What we could have done better

                                                    

  • Always, take it very seriously, when suicide is mentioned, even if it is said, while one is intoxicated. Often, that is when the true thoughts are expressed. That is also, when Chris was able to complete his suicide, while he was severely intoxicated.
     
  • Ask their friends, how they are doing. Often, they know before the parents.
     
  • Don't, wonder if they are thinking about it. ASK OPENLY! It will not, make them more prone to think about it, or do it. Talk about it!
     
  • When they are suicidal, they should not be left alone for an extended period of time, until they are not suicidal anymore.
     
  • When you have knowledge that they are
    suicidal, a true friend encourages them to contact a suicide prevention program to get help, and lets him know that it would be devastating to those who love him, and that it is not the solution. If you are not family, contact their family. IF THEY WILL NOT GET HELP,ON THEIR OWN, THEN PROFESSIONAL HELP MUST BE CONTACTED AND AN INTERVENTION MUST BE DONE,TO PROTECT THEM FROM THEMSELF!!
     
  • As family, acknowledge that it is more than you can handle. Contact GOOD professional help early.
     
  • Don't make the mistake, of thinking this could never happen to us. It can.
     
  • As parents, we teach our children to make good decisions. However, if they make bad choices, help them find their way back. God forgives, if you ask. So encourage them to also forgive themselves.

      People who failed him.............

  • Chris' Psychiatrist failed him. Chris had called him for a change in his anti-psychotic medication. He was having severe side effects of fatigue with the drug, Zyprexa, and felt very sedated. His Dr. wouldn't change it, giving him no hope. He also failed to detect that Chris was suicidal, and failed to diagnose his depression.
     
  • The Clergy could have done better, Chris had left phone messages but they never got together.
     
  • We, Chris's parents, could have done better. We will always feel if we would have been more knowledgeable about his mental illness, we would have done things differently. Chris mentioned suicide twice while he was intoxicated. We failed to see that he could carry it out while intoxicated. But he did. We didn't protect Chris from himself. We also feel that it is also true that a parent or person could have done all the right things and still, your loved one completed suicide. Please, know that you did all you could do.
     
  • Some of Chris's friends could have done better. They knew he had suicidal tendencies, but did not take him seriously. BE A FRIEND, "TELL A SECRET, SAVE A FRIEND!"

    DANGEROUS FRIENDS AND DRUG ABUSE .......

    SOME CHOICES CHRIS MADE & AND SOME HE DIDN'T MAKE........

Chris, and most all of his friends, smart college kids too, I might add, abused

 alcohol and illegal substances: marijuana, cocaine, LSD, mushrooms, and worst of

 all, in my opinion, ECSTASY. The National Institute of Mental Health has done

 research involving the connection between Ecstasy and Schizophrenia. For unknown

 reasons some people seem more predisposed to Schizophrenia who have abused

 some illegal substances like Ecstasy. While it is true that Chris made these

 choices, often young adults experiencing early symptoms of Schizophrenia will abuse

 substances because of the troubling symptoms that are beginning to surface. That

 is possibly why Chris began to abuse drugs, starting at around sixteen years old.

 We do know, after he began to have outward symptoms, he would "self-medicate",

 especially with alcohol, to be able to cope with the symptoms of Schizophrenia.

 Chris suffered from, what is called "night terror dreams" ever since he was very

 young. We don't know why. He also became delusional toward the end, when he was

 suffering from Schizophrenia the worst. At times he could not distinguish between

 what was real and what was not. He was also hearing voices. The greatest thing I

 regret is that I failed to ask him what the voices were telling him.!!! Ask what the

 voices are saying, so you know what they are dealing with.

         
Lastly.....

  • Educate yourselves and your children with the facts and dangers of

     experimentation with illegal drugs. We will never know for sure if that is what

     caused Chris's Schizophrenia. Tell me, WHY WOULD ANYONE TAKE A

     CHANCE LIKE THAT, AND ABUSE ILLEGAL DRUGS!! MAYBE THAT IS WHY

     THEY ARE ILLEGAL!!! THINK ABOUT IT!!!! TALK ABOUT IT!!!