My son committed suicide

[cajajo]

My son, Preston Marquard (050676), killed himself June 5 of this year.  He had been clinically depressed for years.  I'm trying not to blame anyone, like big pharma (prices of drugs), the court system (begged for help), the mental health dept. (HE had to make appt.), myself (feel I could've done more), or an ignorant society (he'll get over it).  I don't know what I want, except to tell him how sorry I am I couldn't fix him.

I know he was immediately enveloped by the Light and cocooned on passing and I know he's healing.  Is there a better way to educate the public on depression?

To see him in pictures where he was briefly happy, go to:

address: http://prestonmarquard.snapfish.com/snapfish

room code: 05061976

You people are so generous.  I'd almost forgotten about this site until I started going through my mail yesterday.  Will post regularly will I feel a little better.  Thank you.

[sidewalk_bends]

Cajajo,

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story. May you have strength and comfort.

[eye_of_tiger]

Dear Cajajo,  :smt010

Firstly I wish to extend my sincere condolences on the loss of your son. I empathise with your pain as a parent myself, and at the same time wish to mourn the senseless loss of so many similar young lives that I believe could potentially have been saved, if the system as a whole had not failed them or let them and their loving parents down.

While I feel that there is no specific person or part of our society to take the total blame for what continues to happen on an almost daily basis, all to a certain degree must be willing to accept a portion of the responsibility, and to begin to develop a definite public education strategy instead of employing temporary patch up measures after yet another precious young life has been lost to the "common cold of the mind".

While I think that the medical profession has a lot to answer for and can continue to provide the relevant medical information and work consistently to improve diagnostic methods for detecting depression before it develops to such an extreme, the most effective public educators are the people who are either depressed themselves, or who have a loved one who is.

Why is it that human beings only seem to finally learn what needs to be learnt, as the result of experiencing other people's tragedy? It is very easy to become so cynical that you can come to imagine that there is some critical body count beyond which the authorities feel that they need to act,  under the terrible pressure of a public outcry and their own shame and guilt for not acting sooner.

Those patients themselves suffering depression, and/or their loved ones who are in the front line of the battle are I feel the most effective public educators of all.

Love, Light and Healing,

EOT

[butterscotch]

that is sad.  I am so sorry. You did the very best you could.

[cajajo]

Thank you for the condolences.

[samsjr]

well i had to open this one. Depression is still a big issue in the world , but there are not alot of solutions that work for every one, nor can i speak for your son on what he chose to do. If you wish advice people, let them know that there is always someone who can listen even if they feel like there is no one. sometimes the pressure gets too heavy and instead of talking to a person , some one chooses other ways that they feel justifies the only solution to be suicide. The fact that your son was clinically depressed made the situation worse , but even people who have no history of depression or mental illness can step into this aweful fail safe trap simply because they run out of what they feel they can handle. If you wish to advice people then tell them of your son's life and tell them that there is better options then to go this way. I am really sorry for your lose and in no ways am i psychic, nor do i know every thing, but i have been down a suicide route at one point. i wish you good luck.


sam