Suicide and mental illness basically walk hand in hand with each other. Mentally ill people are much more likely to commit suicide than people who don’t have an illness. In relation to myself, I’ve attempted suicide a few times, but I never really wanted to die. Regardless of my attempts though, and the intrusive thoughts I get every so often to kill myself, I don’t understand suicide. I don’t think anyone does.
I just finished watching the 2006 documentary entitled The Bridge. Filmed in 2004 at the Golden Gate Bridge, cameras caught 24 bridge suicide jumps on film. The documentary combines footage of some of the jumpers in between interviews with friends and family members of those who died. It offers a very harrowing glimpse in to the world of suicide.
Jumping off a bridge is one of the most violent ways to kill oneself. The common misconception of bridge jumping is that the jumper dies by drowning, but that’s usually not the case. The deck of the Golden Gate Bridge is 245 feet above the water. Falling from that height can send a body hurtling towards the water at over 100 miles per hour in just a few seconds. The impact of jumping off a tall bridge is basically the same as jumping off a tall building and hitting the pavement. Of course, some people survive but then drown or die of hypothermia–or they’re rescued. One man in the documentary jumped and lived to talk about it, and he mentions regretting his actions immediately after jumping.
The documentary is on youtube (part one is located here [see side bar on youtube for other parts]), if anyone is interested in watching it. I highly recommend it, but advise that viewers watch with caution. Aside from footage of the jumpers, there’s a lot of talk about mental illness that could be triggering to some people. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are mentioned. The schizophrenic woman really hit home with me, for obvious reasons.
January 6, 2009 at 4:57 pm |
I can’t quite figure out how to feel about suicide. As you know, a friend of my family committed suicide a couple of years ago. At the same time, I’ve been dealing with suicidal thoughts for years.
To myself, I can totally justify it, and say that in the end, it’s up to me, it’s my life, you know? And then I think about our friend and how much we all miss her and how she just.. left?
I can’t decide wheter to watch the documentary or not. I think I’ll end up watching it later, it’s always interesting to hear different people’s views on it, even if it’s sometimes very triggering.
I find it really interesting and inspiring to read this blog.
x
January 6, 2009 at 5:10 pm |
I think suicide is something that can never really be understood. I mean, you and I have been there ourselves, and we still have no answers on it. I don’t think anyone does. And, yeah, it does seem different when it comes to yourself. I do like having you around though, just so you know!
I think it’d be safe for you to watch the documentary, but maybe take a break every few parts and distract yourself with something good. That’s what I did.
I’m glad you like the blog! xx
January 7, 2009 at 5:05 am |
Weird thing, suicide. I find myself thinking about it a lot (not so much doing it, just it as a phenomenon). There’s a really fascinating book called The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon, which is mainly about depression, but has a whole section on suicide. That documentary looks very interesting, although I think I’ll bookmark it for a day when I’m feeling a bit more up to things.
Hope you get stuff with your meds sorted out soon, these things are so frustrating.
January 7, 2009 at 6:39 am |
I’ll have to check that book out sometime. Kay Redfield Jamison (author of the popular book about bipolar disorder and artists entitled Touched with Fire) wrote a book about suicide called Night Falls Fast, which is an interesting read and I book I recommend, although have some good, nice distractions while reading it!
Thanks. I only have another day to wait before I can see my psychiatrist and attempt to fix my meds, and it can’t come soon enough!
January 7, 2009 at 11:19 am |
Thanks for the rec – both those books look very interesting indeed. I have one more to trade – not really related to the suicide discussion, but The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer’s Block, and the Creative Brain by Alice W Flaherty is about hypergraphia, neurology and the author’s own experience of mental illness. I liked it partly because it doesn’t set out to offer any answers – I was going through a bout of depression when I read it and somehow found that weirdly reassuring. Also I just find brains interesting.
January 7, 2009 at 11:47 am |
Your comment reminded me, I believe Jamison (the author of the two books I linked to) suffers from bipolar disorder herself. I think she has an autobiography called “An Unquiet Mind,” along with her books on the subject of mental illness in general, so she speaks from the viewpoint of understanding the disorder from the inside as well.
Thanks for your recommendation! I’ll be checking it out