As a person who has tried countless times to end my life, even shooting myself in the head, we are stuck living with yet another feeling of failure when we fail and continue suffering. Both my son and I said we woud never consider it again, after that. Email: Andrew.Chamings@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AndrewChamings. Her parents thanked others for the love and support, and asked people to continue spreading the word by sharing photos and memories of their daughter on social media. He had lost two fingers in a knife fight on the set of the movie "Scarface." She took a ride-share service. These findings are consistent with other studies that have looked at method substitution, which can occur when one suicide method is made unavailable and people substitute it with another. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Thats simply not true, but it took stepping outside my beliefs, becoming teachable and following the leads of others to find a life worth living. Key to teen's disappearance is on Golden Gate Bridge - Audacy Its complicated, Bay Area city cracks top 10 best for sleep: US News, JV talked about health struggles before disappearance, Martinez residents warned not to eat food grown in, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I am literally living day by day and full of guilt, regret and anger. Pandora We dont like living in pain, and we look for ways of ending that pain and, being creatures of habit, we do it in old familiar ways because thats what we know. Cameras on the Golden Gate Bridge recorded Sydney the morning of Sept. 30. It would be logical to assume that being prevented from jumping merely delayed their death. Taking into account suicides that might have been missed by researchers, Dr. Seiden stated that 90% of people who tried to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge did not go on to die by suicide. Horrified spectators screamed and mothers covered their childrens eyes as Chief Sundowns lifeless body bobbed under the bridge and out to sea. This case has always stuck with me because I am in my 20s and suffer from anxiety and depression. She was said to be very close with her family. There is only a 4ft safety rail separating the sidewalk from the void, and 98% of suicide attempts there have succeeded. He recovered physically, but mentally he is now depressed and on anti-depressants,has anxiety attacks, is too emotional for working, and keeps saying he wishes he had succeeded with his attempt as he feels a burden to everyone. I tried to help her, I really did Except I didnt. After all, they were intent on dying. I've taken the Fenway Park Tour 3 times in my life. Each year I did Those two have shown some effectiveness at reducing suicidal ideation and behavior. The decision collapsed Rhodes sister's claim that her brother was murdered as cameraman Guzman should have been in a boat to pull her brother out of the water. It may help,, Kind Regards, She was last seen September 30, 2020, from the San Francisco area near the Golden Gate Bridge specifically around Crissy field. "I jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge" || Kevin Hines' incredible story It is true that. Suicides Mounting, Golden Gate Looks to Add a Safety Net She was also seen wearing black shorts at times and may have been wearing glasses, said her father, Jay West. It was apparently very foggy that morning. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. West, 20, grew up in Pleasanton, Calif. She was a star volleyball player at Foothill High School and loved singing at open mic nights. Berkeley. Im afraid to try again and it just adds for anger, desperation, loss of control over my own life and guilt for those in my life who have to worry. Sadly, your post is being used by some commenters to justify the Golden Gate Bridge net boondoggle. Even though a prior suicide attempt dramatically increases the risk for future suicide, studies have demonstrated that most people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide: There are different possible reasons why people who attempt suicide, or try to make such an attempt, might choose afterward to stay alive. There was a 44% increase in jumping suicides per year at nearby sites (95% CI 15% to 81%), but the net gain was a 28% reduction in all jumping suicides per year in the study cities (95% CI 13% to 40%).. Find Sydney West: Bay Area college student missing for nearly 1 year Her family is not giving up hope that she is still alive and remains determined to find her. My overdose gave me seizures. That changes things. The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. I address the myth of inevitable suicide in this post. Being a freshman and isolated on campus due to the COVID pandemic was hard for West, her family said. Sure if youve got someone/s to bail you out after your attempt, yeah youve got a reason to live. After my attempt at suicide, I tried to find information about my feelings and what others were feeling. This is perhaps the best argument for preventing suicide. She was last seen around 6:45 am when she was dropped off by a rideshare driver. Sydneyhas light brown hair and blue eyes. Therapists and doctors may help provide relief. suicide sometimes defies even the best efforts to thwart it, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, http://www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources/#immediatehelp, If Only: Self-Blame After a Loved Ones Suicide, You Cant Do Everything: Limitations in Helping a Suicidal Person, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers, Generally, research into method substitution, 10 Things Not to Say to a Suicidal Person. Hello Tony, so sorry for my belated response. I died that day too. She is described as a white female, 5'10" and weighing about 130 pounds. Also, I've authored the books Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals and Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts: What Family, Friends, and Partners Can Say and Do. Any suggestions? Some die instantly from internal injuries, while others . The Golden Gate Bridge crosses the Golden Gate Strait and connects the City of San Francisco and the County of Marin to the north. Good luck to your friend, Julie, and thanks for commenting. Police do not necessarily believe there was foul play