US Gold Medalist Kelly Catlin Found Dead At 23/Suicide

rags747 said:
Epidemic? #’s are up over a 10 year period, are they up over 50 years ago? I blame the schools for the Everyone gets a Trophy bull, everyone is a winner. Well get into the real world Bubala and there are clearly winners and losers.
Click to expand...

Don't know this person's circumstances to be able render a judgement in her case specifically, but given the amount of unhappiness that's prevalent among young people, I wonder if the ubiquity of media (social and otherwise) is creating unrealistic expectations about life.

They're inundated with imagery of other people living in wealth, excitement and happiness; and, in their minds, their lives may not measure up. What many young people don't understand is that they're only seeing what other people want them to see. Most of what they see is an illusion, because its either a complete fabrication or its only the "highlights" of other peoples' lives.
 
RIP. Another death by suicide. Depression is a serious illness that needs to be dealt with by society a lot better than we do. Depression is no weakness, it's an illness like cancer, no one asks to be depressed. The problem with depression is there is no simple magical treatment that works for everyone...I know people that need 2-3 pills a day just to live a normal life, and I know someone who treats her depression with counselling only.
 
Silver Surfer said:
Don't know this person's circumstances to be able render a judgement in her case specifically, but given the amount of unhappiness that's prevalent among young people, I wonder if the ubiquity of media (social and otherwise) is creating unrealistic expectations about life.

They're inundated with imagery of other people living in wealth, excitement and happiness; and, in their minds, their lives may not measure up. What many young people don't understand is that they're only seeing what other people want them to see. Most of what they see is an illusion, because its either a complete fabrication or its only the "highlights" of other peoples' lives.
Click to expand...

There's a whole lot of people who reach what they believe should be success and happiness and then feel, "Is that all there is?" Turns out good mental health isn't about external things that happen to you. It's about your state of mind. Someone can be super successful and rich and still feel bad and still need help. There are a lot of things that are hard about life and no amount of money can change that.
 
Reverend Conehead said:
There's a whole lot of people who reach what they believe should be success and happiness and then feel, "Is that all there is?" Turns out good mental health isn't about external things that happen to you. It's about your state of mind. Someone can be super successful and rich and still feel bad and still need help. There are a lot of things that are hard about life and no amount of money can change that.
Click to expand...

True.

In recent years, I've redefined my ideas about success and happiness away from owning and/or accomplishing things toward "a state of being". Owning and accomplishing things to me are more external and symbolic rather than becoming a better person which is internal and genuine.

Moving from things like: owning a mansion, owning a luxury car or running my own company to things like: being kind, being wise, being calm. (Not that I've been successful at any of those things, but those are things I'm aspiring to become.)
 
Silver Surfer said:
Don't know this person's circumstances to be able render a judgement in her case specifically, but given the amount of unhappiness that's prevalent among young people, I wonder if the ubiquity of media (social and otherwise) is creating unrealistic expectations about life.

They're inundated with imagery of other people living in wealth, excitement and happiness; and, in their minds, their lives may not measure up. What many young people don't understand is that they're only seeing what other people want them to see. Most of what they see is an illusion, because its either a complete fabrication or its only the "highlights" of other peoples' lives.
Click to expand...
Very very true, but I also believe that it is a very dog eat dog world and many people are just not prepped for this level of competition where winners and losers are definitely defined early in their careers.
 
Very sad to see such a young, talented person lose all hope. I can't imagine the pain of reaching such an empty and desolate place.

Time to peel back the layers on what is hurting us most and figure out real solutions to these problems. We have lost our way as a society, and it's not a recent phenomenon.
 
Silver Surfer said:
Maybe we need to redefine winning and losing.
Click to expand...
Actually I believe that is what was done 25 years ago and now supposedly we have an epidemic. If the #’s are in fact up surely it is due to people not knowing how to handle losing, they were never taught how.
 
rags747 said:
Actually I believe that is what was done 25 years ago and now supposedly we have an epidemic. If the #’s are in fact up surely it is due to people not knowing how to handle losing, they were never taught how.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood my point. You're talking about winning and losing with respect to competition. I'm talking about winning and losing with respect to defining success and worth in life.
 
