http://nipa1980.blogspot.com/2011/12/cowards-way-out-or-just-too-strong-for.html
the tragic death of gary speed at the weekend has shocked the sporting world.. one of the premier leagues most respected players.. and based on the outpouring of grief from his fellow professionals.. a much respected person as well...
a lot of comments have been made about the choice to take his own life.. with many expressing their belief that this was a selfish act.. that he should have had more consideration for his wife and kids.. that he took the cowardly way out...
i can understand this point of view.. it must be impossible to know your partner.. or father.. can't bear to live anymore.. that even with you there it wasn't enough.. and the pain this would cause would have been apparent i have no doubt.. but.. we can't judge.. we don't understand what he was going through.. we don't know how long he battled his demons for.. we don't know how much strength he expended in getting to the point where it all became too much...
to call him a coward.. in my opinion.. is unfair.. luckily most people will not experience.. and therefore understand the depths at which he will have been for this to be the only feasible option (to him).. sure everyone will understand a tough time.. but very few will be able to say they've reached the level of desperation where ending it all becomes a consideration...
during the launch of soften the fck up i met a number of people who had battled depression.. been on the verge of suicide.. the last thing i would call someone going through this is a coward.. very few people see the strength of someone battling depression.. the normal everyday exterior.. when they are being eaten alive inside...
people suffering through mental illness.. through depression are not cowards.. those i know are some of the strongest people i've ever come across.. all illnesses have fatalities.. suicide is the tragic result of an illness that sometimes has just been battled for too long...
if you take one thing from this.. let it be compassion.. and a commitment to try and understand that mental illness is an illness like any other.. maybe that understanding will provide the extra strength to pull someone back from the brink...
the tragic death of gary speed at the weekend has shocked the sporting world.. one of the premier leagues most respected players.. and based on the outpouring of grief from his fellow professionals.. a much respected person as well...
a lot of comments have been made about the choice to take his own life.. with many expressing their belief that this was a selfish act.. that he should have had more consideration for his wife and kids.. that he took the cowardly way out...
i can understand this point of view.. it must be impossible to know your partner.. or father.. can't bear to live anymore.. that even with you there it wasn't enough.. and the pain this would cause would have been apparent i have no doubt.. but.. we can't judge.. we don't understand what he was going through.. we don't know how long he battled his demons for.. we don't know how much strength he expended in getting to the point where it all became too much...
to call him a coward.. in my opinion.. is unfair.. luckily most people will not experience.. and therefore understand the depths at which he will have been for this to be the only feasible option (to him).. sure everyone will understand a tough time.. but very few will be able to say they've reached the level of desperation where ending it all becomes a consideration...
during the launch of soften the fck up i met a number of people who had battled depression.. been on the verge of suicide.. the last thing i would call someone going through this is a coward.. very few people see the strength of someone battling depression.. the normal everyday exterior.. when they are being eaten alive inside...
people suffering through mental illness.. through depression are not cowards.. those i know are some of the strongest people i've ever come across.. all illnesses have fatalities.. suicide is the tragic result of an illness that sometimes has just been battled for too long...
if you take one thing from this.. let it be compassion.. and a commitment to try and understand that mental illness is an illness like any other.. maybe that understanding will provide the extra strength to pull someone back from the brink...