh, no words for that. At the first sign of that thought, help MUST be sought out.

    I know, I'm heartless....

    -- Posted by jessiemiller on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 8:21 AM
  • Well Buckshot, where do I begin? You say you've had dark days, haven't we all. How about dark weeks on end? Your every waking thought is "How do I put an end to this pain?" Clinical depression is very real whether some people want to admit it. Have you ever had a family member or very close friend commit suicide or attempt it? There are those of us on this blog that have.

    "I think we've become too immersed in drugs, too used to seeing them as a cure all. We look to them to cope with our every problem....and I think in the end, it has the propensity to exacerbate the problem, not help it."

    It is that attitude that has exacerbated the problem. Your weak or a failure if you need medication for depression or a myriad of other chemical imbalances. You are entitled to your opinion. I sincerely pray that you never get "that" phone call or visit from the authorities or clergy.

    Now I'm going to tell you a little story. For 30 + years I drank. Mostly to excess, and never what would be considered social drinking. My doctor told me I was a "functional" alcoholic. Well I'm not so sure about the functional part. The last 2 years of my drinking were the worst. I was totally physically addicted. I'm not sure why, but I had a lucid moment and ordered my wife to take me to the hospital. Once there I told them I needed help. They were ready to send me home until the doctor asked me what I would do if they did send me home. My answer was I would go to the nearest liquor store, buy a large bottle, drive myself to the High Bridge and end it all. They put me on an involuntary commitment for 72 hrs. Enduring the DT's is hell on earth. After 3 days, I stayed 5 more on my own. I still take anti-depressants and most likely always will. This is a small price to be a sober alcoholic! If 30 years ago the attitude hadn't been so much like yours, I very well may have become a much more productive member of society. So there you have it. Ignoring the problem will never make it go away.

    Now my apologies to 2 very special people on this blog if I have dredged up very unpleasant memories.

    Jessie you are NOT heartless!!!

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 8:19 PM
  • OK ....SOME NERVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED....SOME PEOPLE DONT LISTEN when people need it most,some people wont and dont take the time,and others assume......a myriad of things,BE thankfull someone heard us all and remenber that does not always happen.The pains of life if we survive any amount of time will be many,lets us hope the joys offset that.I am going to say this someone will disagree but please consider it.......EMPATHY IS EARNED......SYMPATHY IS FREE..........

    THANKS FOR SHARING ROY.....BUCKSHOT.... ONE DAY AT A TIME,IT AINT OVER ......YET.

    HAVE A GOOD ONE

    -- Posted by lamont on Wed, Dec 7, 2011, at 11:23 PM
  • Thank you for the comments everybody.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Dec 8, 2011, at 5:55 AM
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