Suicide

Discussion of the children's schools in the UK.
Alban
Posts: 271
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:23 am
Location: London

Suicide

Postby Alban » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:43 am

After reading the latest batch of posts, it struck me how many on here have admitted to attemped suicide. This is only made worse by the fact that it is one of those things that only a small percentage will admit to and as such the implication is that it was more common than it appears.

Considering how small the schools are / were this seems an unnaturally high level.

So, the next time someone says to you "Oh, it wasn't that bad" or "I don't remember any abuse" then maybe you could ask them to explain this phenomenon.

My thoughts go out to everyone who felt this was the only way out, and especially to the families of those that suceeded.

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Free Thinker
Posts: 325
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:05 am
Location: USA

Postby Free Thinker » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:19 am

Thanks Alban, for that thoughtful post. I don't know of anyone in the US who has committed suicide due to the school, but it may have been hushed up or occurred when I was a child. I do, however, know of people here having mental breakdowns (particularly the longtime female head of the NYC school, who's name I'm at a loss to remember currently. At least that's what I remember being told at the time.) I'm sure she was a lesbian, and she and her "assistant", a wonderful woman named Karen Kronenberg, left together after she had her breakdown and moved out West, where I'm sure both of them were much better off, given the view of homosexuality in the school. That is a thread unto itself! Of course, I really have no idea if she was or not - it's pure speculation.

FT
Last edited by Free Thinker on Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

Pink womble
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Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 5:35 pm
Location: UK

Postby Pink womble » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:26 am

Alban, that's a really interesting thought. I must admit I nearly committed suicide four years ago, although mostly because of family problems indirectly contributed to by SES.

I did once talk about suffering from depression on an SES week and was amazed at the number of people who quietly came up to me afterwards and admitted similar thoughts. I was completely humbled by it and my heart goes out to anyone who's ever felt depressed or suicidal because of the schools.

I'm certain this must be to do with the SES/ St James approach that talking about feelings is weak and meditation will make the bad thoughts go away. What unfeeling, unsympathetic bullshit that is.

daska
Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:29 pm
Location: UK

Postby daska » Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:18 pm

I've spent some time considering this now being one of those that was affected in this way (though unsuccessful).

A while back there was an article in one of the papers about a study that had shown that younger children are in general more likely to be depressed/ suicidal than previously thought due to external pressures. My memory is that this was more to do with physical appearance but I would logically expect it to be the case with other pressures as well.

Is the high number of mentions on this board perhaps also to do with being able to speak anonymously? And even more than this, due to the cathartic nature of the postings?


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