SUICIDE
Through the years it has been extremely painful to watch various people I love die as a result of suicide. Because of this, I hope to shed some light on a few of the issues that can be present when a person decides to take his or her own life. I will give some strategies on suicide prevention, as well as some comfort for those whose loved ones have taken their own lives. This is not meant to be an exhaustive study on the topic by any means, but instead I hope to share some of my personal experiences and observations about suicide in hopes of encouraging people who may be struggling in some way with this topic.
Each situation where suicide is involved is unique and different, and people commit suicide for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few of the issues that may contribute to a feeling of such hopelessness that a person may be tempted to take his or her own life:
All other issues aside, I think one of the most significant factors contributing to suicide is spiritual warfare. The Bible is very clear that there are real forces of evil in this world that war against us. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” I can guarantee you that thoughts of suicide do not come from God. They come from the evil one, and if a person is not aware of the source of suicidal thoughts, he or she may be tempted to give in to them.
My Experience with Spiritual Warfare - Following a chemical injury on an airplane in 1998, I went through a period where I was bedridden between eighteen and twenty hours per day. At the time, I was experiencing deep depression due to a variety of factors, one of which was that the chemicals that I had been exposed to on the airplane had altered my brain chemistry. I recall many days when I was too ill to attend church, and my husband and children would go to church without me. During such times, the enemy would whisper thoughts in my ear such as, “Okay, now is your chance to kill yourself.” Having knowledge of Scripture, I knew that these types of thoughts came from the pit of hell, so I was able to stand against them through the power of Jesus. Even though my depression was partially chemically induced, thankfully, I was able to battle the temptation to end my life because of my relationship with the Lord.
Toxic Chemical Exposure - Another factor that can contribute to suicidal thoughts is the emotional havoc that chemotherapy or toxic chemical exposures can induce, as alluded to earlier. I have heard from numerous cancer patients that radical personality changes can occur while undergoing chemotherapy. It is not unusual for someone to become angry, depressed, or even suicidal due to the effects of chemotherapy on one’s system. In certain cases, when a person has had a chemical exposure to products such as fresh paint, perfume, pesticides, or other chemicals, these emotions can occur.
Anti-Depressants - Concerning anti-depressants, I have talked with people who took anti-depressants that reported the drugs made them more depressed. This seems to be especially true when first starting a new drug or when a person is weaning off of one. One woman shared with me that after starting on an anti-depressant, she became suicidal. Without the intervention of a caring friend, she feels she may have taken her life. Once she got the anti-depressant out of her system, her suicidal thoughts went away.
According to Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, “Antidepressants are overprescribed, and patients are not warned enough about the potential side effects. We now have all these warnings that antidepressants can make people suicidal.” Many of the anti-depressants now carry warning labels to this effect. (Note: Some people report improvement for their depression as a result of being on an anti-depressant. Taking an anti-depressant is a decision that must be made between a patient and his or her physician, based on the individual situation.)
My Experience with Anti-Depressants:
Back in the early ‘90s, I went on Prozac for three days. By the third day on the drug, I had a very frightening experience. As I was driving on the freeway to pick my daughter up from daycare, I started experiencing hallucinations, where the freeway in front of me appeared to be swirling around. I could have easily gotten into a serious accident as I couldn’t focus, and felt like I was on some type of bad drug trip. At that moment, I prayed to the Lord and told Him that if He got me off the freeway safely, I would stop taking the Prozac. Miraculously, the Lord helped me guide the car off of a nearby exit, and I called my husband who came and picked me up. That experience showed me how powerful and mind altering anti-depressants can be.
Strategies for Suicide Prevention:
Coping Strategies When A Loved One Has Committed Suicide:
When it comes to suicide, it is important to note that God looks at the whole picture of a person’s life, not just one event. I’d like to share an example of another godly man who tragically committed suicide back in 1985 that seems to illustrate this principle.
Paul Kaufman was a seminary professor whose wife had been ill for many years following a stroke. After faithfully caring for her for about 16 years, it became necessary to put her in a foster home. Evidently the emptiness created in his home after that was too much for him to bear, and Paul ended up taking his own life.In response to Paul Kaufman’s suicide, Earl Radmacher, president of Western Conservative Baptist Seminary said this, "God reminded me that He does not see as we see. We see one event at a time, often focusing on the last thing. God sees all things simultaneously. He doesn’t see anything more vividly than He sees other things; that is, He sees everything equally."
Dr. Radmacher went on to say, "In the light of what God is like, we need to correct our seeing. We need to look at the whole of Paul Kaufman’s life and recognize, for example, the tremendous teaching ministry that God allowed him to have over many, many years. Surely, that will be among the ‘gold, silver and precious stones’ at the Judgment Seat of Christ. On the other hand, we must not minimize the seriousness of sin. Taking one’s own life is the sin of murder, and it was a tragedy for Paul to end his life in that way. Yet, Christ paid for that sin, along with all others, on the cross."
One last thing Dr. Radmacher pointed out about this situation was that Paul had a lot of spiritual support prior to his death, but he took his life anyway. Paul’s Bible was found open nearby the place where he was found dead. It was known that Paul had many friends willing to pray for and support him. Dr. Radmacher concludes that evidence suggests perhaps there was a physical or chemical imbalance that was a contributing factor in Paul’s death.
In closing, I’d like to point out that when a suicide occurs, it often appears to be a very complex puzzle with no easy or clear answers. I think we can categorize it along with other tragedies in life that don’t make sense to our human minds. We may never know the answer to the question, “Why?” on this side of eternity, but we need to trust that the Lord is ultimately in control and can bring good out of the most difficult circumstances.
If you have had a friend or loved one that has died as a result of suicide, ask the Lord to bring you comfort. I remember after a dear friend of mine took his life, whenever grief would overwhelm me, I put on a praise video and just spent time basking in the presence of God, letting the Holy Spirit come alongside and comfort me. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” My prayer for you is that you would be able to receive the same comfort I have received in your time of great need.
About the Author:
Janine Ridings is the founder and director of Aroma of Christ, a nationwide ministry to people who suffer from chronic illness. She is the author of Comfort in the Storm: Devotions for the Chemically Sensitive.
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