Alanabit, please know that I am keeping your whole family in my thoughts and prayers as well. Some thoughts and stats from Kinark Child and Family Services, a busy mental health clinic here in Simcoe County Ontario.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 19, according to Statistics Canada. Over the last 30 years the suicide rate among teens has skyrocketed.

During that span the rate of suicide has increased five-fold among males and three-fold among females.

"The issues facing young people are often related to family, bullying, community and a masked depression" says Dr. Meen, a veteran of more than 35 years in children�s mental health. Teenagers are incredibly good at masking their feelings...."

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, which has been very active in teen suicide prevention programs, there are several warning signs of suicidal intent: depression; drastic behaviour or mood swings; previous attempts; sudden improvement after a period of depression. Anxiety, isolation, depression, drug abuse and delinquency can all be implicated, either separately or in combination.

A childhood friend of mine took his own life last January. Certainly no youngster -- he was 44 -- he was dealing with an injured back and the loss/change of employment that had caused and ongoing marital problems/family breakup.

Like so many other people (and not just male people!) the only "tools" he used for dealing with the stress were alcohol and drugs. He scoffed at the thought of counselling   :-(   He'd been hospitalized the year before for threatening to take his own life, and the cops had confiscated all his guns at that time. That, however, was apparently not enough to prevent what happened. His hunting buddies had humoured his requests, making sure he was not left totally weaponless ....

ANyway, I saw him in a dream for the first time all year, yesterday moring. I don't think I ever saw him look so happy and healthy, so well-cared for! He was dressed in bright spankin new clothes, working outside in the fresh air, out in nature, as he always loved to do. His cheeks were rosy, eyes bright -- even that long thick beard he'd struggled to keep in half-decent shape all his life was different. It looked liked it had been washed and combed and dressed by an angel or something -- all lovely and curled and hanging right down to his belly-button!   I said "Mike!!! You look GREAT, Mike! WAY TO GO, BUD!!" He didn't say anything though, just looked at me and grinned widely ...

Don't know why I'm posting this here, really. It's so very personal, and there's a wide range of opinion out there as to what, if anything, dreams mean. But I do know this -- I felt so comforted by that dream, it was so real, I just KNOW that my friend is in much better shape now than he was when he left this vale of tears!

According to my childhood religion, suicide is a "mortal sin" and anyone who does such a thing goes to Hell. Forever. Well, from what I've seen, that's just a pile of garbage.

My friend was in "Hell" before he chose to check out, not after.

Thanks for listening,

daylia