By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
Suicide case are on the rise in this region. Just by the simple taking of too much drugs or a toxic farm chemical,, one’s life is gone. The issue however is not as simple as that. Suicide is murder. It is just that the life one took was his body. But that was not his to take in the first place. Much less is one’s body a person’s property— with which to do as he pleases.
A person is not his body which is God’s creation. A person or his parents did not make his body. The parents were just made instruments for a soul to be born. So the unjustified murder of that body generates bad karma, perhaps one of the heaviest. That will have to be suffered whether in hell or in another lifetime in this world. As somebody said, hell can be here on earth. Well, what can you say about someone who has to suffer an incurable disease for years on end?
At any rate, it was good to know about the effort of DOH doctors or personnel going to the barangays to enlighten people about mental health which is an effect of the recent passage of the Mental Health Law.
The main cause of suicides is depression. And the cause of that, just like any other mental issue is very complex. Perhaps one of the most complex health aberrations for you cannot literally finger what is wrong in a person’s mind or in his psyche or psychology. Yet perhaps psychiatrists and psychologists, with the aid of doctors from other disciplines can alleviate the mental condition of people or the effects of depression and other mental or psychological conditions.
The good thing about the efforts of DOH doctors and personnel in going to the barangays is that mental issues such as depression, just like any other disorder, are easier dealt with in the early stages, or long before one even thinks about committing suicide. Sure, some lives could be saved, and this is the most important thing.
This activity of DOH is in consideration of the fact that many of those having mental issues are ashamed to admit it as there is that perceived or actual stigma that would be ascribed to them by the community. Everybody wrongly thinks that going to a psychiatrist or psychologist means that the person is crazy. What people don’t accept is that everybody has some sort of craziness to deal with, in varying degrees. And getting help in the early stages is the right thing to do.
There are of course some cues on how to determine people who are prone to depression. Of particular concern are those who are very sensitive, those who are “balat sibuyas.” These are often talented in the arts and they make good artists, writers or those who are in any calling requiring creative sensitivity. As they take bad comments badly, so they also take failures badly, no matter how minor. When they are faced with failures, their defense mechanisms on such a situation are weak. They might even try to run away from it or entertain the thought of jumping to the Pasig River or taking an overdose of any killer drug or drinking a lethal or toxic farm chemical like Thiodan.
Other people of course will drink (alcoholic berages)their heads off for a night and then face the matter head-on after recovering from the hangover. Others would even go and meditate in a cave for a few days and then come out well rejuvenated, ready to deal with whatever problem life will throw their way. They would even feel so confident they could fight a fire spitting dragon.
For those who dabble in astrology, the water signs are the ones who are very sensitive so they can make the best artists especially those who have predominant Piscces energy in their astrological charts.They have the strongest tendency to commit suicide. As to the Cancers, they might cry for days when faced with problems but they have a strong determination that they should summon or harness in such a situation. The other water sign, Scorpio, however is of a different breed. While it is also water, she will kill you before even thinking of killing herself, which she has the mental strength not to do..
My ten cents worth. When in a problematic situation due to lack of money, or sickness, or any other cause, the thing to think is that everybody goes through such situations and that it is just a stage and it will soon pass. There will soon be better times. Some people say that meditation or prayer can be a big help. You find the truth about that yourself.
But, yes, positive thinking might be the key.**
