Depression is all in your head, you just need to be stronger. Everyone gets depressed, you just have to pick yourself up!
(This is sarcasm by the way, mental illness is just as real and painful as any other physical illness and it is a shame that in 2013 people still don't understand that.)
Absolutely and, this, to me, is one of the largest problems; the lack of perspective that seems to be present for quite a significant portion of people resulting in beliefs such as 'suicide is selfish' to remain prominent. It perpetuates, even if unwillingly/unknowingly, the stigma that surrounds mental health issues; this stigma a significant factor that may dissuade people from seeking help for fear of embarassment, rejection, or harsh judgement and, in turn, can lead to internalising problems and worsening the condition. I cannot help but feel that if the mind-frame of somebody suffering from depression, suicide, or other mental health issues was more widely understood that the quality of mental health services (and the treatment itself) would improve as a greater emphasis is placed on trying to cure individuals' mental health issues due to an increased use with the removal of the stigma surrounding it.
The biggest issue, I think, is how to provide this perspective because, without being in the situation yourself, the rationale and thought process can be incredibly difficult to 'comprehend'. If we take for example the situation that was proposed within this topic of a parent committing suicide, while it may be clear to some of us that the child will experience grief, this isn't necessarily how it may be viewed by the one who considers it, where they may view their death as relieving them of a burden or being ultimately beneficial regardless of the grief that may be inflicted. While I do not deny the possibility that some suicides may be committed in a rational state of mind, I would, without a doubt, consider these rarities. As has been repeatedly stated within this thread, most individuals that are considering suicide are not going to be viewing events rationally and it just seems counter-productive and slightly naive to consider their situation and then pass off a judgement lacking insight into their views, beliefs, and their overall mental state, especially when rational thought was likely absent or impaired. Even more so, as has been repeatedly stated, the entire idea of 'selfishness', if it is to even be considered in the first place which I feel is absolutely should not, is relative to the person. For the one who does commit suicide there may be the view that it's selfish of others to feel that he should live his life in misery while for others it may be seen as selfish to cause such grief. All it serves to do is to place some form of blame, some reasoning, and serve as a convenient way to dismiss what could have been improved or implemented to prevent it the situation in the first place.
And ultimately, what good does passing any judgement off on the individual actually do? I find it hard to believe that any such judgement brings solace to those that are affected (and I am not denying that others are affected by the death, but I firmly believe the focus should be equally, if not much more so, placed on the individual and what could have prevented it). I can only see negatives of doing so; furthering a stigma, discouraging others seeking help, and trivailising the issue of mental health which can have severe consequences. The sooner, as you've said, mental health issues are viewed as any other health issue and seeking treatment is viewed as seeking treatment for any other health issue, the better. I am unsure as to what the best way to increase awareness is however. Advertising campaigns and events designed around mental health is certainly a step in the right direction but as with public perception on other topics, change at large will likely be a slow and gradual process.
Most of this is focusing on suicide that arises as a result of mental health issues. This obviously isn't the only reason that suicide may occur but they are the cases which I feel are stricken most regularly by such negative comments and criticism (although certain acts of suicide may receive similar comments which, while some may have selfish components, the individual is still likely thinking with impaired rationality). Regardless of the circumstances, I don't believe I could ever be fit judge somebody who had either committed suicide or thought of it. It is their life, and to even consider it an option they must have been in the pit of despair and it would feel, personally, wrong to judge somebody who made a decision in that state.
I'm not sure if I have phrased the post very well and it may not come across but this is one of the few issues (the current social perception of suicide and those who commit it) that have the potential of making me quite angry but, at the same time, I can understand the difficulty that may be present in coming to terms with the viewpoint and feelings that somebody in that position has/had as it is difficult to imagine without some form of experience.
