Don't expect loads from me this week- I've got both work experience and my swim teaching course (day two done and I've surpassed exhausted). However, I do have a minor grumble that I need to get off my chest!!
Today on the course, something was mentioned about someone who tried to commit suicide by drowning themselves in a swimming pool. Someone mentioned that it would have been very busy, and I pointed out that that was possibly part of the person's reasoning. Two other people then said very firmly that there wouldn't have been any reasoning- and that has really really irritated me.
People make so so many assumptions about suicide/self harm/EDs/mental health etc. etc. Both generally and in this situation, they can be so wrong and so hurtful.
Firstly, generally speaking- each person is different. Therefore, anyone who has experienced the things listed above- or other things- will have had a different experiences. They might have similarities, but they will not be identical- so making sweeping statements is pointless and potentially harmful. Furthermore, no matter what experience you have had of any of these, you are no less of a person. You deserve basic human rights- including either equality or equity, whichever is most appropriate. You shouldn't be judged for what you have been through.
With regards to this situation in particular- being suicidal, or acting on this feeling, does not always mean that you are being unreasonable. It doesn't always mean you cannot reason. Yes, for some people, their sense of reasoning/judgement may be affected. For others, they may have put a lot of thought/reasoning into this. That doesn't change anything. Saying that no one who is suicidal can have put reasoning into their arguments has the potential to be very hurtful- and potentially damaging. For some- note I don't say all- their feelings could hold extreme amounts of reasoning. Being told that they cannot have reasoning, and the insinuations of unrationality etc. that come with this, could potentially make a very sensitive situation even worse.
Ugh. There's so much more I could say about this, but I need to go. Just please, I implore you, think before you speak. You never know what someone has experienced.