Category: depression

Different Theories of Suicide

by Midnight Demon, posted in depression, mood disorders, psychache, suicidality, suicide, suicide attempt

Different Theories of Suicide

A few weeks ago I participated in a twitter chat (@SPSMChat). The discussion was about how Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory was the cause of suicide. The theory is the hypothesis that Perceived Burdensomeness (PB), Thwarted Belongingness (TB), and fearlessness of lethality all contribute to a suicide. Perceived Burdensomeness is when a person thinks they are a burden to society, their family, and their significant others. It is the “better off” type of feelings that are believed to go into suicidal thinking.

Thwarted belongingness (TB) is when a person believes that they are outcasts of society or group they belong to. They feel they do not belong to any such group and thus feel isolated and alone.

Fearlessness of lethality is a premise that the person doesn’t have a fear of death. It is like a Russian roulette towards death. An example of this is taken from the book Myth of suicide by Thomas joiner is Kurt Cobain. He was at first totally against the use of guns but then acclimated to them and then use a rifle to inflict his death. His lyrics speak to his struggle with suicide and depression as well as the pain he was feeling.

While Joiner’s theory does have some merit, it, like other theories of suicide cannot be proven due to the nature of the study. No ethic board would condone the death of the subject to prove a hypothesis.

The other theory that comes to mind is Shneidman’s theory of psychache as a causal factor in suicide. The here is that deep, unbearable pain is the reason behind suicidal thinking and action. In my own personal experience, I thought for a long time that I don’t belong to any group. And I also thought that I was a burden to others. But what drove me to the brink of death was the deep psychological pain that I was feeling, an element that I believe Joiner is lacking in his theory. If you combine psychological pain with TB and PB then you have a nice recipe for suicide.

There is some merits with Joiner’s Interpersonal theory of suicide but I believe whole heartedly he is missing the key element of pain. I really believe that if he adds psychological pain to his theory it will be a valid theory, in my opinion.

Still struggling big time

by Midnight Demon, posted in depression

Still struggling big time. I had three things to do today: go to the post office, brush my teeth, and shower. I got two of the three things done. I still haven’t showered. I got a big headache and am waiting for it to settle down. I just want to stay in bed and lie down.

I was hoping for a session with my therapist today but it doesn’t look promising. I have been sending her texts today about how my day has been. I was sad to find out that a psychologist died today. My therapist introduced me to him and I bought his book. I can’t remember what the book was about now. Maybe it was a chapter as I can’t seem to find the book on Amazon. It was more than a few years ago and my memory can’t seem to hold on to stuff like it used to.

I took my morning meds this morning. I was able to take the mood stabilizer and Cymbalta. My aunt canceled our lunch date. It was good that she did as my back has been aching all day. It just rained a little while ago so I know that is the reason. My back always knows when precipitation is coming.

I am glad I was able to take my meds. Maybe I can be on a roll as I have been taking them every day for the past three days. Today was the first day that I wasn’t completely knocked out. But I do feel drowsy. I haven’t had any coffee today so maybe that is what I need when I take my meds. I just feel so sleepy. I know part of it is the depression. I have lost my appetite. Yesterday all I had was a bagel for the entire day. And today I had a bowl of cereal and a banana. I just am not hungry like I used to be. I don’t even have food cravings.

I don’t know why I am so tired. But I don’t sleep. I just lie there. And my brain is toast. I don’t even think of things, except to take a shower. Maybe I should and it will wake me up. But then I think of the hassle of getting undressed and washing up that I just don’t want to do it. Everything is a hassle in self care. Brushing your teeth, showering, washing up, just the whole of it is too much for me right now. It’s much easier to stay the way I am. If I did have to go out, maybe that would force me to shower. But I don’t have to go anywhere, so why bother.

I finally got a sale on my book today. I was thrilled for a whole five minutes. Then I was back to my grumpy self. I still have to work on my paper that I have been procrastinating on. It will give me something to do and I just don’t want to do it. I hate struggling like this. But at least I wrote it out on paper. Half the work is done.

