You may well be right, MthGM - you knew him and I didn't.

Nevertheless, I have suffered from depression, of varying severity, for most of my life. At one stage I received treatment for it and the first thing the docs wanted to know is whether or not I was entertaining suicidal thoughts. I very much suspect that if I had answered "yes" alarm bells would have started ringing and the treatment would have shifted up a gear (in my case the answer was "no").

Six years ago my career went "phhhttt" too - just when I believed that I was at the top of my game (I was made redundant). The next 18 months were pretty tough but, eventually, I realised that I was more financially secure than I thought I was and that I had other options. The last four years or so have actually been among the best of my life.

If you commit suicide you don't get to find out what happens next - for worse or for better!