MetaTalk posts tagged with suicide

Transgender LA Times sportswriter Mike Penner dead in suspected suicide

planetkyoto — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:49:58 -0800

Veteran LA Times sportswriter Mike Penner dead in suspected suicide, a sad folo-up to this 2007 post about his bombshell column announcing his transsexuality and his decision to take a leave of absence and return to the newsroom as Christine Daniels. It got more complicated later on. He took another leave and returned a year ago as Mike Penner again.

The carriage held but just ourselves. And immortality.

carmicha — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:56:31 -0800

Follow-up Thread. Last July, this thread linking to this account of life at 530 lbs moved many MeFites. It introduced me to Sugar Sweet, the author's blog, which I've enjoyed for the candor, resilience and fortitude in the face of adversity it chronicles. A few days ago, Heidi's father committed suicide (gunshot; she found him) and she is now dealing with the aftermath, which is hugely difficult given the family's financial circumstances. Those of you following this post about companies that clean up after suicides may be heartened to know that one such firm donated its services to her family. Other blog readers are helping out as well. Oh and in other follow-up news, she's lost a little over 200 lbs in the roughly 18 months since her weight loss surgery, described in this entry.

Cleaning up a suicide scene, no big deal?

Brandon Blatcher — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:55:51 -0800

The suicide scene wasn't cleaned up and the new flooring crew just took it all in stride and cleaned it up, really? Not so much a "Is this true" question, though there is a bit of that, but more curiosity if anyone has been a part of a flooring or cleaning crew and had to deal with situations like those in the question. Wouldn't there be some sort of protocol for cleaning up scenes? Doesn't someone check up on these things? Aren't there legal sanctions? Do flooring or construction crews really come across this type of stuff and just get rid of it without calling the cops? And why no calling of the police, either by the poster or the crew?

Lolsuicide!

TomMelee — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:26:48 -0800

Not so much a callout to thread behavior as a..."really?" This is the thread in question. Completely ignoring the meat of the article, I'm kind of shocked and saddened by the "LOL RAILJUMPAR" attitude of a couple folks in the thread. I'm sure it's because my friend took his own life last summer, and I'm even more sure that most people don't care. The decision making progress when one chooses to take their own life isn't about selfishness or even a preoccupation with sadness---it transcends what most mentally-well people can even understand. So maybe that's why we make fun, because it's socially unacceptable to kill yourself, and we don't understand it, and it scares us because it's so very far from what we'd ever do. But the discussion as a joke? I look at it as threads of humanity shining through in the darkest moments of the end of a soul. Nothing matters, because I'm killing myself...but I'm still taking off my shoes. It's the note of finality, I think. I don't know, I'm rambling. That's just one of those threads that sometimes really surprises me, didn't expect that reaction...here.

Should this really have gone through?

phearlez — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:14:11 -0800

This makes me very uncomfortable. This anon question is from a person who describes hard-drinking - mixed with pills - and cutting who (a) wants some advice about how to have a conversation with a friend and (b) pooh-poohs getting any help beyond that. Having suffered from depression (though thankfully nothing like that) I know how hard it is to take the first step, but this isn't written like someone taking the first strokes up towards the surface, this is someone looking for ways to continue with very self-destructive and dangerous behavior. This really screams out at me like a question asking for tips on playing russian roulette. Is there a line that shouldn't be crossed on questions about self-destructive behavior? Or is it a matter of "people are going to do it anyway, maybe this way they might get some help." Maybe it should stand, but if I was the admin who received this question I'd have been seriously tempted to contact the person's school rather than approve the question.

suicide video link

null terminated — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:47:32 -0800

This comment links to a video of a real life suicide without warning (other than "I'm a terrible person"). Normally I'd flag this and move on, but this is possibly the worst thing I've ever seen on metafilter and I'd like to see it deleted as quickly as possible.

Are we going to be bummed when we hear that users have offed themselves after posting their suicide plans on AskMe?

sneakin — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 05:17:54 -0800

So, this user wants to ice himself and post it on the internet. Or, the question is "totally theoretical." Who knows. I know this question has come up before, but the film-my-own-suicide dude seems to have an actual plan. I am thinking of the Viriginia Tech situation where former professors and classmates are coming with an example-a-minute of things the shooter wrote and said that people didn't respond to. I am picturing a local news story with friends and family going through this dude's bookmarked sites and saying "He pleaded for help on this site..." and seeing the green up there. Maybe MeFites more senior to myself can shed some light on this. I don't have a position either way (or, I should say, I have opinions that go both ways), I am more just wondering what an online community's responsibility is to its members, if any.

Blue-icide

hermitosis — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 07:21:28 -0800

You guys are totally bumming me out.

AskMe is not a suicide prevention hotline

Burhanistan — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 23:32:54 -0800

This potential suicide question concerns me as it has anyone who read the thread. I don't know what follow up is needed, but perhaps more visibility here will offer some direction?

Some things AskMe cannot do alone

turducken — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 16:18:25 -0800

Code blue in the green?

MeFi suicide post shout-out

cedar — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 19:54:38 -0800

Sometimes we get it really right. It was nice, affirming even, to see something as complex as suicide handled with such grace.

This is the most mean spirited thread

grapefruitmoon — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 07:13:11 -0800

This is a front page tragedy. Lord Kinbote sums up my feelings well : "This is the most mean spirited thread I have ever read on MetaFilter."

Way, way inappropriate.

grateful — Sun, 06 Jun 2004 19:26:04 -0800

Way, way inappropriate.

Is that thread helpful or not?

mathowie — Wed, 22 Jan 2003 08:58:35 -0800

Someone claiming to be a close friend of the guy that died on IRC asked me to remove the thread about it, so I obliged before reading what was said. After reading it all however, it seems like it's full of a lot of useful information. So what to do? Bring it back or keep it away?

(also keep in mind that although I don't think it would happen in this case, but I have been threatened with a lawsuit for not removing requested material before)

How much weight to attach to the "community" in "online community?"

jonmc — Fri, 05 Apr 2002 19:52:46 -0800

I saw this thread over at kuro5hin about the recent suicide of an Everquest fanatic and the surrounding issues. This thread was about online games but the poll in the sidebar lists "blogs" as the #2 "online addiction." Rusty and his crew have given the topic a good going-over, but I'm interested in what the MeFiosi have to say on these. Firstly, just how much weight should we attach to the "community" in "online community?" Second, if we are all members of a community, just what responsibilities do we have to our fellow citizens? I'm not taking any position yet, I just found it a thought-provoking set of questions.