This is a slightly edited repost of a diary I posted a few years back - The comments in the previous diary are worth going back to read. Robin Williams' suicide is of course on my mind, I spent part of today going back and watching his work. And after struggling with depression and addiction for years, I'm finally on a better path, and six months sober, thanks to Alcoholics Anonymous, dual diagnosis group therapy, medication, and the support of friends and family. It's a long story, and one that I'm planning to share on DK, but not tonight...
Someone close to me killed himself with a gun, a few years back. It was horrible to lose him, and it affected everyone around him. Although I do think that it's possible to rationally decide to kill oneself, I believe that his choice was a mistake, a bad night, a combination of circumstances that put him into that situation. I believe that had things gone slightly otherwise, he could have woken up the next day, and still be with us. The world was a bit better with him in it, and I still miss him.
So, in the hope that this might help others, here are some things that might help someone who's feeling suicidal get through it.
