The Ultimate Act of Desperation: Taming the Wolf

Hmmm, do we need think in broader terms to wrestle the disease of suicide into submission?

I am hesitant to blog on this disturbing subject. Understandably, most of us are not comfortable talking about it. But there has been a Facebook post circulating lately which advocates for understanding and support on the issue.

Close to 4,000 Canadians each year die of suicide. It is an understatement to say this is a worrisome figure. Equally disconcerting is the fact that hospitalization for self-harm has increased exponentially since 2009 for Canadians aged 10 to 17.

I wonder how many people reading this post know someone who has taken their own life. Sad to say, I do. It was not someone I knew well, but rather a person employed by the same organization and working in a different location. Nonetheless, it was a reality check to have it occur in my circle of acquaintance.

A long-time friend of mine had it hit even closer to home. A friend he had known for several years took his own life. There was no warning that the person was at risk. It was a terrible shock that took no small amount of time to come to terms with.

I was surprised to learn that there is now an official scientific field of study known as suicidology. Practitioners of this research are known as suicidologists. I have not yet made up my mind whether I consider this to be a good thing or a necessary evil.

Our understanding of the act of suicide has thankfully evolved. For too long, society thought of it as a choice – an act of will. It was spoken of as something that was committed and even considered criminal. Now we understand that it is a response to extreme psychological pain. People do not commit suicide. They succumb to it.

What troubles me most deeply is my entirely unscientific perception that the ever intensifying, survival of the fittest landscape of modern society is a breeding ground for this disease.

Yes, mental disorders are a decisive factor in the vast majority of cases. But no matter how much effort we put into prevention – we can never do enough in that respect – I fear that we will continue to lose ground.

Succeeding in our society too often means that one person must win and another must lose. It is not just about bragging rights. It is about (here comes the metaphor) keeping the wolf from our door at someone else’s expense. We do not want it to be that way. We wish there was a viable alternative. But all too often it is out of our control.

Until and unless we find a way to tame the wolf, I fear we will not entirely wrestle the disease of suicide into submission. I am by no means saying we should stop all the vital work that is being done on understanding and treating mental disorders. I am saying that we need to cast a wider net in our prevention efforts.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .

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