I just found out that a week ago a wonderful girl from my Creative Writing class died. She was intelligent, nice and extremely athletic, one of the star volleyball players at Purdue.
I have a sneaky suspicion it was a suicide.
i have no confirmation of this, but the obituary said nothing regarding the cause of death and donations in her memory are supposed to be sent to the National Alliance of the Mentally Ill.
I don't want to assume anything, but if it is a case of suicide it is yet another case (other recent case being my good friend suffering from bulimia) of people that I thought had it together so well, and made little effort to help. As a psychology major, I am feeling guilty about this, but as a bipolar sufferer, it provides a bizarre sense of relief. Not that I am glad by ANY means she died, because I think it is a horrible thing and it is awful to have lost such a beautiful and talented girl, but it is nice to know that I do not suffer alone. It scares me though, to think of all the burdens people are hiding all the time.
****note (3:36 am noder time)****
My suspicians have been confirmed, it was a suicide.
****/note****
Suffering from mental illness of any kind is a trap very similar to the closets homosexuals are constantly hiding in. The only way to find relief is to face your problem, but you will be ostracized and outcast by some people. There will be people that will not be able to deal with your problems and will call you crazy; there will be significant others that will simply not be able to love you because of your problems; the people that you need the most will not be able to be there for you, and this will make you feel worse. it is simply unfair and devastating.
So, to all victims of suicide, and all sufferers of depression, eating disorders, and any other form of mental illness, this node's for you.