Thirteen Reasons Why question

This subject matter something I may be too close to, but I'm gonna comment anyway because I think it's important =)

The imperative thing about helping someone who is descending into suicide, is listening and observing. Of course, if no one tells you you may not realize they need help. Which is why it is important to observe.

You always hear friends and family after the fact, stating "We had no idea he/she was that bad." But it's my personal belief that most everyone would have given off signs that a person close to them should be able to tell "Hey, something's not right."

As for the snowball effect, there needs to be more awareness in schools about things such as bullying. And no one (teacher, staff, school counselors, students, etc.) should dismiss someone who is obviously going through a difficult time. Because feeling like you have no one is the worst thing that can happen to someone with suicidal/depressive tendencies.

There is my 2 cents for the day =)

I read this book over a year ago... Was this about her suicide, like how they were all involved?

In my understanding of suicide, I am not sure I know of anyone who has committed suicide who has not felt their life to be harder to live than death is to accept. There are many justifications for suicide but this one hits me especially hard, and I feel that it's horrible that some people eventually faced this problem and chose death. But, I suppose it happens.

I think one important measure that should be considered when attempting to deal with teenage suicide related to bullying is the education of teens and kids in the understanding of how small the high school world is and how little everyone else matters. Even, maybe, to understand how small the adult world is.

I assume that teens of that age are the most vulnerable because many are trying to develop an identity for the first time and are running into problems with rejection, etc. But, I think that developing a somewhat existentialist attitude and identity towards life really helps. There is something about recognizing your own solitude in the universe that helped me through high school along with many of my friends. (Note: Although my friends and I were probably a very suicidal crowd, we were not bullied and singled out.) Now, the existentialist attitude often does not make for the happiest or most successful adult, but it's definitely easier to live on some days.

I personally think that talking with parents and friends can make the whole thing worse for the most part, and I think this is why most kids do not tell their parents when they are considering it or once they plan to do it. And if it is the one thing that they choose for themselves, then maybe it is best for them. I have heard people say that life is a contract; you must accept its rules if you keep living but you have a way out.

I don't condemn suicide as a problem; I believe it is a choice, and the only part other people can choose for someone else is how to educate them about it. And this does not mean to tell everyone to call a number so they can talk to someone when they feel suicidal, because that is often the reason people want to commit suicide in the first place. I think people should learn that they are alone and that most people in the world will never understand them no matter how much they try to say they do. The biggest step suicidal people have to overcome their feelings is to come to understand themselves on their own terms; to develop an identity for themselves that they can trust in. This does not mean that they can't receive help from therapists, etc. And this does not mean that they will never face a suicidal crisis again, but maybe they can face their suicidal crisis instead as an existential crisis whereby they must prove to themselves their own strength.

I think that it isn't just bullying. I mean, depression is a psychological problem. In order to help someone who is considering to end their life you need to understand how they feel and why they feel that death is the answer. For a lot of teens they feel trapped, lost, alone, afraid, unloved, hopeless. Sometime they feel like life is completely pointless. (For example, I asked a dear friend of mine who has depression what he has to look forward to in life, something he would live for and he replied, 'Honestly, I don't know anymore.') One of the reasons why death is a viable option for some people is because they are freeing themselves of life which is what is hurting them. You gain freedom of the chains life has constrained you with. Life is full of ups and downs (everyone knows that) but for those with depression it isn't up down up down. It's down...stagnant....down....stagnant....eh kind of up but back down. Imagine the most sadness you've ever experienced and that won't even compare to the what those with depression are feeling.

As to melting the snowball...well, I think that in order to melt the snowball you need to ignite a fire inside yourself. It doesn't have to a wildfire, a small ember will do. In order to ignite the fire you must find something you are willing to live for, suffer for. Talk to friends, talk to family. They can and want to help you. Heck! talk to a teacher. The point is this: you must seek help in order for anyone to know there is a problem.