Reasons Overwhelmed - Things/people/pain feel like they are too much to handle Overwhelmed - Things/people/pain feel like they are too much to handle Fear or shame - Things/ people feel like they are too much to face Fear or shame - Things/ people feel like they are too much to face Anger – Things are not happening as I want them to Anger – Things are not happening as I want them to Loss of control Loss of control Relieve others of the burden that I am Relieve others of the burden that I am Restore honour/ save face Restore honour/ save face

Desire Escape something Escape something End something End something Make others feel what I feel Make others feel what I feel Make somebody pay Make somebody pay

Belief I am completely alone I am completely alone No-one understands No-one understands I should be adequate to I should be adequate to Handle Handle Face Face Control Control I don’t feel I am adequate and there is no help therefore………… I don’t feel I am adequate and there is no help therefore…………

Loss of Vision Not able (and some will refuse) to see hope Not able (and some will refuse) to see hope See too much but not able to see beyond that See too much but not able to see beyond that Blinded to Blinded to Themselves Themselves Others Others God God

Loss of Vision Blinded by pain or fear or shame or anger Blinded by pain or fear or shame or anger Without a vision people ………. Without a vision people ……….

Not far from any of us Many of us effected by suicide Many of us effected by suicide Many of us have thought about no longer being here Many of us have thought about no longer being here

Suicide asks the most primary question Why live? Why live? Walker Percy Walker Percy Only those who have faced or contemplated their own deaths can then be free to truly live Only those who have faced or contemplated their own deaths can then be free to truly live

And provides the most tragic answer Death wins Death wins

Risk Factors 2-3 months after depression has lifted 2-3 months after depression has lifted Men – loss of job, financial crisis, loss of control – loss of impact Men – loss of job, financial crisis, loss of control – loss of impact Women – breakdown in relationship – loss of belonging Women – breakdown in relationship – loss of belonging

Effects on Survivors Pain Pain Grief Grief Confusion Confusion Sympathy Sympathy Guilt Guilt Feel punished Feel punished Angry Angry Loss of hope Loss of hope Perhaps suicide is an option Perhaps suicide is an option

Who? Who? How? How?

We need someone to Comfort our sorrow Comfort our sorrow Cover our shame Cover our shame Carry our burdens Carry our burdens Trust in our fears Trust in our fears Strengthen us in our weaknesses Strengthen us in our weaknesses Offer hope in our hopelessness Offer hope in our hopelessness Give us courage to live Give us courage to live Give life rather than death Give life rather than death

We need someone to Restore our honour Restore our honour Save us from our belief in our own adequacy Save us from our belief in our own adequacy Forgive our anger Forgive our anger Give sight in our blindness Give sight in our blindness Offer hope in our hopelessness Offer hope in our hopelessness Give us courage to live Give us courage to live Give life rather than death Give life rather than death