I have been reading more on Joiner’s theory of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. I am reading his book on “Myths of Suicide”. I can understand where he is coming from but I still don’t believe whole heartedly with his theory. I still believe there has to be an element of psychological pain for suicide to happen. I will talk about this more in my paper.

Well, I have exhausted myself. Seems I can’t so anything for long without getting extremely tired, including writing this blog.

Sunday blog

by Midnight Demon, posted in depression

My mood still sucks. I have had the chance to take my increase in mood stabilizer and the Cymbalta. So far no change, except that I want to sleep all the time. Today I woke up early and took the meds around 7ish hoping that I would be able to so something today. Nope, didn’t work. Only place I want to be is near a pillow and blankets.

I was so tired yesterday that I missed the game. Lackey got beat up and the Sox lost 6-1. I am disappointed. Last outing for Lackey was really good.

If I get some free head space, I am going to try and work on this paper that is floating in my head. It’s pissing me off that I haven’t typed it up yet but I have a feeling it is a sucky paper so I am procrastinating.

I haven’t done much all day. I have been in bed but even though I have tried sleeping, I haven’t been successful. I had wanted to join a twitter chat tonight but it’s already in progress. I will have to wait until next week to join in.

I need to take a shower today as I don’t remember when the last time I took one. I can wait till tomorrow to take one but I think I will feel better if I take one today. It’s such a hassle. But my foot isn’t bothering me as much today so I got to take advantage of it.

Tomorrow I will be having lunch with my aunt. I am kind of nervous about it because she read my book. I really don’t want to talk about my book as last time it didn’t go so well. I pretty much had a case of the nerves as I was shaking and feeling nervous. I hope we talk about other things. It has been a while since I saw my aunt. I don’t see her too often because she lives out of state.

I upgraded my laptop to win 8.1. I shouldn’t have done it as it messed around with my settings and now I can’t seem to change them back. It is annoying as all hell because the opening screen is a honeycomb and I hate it. If anyone knows how to change this please comment!!

just snap out of it

by Midnight Demon, posted in depression

Today is not a good day for me. It was another early morning shuffle and I had an appointment with my pdoc. I really didn’t want to go because I felt like she wasn’t going to change anything. But she surprised me. She told me to go on Cymbalta for a few weeks to see if that helps to push me out of this depression that I am in. So I took the Cymbalta today. I can take it at anytime as it doesn’t make me drowsy like the mood stabilizer. I still am going to try to take the 600 mg of trileptal tomorrow. I need to get out of this miserable rut that I am in. Even my mother noticed that I am depressed. I know I can’t be happy. I just want to feel contentment for a little while and to be able to do things without things feeling so heavy and burdensome.

I tried writing my theories paper today, actually, right before I started this blog. FAIL. I was making so many spelling mistakes and was getting frustrated because I couldn’t follow along with what I wrote. I just said fuck it and will try tomorrow or when I am a little bit more clearheaded.

I changed my Facebook picture to a sad, crying face. Some people liked it. But then I got a comment tonight saying that I should snap out of my depression and should cheer up. That pissed me off. Especially as this month is Mental Health Awareness Month. I don’t know why they call it mental health awareness when they really are just screening for depression and other psychiatric disorders. I think it should be called Mental Illness awareness so people don’t say stupid shit like “snap out of it”. If only it were that easy. So I posted as my status that “if this pic offends you, unfriend me”. I really wanted to put “if this pic offends you, unfriend me, I don’t need your negativity, stigmatism, and ignorance”. But I refrained on the last part.

Mood really sucks. I could go to sleep right now but it’s my niece’s prom tonight and I want to take pictures. It sucks that it is raining out. She wanted to take picture by a local boat house but that got spoiled. Poor kid.

I am hoping tomorrow I can just go to the post office and mail my friend’s book. That is the only thing I have on my agenda. And then I want to just stay in bed and sleep, if I can. I tried that the other day and failed miserably at it. I was able to lay down but sleep eluded me. All I want to do is stay under the covers. I don’t want to do a damn thing. I am glad my pdoc didn’t recommend the hospital again. I probably would have said yes. I hope that the Cymbalta works, but I am doubtful. I just hopes while taking it over the next two weeks it doesn’t make me sick.