Silver Surfer said:
I think you misunderstood my point. You're talking about winning and losing with respect to competition. I'm talking about winning and losing with respect to defining success and worth in life.
Click to expand...
Well that’s a tough one, but pretty much everyone has to decide what is important to them. Society puts plenty of pressure and dangles plenty of carrots. Some feel that pressure, some could care less and go there own way and obviously some succumb to it. Not sure there is ever a total solution unfortunately.
 
rags747 said:
Epidemic? #’s are up over a 10 year period, are they up over 50 years ago? I blame the schools for the Everyone gets a Trophy bull, everyone is a winner. Well get into the real world Bubala and there are clearly winners and losers.
Click to expand...
Yes, Epidemic. Like you, I too go by what I read. Numbers have increased nearly 30% in less than 20 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last June. These mind-numbing statistics were released the same week two very famous, successful and beloved people committed suicide—Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain.

Their tragic deaths, and others like them, have brought new awareness to the rapidly growing public health problem of suicide in the US.

These deaths have renewed the country’s conversation about the scope of the problem. The sad truth is that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among all Americans, and among youth and young adults, suicide is the third leading cause of death.

I believe the culprit is depression. A very awful disease.
 
Last edited:
Reverend Conehead said:
There's a whole lot of people who reach what they believe should be success and happiness and then feel, "Is that all there is?" Turns out good mental health isn't about external things that happen to you. It's about your state of mind. Someone can be super successful and rich and still feel bad and still need help. There are a lot of things that are hard about life and no amount of money can change that.
Click to expand...

That is true. A couple of years ago, a lady I worked with was telling me that her dentist drove to a field, got out of his car, walked in the field and shot himself...the note said, I am not happy, have never been happy...that was it, he was 60, had a nice family, nice home, money in the bank...none of that was happiness.
 
daboyzruleperiod said:
Yes, Epidemic. Like you, I too go by what I read. Numbers have increased nearly 30% in less than 20 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last June. These mind-numbing statistics were released the same week two very famous, successful and beloved people committed suicide—Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain.

Their tragic deaths, and others like them, have brought new awareness to the rapidly growing public health problem of suicide in the US.

These deaths have renewed the country’s conversation about the scope of the problem. The sad truth is that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among all Americans, and among youth and young adults, suicide is the third leading cause of death.

I believe the culprit is depression. A very awful disease.
Click to expand...
Ok so if you believe it is primarily based on depression why are people more depressed today than 20 years ago?
 
rags747 said:
Ok so if you believe it is primarily based on depression why are people more depressed today than 20 years ago?
Click to expand...
It could be numerous of reasons. IMO, the key reason for the continuing rise in depressive illness is that drugs do not necessarily cure the patient, and other therapies that can make the crucial difference are usually not in sufficient supply.

Other reasons for the continuing rise is an aging population of 60 to 74 year olds who are more likely to suffer than other age groups, with rising stress and isolation.

What are your thoughts on why folks are more depressed today than 20 years ago?
 
daboyzruleperiod said:
It could be numerous of reasons. IMO, the key reason for the continuing rise in depressive illness is that drugs do not necessarily cure the patient, and other therapies that can make the crucial difference are usually not in sufficient supply.

Other reasons for the continuing rise is an aging population of 60 to 74 year olds who are more likely to suffer than other age groups, with rising stress and isolation.

What are your thoughts on why folks are more depressed today than 20 years ago?
Click to expand...


I'm sure there are a myriad of reasons, but I tend to think that unrealistic expectations play a big part in many people's unhappiness with their life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Staff online

Members online

... and 78 more.
Total: 974 (members: 178, guests: 796)

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
465,474
Messages
13,877,687
Members
23,791
Latest member
mashburn
Back
Top