I commend Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore) who introduced a bill in honor of his 21 yr old son Garrett, who committed sucicide in Sept. Smith stated his son suffered from manic-depression aka Bi-polar illness & suffered emotional pain that he couldn't begin to understand.

As previously mentioned I do commend him, but believe his cause would be better championed by speaking out about Bi-polar Illness. Not suicide in general. It's too bad the senator didn't know more about manic-depression prior to his sons death. People who suffer from Bi-polar, (aka Manic Depression)are 8-10 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person without it!!! A very grim statistic. NTM: Men are 4 times more likely to carry thru with such an act as woman.

Manic depressives can be hard people to try and understand. So I do have compassion for the senators loss. Just reading about it, was sketchy. (maybe I understand more, having the malady). But the Senators main theme was having young people tested. Most symptoms of manic-depression don't manefest untill the early or late teenage yrs. And Suicide's been around for 1000's of yrs. What scientist have uncovered about being Bi-polar, has mostly been in the last 2 decades.

It's a hard topic, but I guess the answer is, get to know your kids. AND MAKE yourself understand what they go thru! However hard that can be...It's my belief if you really know your kids, whatever they do, won't come as a shock...

** The best anology I can think of is what Bobcat Goldwaith said of his friend Kurt Cobain's death. "Suicide didn't kill Kurt Cobain. Manic-Depression did"!

Well said Bobcat!!!

RB

Amen to that, RB... I know it must be hard to talk about this disease, it's not one that's considered 'socially acceptable' in most circles.

Listening to one's kids is the first step to understanding them... and hearing them when you listen is the second step...

My heart goes out to those who suffer from bi-polar disorder, and to their families who also suffer from a different perspective.

Well it just goes to prove you can't believe everything you read!!! (I learned of the new bill from the newspaper) After watching C-SPAN I was pleased to learn.

Apparently the bill was passed! AND, the studys are to include people of colledge age. (18-21) Those are the yrs. where research would do the most good, for both mentle illness & suicide... With our healthcare system in such dissaray, we need all the help we can get in this dept.

Still sad that someone had to die, to bring this to the fore-front. In the same breath this young man didn't die in vain, it seems. I'm glad that bill got passed, and is addressing the people in need of such research.

Not getting all sappy. I'm still a die hard democrat!!! & hoping, and praying, and scratching the walls we have a Democrat for a Prez. in November... Time-less-ness will tell?

Rb