karate

I did a bit of research on the parallel in these two issues .

I found MANY famous people had committed suicide , and were also drunks .

Anyone want to add something ?

Its a larger problem ,than is known to the general public .

This underscores the danger of the disease .

Turninganewleaf

I have heard that those people who attempt suicide while under the influence are more successful than those who are sober. I also believe that being an alcoholic or drug addict increases your odds of a suicide because of the depression the disease brings.

Sulu1

I think there's a strong link. I've only ever felt truly suicidal while really drunk.

Don't know why we put ourselves through this chaos

KateL

Me too xx

jaynie04

I think a lot of problems in our society can be traced back to alcohol. Child abuse, spousal abuse, drop outs, gangs, crime, unwanted pregnancies, mental illnesses, families destroyed….I watched Raw:Lockup recently. Maybe because I am obviously newly sober and this is forefront in my mind, but I was blown away by how insidious alcohol and addiction are. Prisoner after prisoner…in for robbery, murder, violent crime, and the overwhelming majority could trace bad childhoods or lack of opportunities back to drugs or alcohol. We spend so much money on treating the result rather than interrupting the cause.

And yes, I believe that alcohol is used often to self medicate, I believe a lot of us use it to drown out other problems and then alcohol becomes the problem. And pouring a major depressant over an already fragile psyche…it is a very volatile combination, so yes, I believe a lot of tragic deaths like suicide can be correlated to alcohol abuse.

My hope is that growing access to information and support, like we have here, can perhaps start to help people not feel so alone. There is something very comforting about knowing that you can talk to others about how difficult getting sober is. I do everything on my own (something I am working on), but getting sober is something I absolutely needed the help, insight and experience of others to accomplish.

IOAA2

About 30 years ago I read statements that about 80% that are incarcerated because of something to do with drugs/alcohol. I recently heard/read that + 100,000 people die as a result of drugs/alcohol in this country per year. Bear in mind a lot of deaths are NOT reveled to be alcohol induced, often said to be heart related.

BE WELL

Joe Nerv

+1 to everything already stated here.

Alcohol should be illegal. It's too dangerous for us mere mortals to play with.

Dan Dare

RIP my younger brother.
3 year anniversary this year..
Still hard to believe.

sugarbear1

I was more suicidal when suffering from untreated alcoholism--being sober but without a new solution as alcohol treated my alcoholism....

caboblanco

I can get thoughts of suicide when i'm not even all that bummed..I really just that strange

suicidal fantasies were like this weird morbid crutch during periods of depression..i would fantasize about what my funeral and eulogy would be like. if anybody would even care at all..if any cute women would show up to pay their respects...i was a total lunatic really

caboblanco

while I believe alcohol use can be dangerous..the use of mind altering substances is as much a part of the human experience as singing and dancing..and it's not going away any time soon. With something like that..once the cat is out of the bag as it has been since the dawn of civilization there really is no turning back

hopeful4

At least if it were illegal the punishment for using would be more harsh. It also would not be as readily avaliable.

caboblanco

thanks for the laugh..no offense

hopeful4

Laugh away....

karate

AGREE . It would not at least be in every gas station .

caboblanco

During prohibition in this country liquor was available in most pharmacies without a prescription. It was medicinal spirits. it was the biggest loophole of the prohibition era. bootleg liquor was never too hard to find either

karate

But people ,like myself that are tested for illegal drugs . We would not use alcohol .

Our employer tests us at random .

beastactivity

Is it really so difficult to grasp that suicide and alcoholism would go hand in hand? For example: alcoholism isolates you from feeling normal, from functioning normally. Family/friends are constantly putting pressure on you wondering why you can't do simple things like go out for dinner, come out for a coffee, go to a movie etc. Every day your head feels like its been through a blender, the world appears loopy from the toxicity of your body, you can't walk right to save your life, but you can't tell them that. They aren't going to understand or sympathize. You have to start lying to them, making excuses, becoming more and more of a frustrating disappointment which generally makes you feel worse. Eventually they just leave you alone, they all just 'grant' you your wish of silence to try and figure it out on your own. Then when everything is quiet you begin to tell yourself little things like they are already living just fine without you (even though they are likely suffering as much as you), that you are truly alone (even if you are married and have a pretty great relationship with your mate aside from being an alcoholic), that life is without purpose, that being born was pointless and possibly even selfish to begin with (only because this is where you ended up). You feel cut off from the world, like a ghost that's waiting to find that one significant thing that will release them from being stuck. You hope that that one significant thing will release you from your addiction, but instead you find that all you are doing is recalling the past, wasting your present and destroying your future. I can't speak for everyone, everyone whose ever felt suicidal from being an alcoholic has their own reason why it could seem even remotely close to a solution, and unfortunately so many mistakes can be easily made while you are intoxicated. I like to believe however that those who survive this horrible combination will become probably some of the most grateful, appreciative, and patient of beings. And I can easily see why people who are public figures would take their lives, they are constantly pressured into doing/being what everyone else wants them to be/do. We see their lives as oh so great but there comes a point when you realize you are tired of feeling like you were brought into this world to live other peoples lives. I think alcohol makes this sensation stronger because eventually when it feels like everyone is pulling you from all directions (because of a situation you created), picking up a drink seems like the only decision you get to make for yourself anymore. Anyways sorry for the forward post hahaha but I wanted to share something authentic because it seems like the comments here are all about the "possibility of a link", when there is no mystery. It's not difficult to fathom, its real and its a tough predicament to be in. I feel for anyone going through this.

silentrun

I didn't have depression before I started abusing alcohol. I was accused many times of being too optimistic. It got so bad I wished I wouldn't wake up. If I kept going I could see myself taking action as I already had convinced myself I was worthless (but the smartest person on the planet). It's truly breathtaking the way this changes everything about you.
I am glad I live in a state where the sale of alcohol is reduced to special stores at special hours. I don't like the idea of the government making it illegal and getting that involved with citizen's life.

beastactivity

I should also point out that it likely takes years of this sort of trending behavior, before it begins to heavily weigh on you, especially when you realize how much you have missed out on/what you've given up for alcohol. It's like the world is going round and round while you are standing still.