by StoneWall 12 Replies latest social current
Here's a link but there is already many newscast carrying the story.
Edited to add: for any that don't know Rick Warren here's a quick copy and paste from that news article
"Pastor Warren delivered the invocation at President Obama's 2008 inauguration. MSNBC's Craig Melvin reports."
Sad and tragic. I guess we will learn more about how severe his condition was. The news story said the family enjoyed a normal evening together and he left to go to his home and this is where he took his life. The news articles did not say how he ended his life.
It is horrific for any parent to lose their child, I wonder how Rick and his wife are coping and you wonder what kinds of reflections they will go through with their faith.
They say it is mental illness. But why does it always have to lead to destruction?
I say it is because he believed he was going to heaven. Why not die and speed up the process?
False religion destroys.
Or maybe he was secretly gay and couldn't deal with his dad as pastor.
How said...he and his family did not avoid medical treatment. Nor did I get the idea that depression was viewed as a spiritual flaw but as it is a medical illness. Few would consider dying of cancer as due to spiritual flaws.
If the son had schizophrenia or severe manic depression it can flip your mental state like a light switch going on and off. Many of the modern meds just leave a person in a hazy state.
Very sad ....
The article does not mention schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder. The son's condition is described as depression. It appears he was under doctor's care. Rick Warren is an articulate spokesperson, and relates to his audience. This is what he had to say to the Ted community.
Depression does not always have to lead to self-destruction or that of others any more than a diagnosis of cancer always being a death sentence. Depression by itself is a mental illness. Some medications and treatments help cancer patients and the same treatment does not help others. What makes news, people with depression who do not kill themselve or people who do kill themselves? There are many more who are coping successfully than those who find one day to be too hard to get past to tomorrow.
thanks JGnats, beautiful talk
I hurt for that family. How hard it is to have a child who suffers that way.
Excellent point, blondie. Something I had to come to terms with my son's diagnosis of Schizophrenia is that they have a higher incidence of mortality, chiefly due to suicide. It's a debilitating disease I would not wish on my worst enemy. There is also a higher incidence of suicide with those who are depressed. As you point out, however, many who are depressed do find successful treatment.
