Wk of 6.12 and 6.19.17

This article signifies the stigma associated with mental health disorders. As with the previous article, in order for us to deter from a societal stigma towards psychiatric issues, normalization and awareness are important. Normalization, meaning that it is not out of the ordinary for individuals of all ages/genders/races to suffer from mental health issues, including famous people we idolize (based on previous article). Many of the individuals who go to war, or enter a traumatic stressful environment are of the strongest physically. Unfortunately, they remain mentally vulnerable. The incongruency of being physically capable but mentally susceptible is something we have not addressed prior to allowing someone to enter a possible scarring and debilitating setting. I agree that we need to increase awareness by discussing issues such as post traumatic stress syndrome in association with war (and various traumatic experiences), and allow individuals who attempt to suppress the moments where they are reliving these experiences mentally but are not seeking help ...to realize that it is not a weakness to require therapy. As a nation we need to invest some of the time put forth into the physical aspect of war preparation , into mental preparation. Awareness about these syndromes will make it more socially acceptable once people have a better understanding of the causes. The people who suffer from PTSD may be open to admitting and seeking help for what they are going through when they know that people around them have an understanding of the condition in general.

Texting Suicide:

This article’s opinion on this tragedy is understandable. I agree that what this girl had done could be perceived as “murder” despite not being the one who filled the car with gas. It is similar to the argument that the guns don’t kill humans; humans kill humans. One could also argue that this is “suicide by proxy” (analogous to Munchausen syndrome by proxy – where for example a mother intentionally makes her child sick to receive medical attention indirectly). This girl persuaded her boyfriend to commit suicide, seemingly so that she could be perceived as the poor girl who lost her boyfriend due to his mental illness. I would argue also that this is not “assisted suicide” – which is more about providing technical help for a person who has already decided to take his/her own life and did that with his/her mental faculties intact and without coercion. She took advantage of his fragile condition and used it to her own perverse benefit. If this behavior has persisted throughout her life, she could have antisocial personality disorder. I feel sorry that the boy could not cut her out of his life and reach out to someone who could have helped him through his depression.

The issue of stigmatizing people seeking help for conditions like PTSD should be discouraged by all enlightened men and women. PTSD is a condition that can be medically addressed and the patient can return to normal duties. As the article pointed out it is better to seek help early in it's course. For the patient, what should be uppermost in their mind is the reversal of their situation to normalcy and not what an uninformed member of the public would say. An individual cannot delay and compromise his/her health because of what people would say, that is not a wise thing to do.

This article brings to the forefront a serious issue confronting today’s teenage population: electronic media’s ability to incite action. Watching news coverage of Ms. Carter’s reaction to her sentence, it is obvious she did not realize she might be held accountable for her actions. I recently heard a radio host compare Ms. Carter to Dr. Kevorkian, implying this could become a trend in assisted suicide. It appears much simpler to send texts encouraging lethal action than to attach a person to an IV with a lethal cocktail and have them administer the lethal dose. What concerns me about Ms. Carter’s actions is not only her repeated communication with this young man leading up to his death, but her attempt to gain attention following his death. Many of today's youth act with no regard to the consequences of their actions. I'm unsure if there is an epidemic of mental health disorders in today's youth or simply a lack of respect for human life. The following is a list of articles with information related to electronic media and suicide that provided some interesting insight: Electronic media use and suicidal ideation in Japanese adolescents (Katsumato, Y, et al) Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective (Luxton, David D).

Salo: Encouraging suicide is murder;
I had been following this trial and was eager to see the verdict. In many ways i agree with the author of the article. This trial seems to what would set the verdict for involuntary manslaughter via texting. Individuals with suicidal ideations and with well thought out plans are advised to 'speak to someone'. Now imagine the people you speak to at your most vulnerable encourage you to go ahead. This is the case with Roy, who looked for support from his girlfriend without knowing she was using his struggles for her own gain. Yes, she was going through mental health issues also but it was wrong to 'encourage' a fellow human being to commit suicide. The article highlighted the struggle individuals with any sort of mental illness go through to consider suicide, they do need people to dissuade their suicidal intentions and not to encourage it. Furthermore, not to encourage it to attain 'sympathy'.

PTSD- why people avoid mental health treatment;
This article highlighted the plight of PTSD especially among individuals in the military. There is still a stigma against seeking mental help which should not be. Mental illness soul due addressed and not hidden. Mental health treatment is should be prioritized in the military given the trauma they get exposed to. Yes wounds can be treated and bones fixed, but the mind should not be neglected. Suicide is high among those returning from war. Individuals should not have to hide or deny what they go through as a result of stigmatization. It is important that treatment be sought after early. Militants should not only be trained for battle, their mental state should be taken into consideration as well. They should be better prepared for what they are going through and should be in a state of mind to deal with stressors. Mental health treatment should also be provided in addition to treatment for physical wounds. PTSD does affect everyday functioning and leads to avoidance. In the absence of stigma and with nothing to be embarrassed about, treatment can be sought early to less the long term effects.

Texting Suicide

This story is extremely maddening. It is unfathomable that someone could be so despicable. It cannot be denied that the victim’s girlfriend played a tremendous role in his death and it is heartbreaking to think it was someone whom he probably loved and trusted. The take away is that even though most people would prefer to simplify it as someone making a terrible decision, the truth is that there are so many moving parts when it comes to suicide. I cannot speak on it from a legal standpoint, but morally the question here is why would a person want to intentionally play any part in another person’s death? Sounds like murder to me.

Texting Suicide

When I first heard about this story I honestly couldn't believe it. Taking full advantage of the extreme vulnerability of his ongoing mental plight and urging him to end his life. Ordering him to do so. He got out of the car because he was scared and told her as much, and her response was to tell him to get back into the car and finish the job he set out to do. She had full control of his actions and that was the decision she made. I can't know what was exactly going through her mind, only she does, but her decisions confirm her to be, for lack of a better word, scum. She knew exactly what she was doing, she knew that he would listen to her every word, and she chose to command him to his own death. The boy needed treatment, care, someone to speak to and he trusted her quite literally with his life. Depression is a very serious condition and those that suffer from it need and deserve the best of support systems once the Depression has been recognised. Conrad Roy did not deserve the ending he got.