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comment by bioemerl
bioemerl  ·  2751 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Guns and Suicide in the United States

    Physicians and other health care providers who care for suicidal patients should be able to assess whether people at risk for suicide have access to a firearm or other lethal means and to work with patients and their families to limit access to those means until suicidal feelings have passed. A Web site of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center can help physicians and others in this effort (www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter). Effective suicide prevention should focus not only on a patient's psychological condition but also on the availability of lethal means — which can make the difference between life and death.

Is a bit more important than what you quoted, I think.





OftenBen  ·  2751 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's certainly more practical.

I don't own a handgun. My shotgun and .22 plinker are at my parents house.

oyster  ·  2751 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I like the part you quoted because many many people misunderstand how people go from not wanting to die to committing suicide. My friend explained it as something just switching in her brain so "less than 5 minutes" is generous in her case. It took a split second to go from not really suicidal to attempting suicide The veteran who tells his depressed, alcoholic neighbour with guns in his house that if he sees him drinking again he'll have them taken away understands suicide. It's understanding that lead him to say that and mean it. So if understanding is what gets people to take the issue seriously then what you point out is very important.