Workplace Suicide

[peteinct]

 A worker at my plant hung himself yesterday while he was at work. Another worker found him, cut him down and along with another supervisor tried to revive him to no avail.

 It's just weird, unbelieveable like it was a movie. The whole place, myself included are in shock. The guy has a wife and kids. What a tragedy.

 He had his issues but no one realized he was in that state. That's a sad part for me that a man was in that much pain and we weren't able to help him.

pete

[J.J.]

That is how it is with most suicides (not knowing that he was in "that state").  The warning signs are subtle and few and far inbetween (for those who truely wish to commit.)  Suicide is a very sad act, it doesn't solve problems just hurts more people.  His family will need support in this hard time. 

[280plus]

Wow, sorry to hear that pete. I don't know what else to say. Give me a yell if there's anything I can do.

[Ex-MA Hole]

"Suicide is a very sad act, it doesn't solve problems just hurts more people"

This is a thought process that I never understood- no offense.

It did, in fact solve his problems for him.  Maybe not for everyone else, but for him, his problems are no longer...

If he felt that alone, maybe he needed his problems to be solved.  Maybe he felt like no one cared about him.  He solved his problems for himself, relying (presumabely) on the only person he could rely on.  He did, in fact, suceed in solving his problems for himself.

Think about it for a minute- His sufering has, in fact, ended.


Now you can berate me.

M

[Eleven Mike]

Very sorry to hear that, Pete. 

I don't want to berate anybody or take things off-topic, but I'd like to counter ex-ma-hole's point of view.  Hopefully, it doesn't need to go any further than this exchange.  ex-ma-hole's comments assume that the deceased will have no problems after he has physically died.  One of two beliefs would appear to be at work here: that there is no afterlife or that the deceased is bound for a pleasant afterlife, devoid of suffering.  Another possibility was that he had lived a good life and will be reincarnated into a better life.  On the other hand, he could be bound for an unpleasant afterlife or next life.  In that case, he has solved nothing at all. 

More fundamentally, it suggests that "solving" a problem just from one deceased person's point of view is the same as solving it objectively. 

[J.J.]

"Suicide is a very sad act, it doesn't solve problems just hurts more people"

This is a thought process that I never understood- no offense.

It did, in fact solve his problems for him.  Maybe not for everyone else, but for him, his problems are no longer...

If he felt that alone, maybe he needed his problems to be solved.  Maybe he felt like no one cared about him.  He solved his problems for himself, relying (presumabely) on the only person he could rely on.  He did, in fact, suceed in solving his problems for himself.

Think about it for a minute- His sufering has, in fact, ended.


Now you can berate me.

M

I may have phrased it wrong but statistically speaking every suicide effects 5 (I have to look that up it may be low possibly 9) other people.  Last semester I took a course on suicide it really opened my eyes and taught me alot. 

[Felonious Monk/Fignozzle]

Suicide is a VERY permanent solution, to a very TEMPORARY set of circumstances.
It is the ultimate act of selfishness.

However: If I am old, sick and imminently terminal, and destined to suffer my way into the grave, there comes a point when it is more merciful for all for me to go than to stay.

YMMV

[Azrael256]

It is the ultimate act of selfishness.

Agreed.  Suicide is never a solution to emotional problems.  It may solve that man's problems for himself, but it puts all of those around him, particularly his family, in a worse situation than he was himself.

But I also agree that it is a viable solution to exceptionally severe physical problems.  I would much prefer a quick, painless death to a long, agonizing illness with no hope of recovery.  IMO, dignity and comfort are far more important than time in that sort of situation.

Still, it's a terribly sad event.  I'll say a few words for that man's family.  I certainly hope the fellows who found him are alright as well.

[Ex-MA Hole]

Peteinct-

After my post last evening-

I realized that I also never did acknowledge your post-

I can't even imagine what y'all are going through-

My thoughts and prayers are with you, and his family.

M

[onions!]

The fella sitting next to me right now is affiliated w/this group.
http://www.survivorsofsuicide.com/
There are support groups all over the place.
My co-workers son(same age as me) ate a .22,while intoxicated,after his GF dumped him.
Left two kids.

[peteinct]

 Thanks for your replies. I guess that life isn't as planned as you think it is and something can knock you off the track you had planned pretty quickly. I came home hugged my wife an extra time and gave the dog an extra good pet and scratch. Nothing spells normal to me more than dog hair and licks.

 pete

[Mannlicher]

just points out how much suicide is the ultimate "its all about me" thing.  The folks that do that could at least go off into the woods or something, so everyone around them does not have to be included.

[Car Knocker]

just points out how much suicide is the ultimate "its all about me" thing.  The folks that do that could at least go off into the woods or something, so everyone around them does not have to be included.

It's amazing how many people chose to commit suicide by standing in front of a train.  Nothing puts a damper on your day like crawling around under locomotives and freight cars collecting body parts.

[MechAg94]

I would say the same thing about suicides I have heard about at gun ranges.

Suicide solves nothing.  It is just a selfish escape that dumps your problems on those around you. 

[Leatherneck]

Sorry about your upset, Pete. Did you know the man well?

Suicide is, in most cases, the ultimate act of selfishness. Think about the loved ones left behind with the knowledge that they were not smart enough, or strong enough, or loving enough, to assist with the anguish of the deceased. Rightly or wrongly, they'll carry guilt over that for the rest of their lives. I could never do that to my wife and kids.

TC

[280plus]

I could never do that to my wife and kids.

+1

[peteinct]

I guess I didn't know him well because I didn't see this coming. He trained me on my job and we were on the same crew back when I started 18 years ago. Our dept. has been pretty tight not a lot of turnover or new faces coming in. It's just odd like a novel or a movie.

pete