Death and Suicide - The Death of a Friend Essay - 949 Words

The Death of a Friend I hid my face as I sat desperately alone in the back of the crowded church and stared through blurry eyes at the stained glass windows. Tears of fear and anguish soaked my red cheeks. Attempting to listen to the hollow words spoken with heartfelt emotion, I glanced at his picture, and my eyes became fixed on his beloved dog. Sudden flashes of sacred memories overcame me. Memories of soccer, his unforgettable smile, and our frequent exchange of playful insults, set my mind spinning. I longed only to hear his delighted voice once more. I sat for what seemed like hours in that lonely yet overcrowded church; my tears still flowed, and I still remembered. October 2, 2001 started like a normal Tuesday†¦show more content†¦She just happened to be in an FBLA officer meeting, which I got her out of. She said her meeting was important, but selfishly I didnt care, because I was desperate and needed her badly. I tried to tell her how I felt through my tears, but I couldnt make much sense. She embraced me with her loving arms and fell silent as I cried on her shoulder. The rest of the day was quite frustrating, yet at the same time relieving. Some people were surprisingly compassionate and wanted to support those who were hurting. However, some people went out of their way to show their heartless attitudes toward what had happened. These people seemed to have no remorse for the loss of a gentle classmate and friend. All I wanted was to go home and talk to my mom. I needed someone who understood, but none of my friends even knew him. Nobody knew what had happened to Derek, not even his parents. Most believed the seemingly obvious: he committed suicide. However, that wasnt enough for me, because I knew him; he was so up-beat and happy, at least so I thought. The police still had some doubts about the idea of suicide, and they began questioning a few kids from school who had been harassing Derek. In my opinion, no matter what had actually happened, it was a direct result of harassment. That miserable Tuesday made me realize just how bad our society had become. Just the thought of a few kids laughing about DereksShow MoreRelatedEssay about Dont Be Afraid to Die in Socrates Phaedo741 Words   |  3 Pagesclaims that he is not afraid to die. Socrates was sentenced to death and due to the fact that he took the poison earlier than when was necessary, many believe that he committed suicide. Contrary to what may be presumed about Socrates’ death, I will argue that he is a martyr and did not commit suicide. Suicide is defined as taking one’s life for the sake of oneself. Killing oneself, does not necessarily mean suicide because suicide is inherently selfish and completely focused on the individual.Read MoreSuicide : The Main Causes Of Suicide967 Words   |  4 PagesSuicide takes a lot of loved ones away. They make the families and friends of the victim in despair and at loss at times. It makes them feel like they had wronged the individual and that they are the reason that they have committed suicide. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, which proves that a lot of families have to go through this.Suicide affects the victims family and friends by making them feel guiltyRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide : Controversial Healthcare And Political Realms Alike1218 Words   |  5 Pages Physician-Assisted Suicide Elissa Munoz-Tucker University of Arizona Abstract Physician-assisted suicide is controversial in healthcare and political realms alike. Currently, this end-of-life option is practiced in five states within the United States. Social concerns regarding assisted suicide revolve around ethical quandaries; providing the means to a patient’s death is contradictory to ethical principles of healthcare providers. Political concerns surroundingRead MoreSuicide Awareness Essay991 Words   |  4 PagesSuicide is the 11th leading cause of death among the United States. (Roxanne Dryden-Edwards) By definition homicide is the killing of a human being by another human being, but suicide is the act of killing oneself intentionally. Suicide awareness needs to be raised by knowing what suicide is, teaching others about suicide, and the effects of suicide. Each year in the United States over 300,000 individuals will attempt suicide, with approximately 32,000 taking their own life. (Dana Lizardi) TheRead MoreStopping a Friend from Suicide640 Words   |  3 PagesIf a close friend of mine came to me and said: I know you are studying abnormal psychology and I was wondering if you could help me. My roommate has been making some vague comments about wanting to die and once even said that she wanted to kill herself. I dont know if this is a real problem and if I should take it seriously, or if she is just saying this stuff to blow off steam or get attention. And I dont want to make it worse by asking about it. I dont know what to do†. From the informationRead MoreChildren at Risk of Suicide1639 Words   |  7 Pages1. Describe the characteristics of children who are at risk for suicide. Include the statistics related to children and suicide and gender differences. (214) Young children who are at risk of committing suicide may have suffered a loss of a loved one, or are suffering family stress like the parent being unemployed or there being abused by a parent or family friend, and their probably suffering from depression. These children are the ones that show behavioral patterns such as: running away fromRead MoreTeen Suicide Essay1679 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Suicide of any kind is an act in which a person takes his or her own life. FACT: Suicide is a prevalent cause of death among America’s youth today.Each and every day almost 1000 teenagers think about suicide and about 0.018% of them will be successful in committing it.† It is an ongoing problem that is often described as uncalled for immature and unnecessary. But having a deeper understanding and better knowledge are some key factors for preventing teenage suicide. This â€Å"problem† most likely startRead MoreSuicide : The Main Causes Of Suicide973 Words   |  4 PagesSuicide takes many loved ones away. Suicide causes despair in families and friends of the victim and causes them to feel at loss at times. It makes them feel like they had wronged the individual and that they are the reason that they have committed suicide. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United StatesRead MoreTeenage Suicide1064 Words   |  5 PagesTeenage Suicide Suicide is intentional self-inflicted acts that end in death(Suicide, Comptons). After a series of traumatic events, normal coping abilities can be pushed over the edge; the result may be suicide. In each year, an average of 30,000 suicide deaths occur in the United States. It is estimated that 5,000 of those suicides are committed by teenagers(SA\VE, 2). One major reason that the suicide rate among teenagers is so high, is that the teenage years are a period of commotionRead MoreThe Issue Of Teen Suicide1715 Words   |  7 Pages-Amanda Michelle Todd September 7, 2012. What if your friend wanted to commit suicide? What’s the first thing you would do? Scream? Cry? Help? Many people wish they had helped their friend after they commit suicide. Being the victim is scary, being the witness is scarier, and being the bystander is the scariest. Suicide has been a problem for a very long time. It can be caused by stress,anxiety, bullying, and mental illnesses. Teen suicide is a huge problem because there are so many situations