involved, according to an interview Rueca had with KRON4. She attempted suicide three times and was in mental hospitals, etc. Ive worked in Mental health, Ive lost a family member through suicide. The sad thing is that, as I say in my letter, some of what your friend thinks and believes may actually be true, but his mind is probably also shutting him out of other truths that could balance out his pain. But I have. In 2013, 118 potential jumpers were talked down from their attempts and did not jump. I saw him hit the water like a bullet, said his wife. Syd, Ive always loved you from the bottom of my heart, since the minute I saw your eyes open. He now works daily, and diligently, to manage continued symptoms that can include depression and hearing voices. None of us can. And now I have the means to do it. Video footage from the bridge has been carefully reviewed by investigators but due to foggy and smoky conditions camera views where obstructed making it impossible to tell her exact location on the bridge. Im sorry to hear about all the pain youve been through. In 2013, Briggs retired from the California Highway . West was last seen on the Golden Gate Bridge onSept. 30, 2020 just before 7 a.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I am very sorry for your loss. I wish you all the very best and I pray you each find a way to manage and control the thoughts of suicide. My reason to live is so I dont hurt people who care but what if you have no one who cares there was a time I had no one it was only my stupidity that got the hospital aware of my attempt. Life.church has some really good online sermons I highly suggest that. Copyright 2013-2023 Stacey Freedenthal. It is true that suicide sometimes defies even the best efforts to thwart it. I did find this website and it has so much information that I needed to read. Yes I know this fear of failure as well. I am so glad my attempt did not end in my death. The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States, and it set a precedent for suspension-bridge design around the world. I wish everyone could receive this gift, and I am grateful that you and others have done so! Her parents,Jay and Kimberly West,said their daughter liked visiting that bridge and would go to nearby Crissy Field to exercise. I had my suicidal thoughts since I was a child I lost my mum when I was 9 years old she took her own life and even now after my attempt I still dont know how to feel about what happened to her and what I have done to my self but I know I will have to find a way to live with the impact of my attempt and hopefully find a way to some sort of happiness, Please seek help, therapy to work through your trauma, it must be so hard to have lost your mum in this way and your nine year old self could only feel abandoned, not enough to have stopped her. I am a three time attempt suicide survivor and it has been a year since my last attempt and the ideation has pretty much left me. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years. Press J to jump to the feed. If prior research is any indication, the barrier will save lives, even when taking into account people who go elsewhere to die by suicide. Be blunt and honest dont sugar coat how you feel. The main principle to this is very simple Taking energy and harnessing it for the good and nothing can go wrong.. So there are many, many more medications and medication combinations that he can try. I am now 49, and I fantasize about suicide knowing I will never actually do it but wishing it was an option. My sons father committed suicide and in the moments he was alive after shooting himself he kept saying sorry I shouldnt have never done this over and over. It gives me a good opportunity to dispel concerns that others may have, too. So they dont die, but continue miserable lives wishing for it to be over. Also, on the Resources page, I list a number of websites and other resources for people who have lost someone to suicide. I hear you. I was so worried about him, but he refused to get help and he kept drinking. Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, is the author of the books Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals and Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts: What Family, Friends, and Partners Can Say and Do. I once attributed that simply to having realized I wanted to live and (narrowly) surving my attempt. Background: Sydney West was born on July 11, 2001. Children are a major reason for living for many people who battle suicidal thoughts. The four-second fall from the Golden Gate Bridge sends a person plunging 245 feet (75 m) at 75 miles per hour (121 km/h) to . Afterward, I was disgusted and angry. Its always women telling men what we should be. 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I understand completely. What Dr. Seiden found is a remarkable testament to the fact that a suicidal crisis is often very often temporary. What We Get Wrong About the Golden Gate Bridge Suicides Suicide needs to be addressed from many angles, of which means restriction is only one. God Bless You. Reports said West would often visit the bridge for runs, walks, and to take pictures. Ken Baldwin. That's a mind-blowing statement. I also knew that there was no hope whatsoever for what was wrong with me. You can learn more about me here. Here I thought I just occasionally drank too much. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. In fact, Dusty told his friend to shoot from the bridge as it would be more dramatic, and besides, he would easily be able to swim to shore to a congratulatory, awestruck crowd of beach goers. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. West is 5'10" and slender at 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. She is an amazing musician. Her family launched a website,findsydneywest.com, that they hope will remind the community Sydney is still missing. Confessed to my dad and got shipped to a hospital. Sydney West's parents confirmed she was last seen on the Golden Gate Bridge. Especially when its an opinion so your both right. "This will be the biggest jump of my life," he told her. They have a good, nonjudgmental, and supportive discussions at ChronicSuicideSupport.com/forum/. I agree with you completely, Anonymous. At approximately 6:45 am, Sydney was captured by cameras entering the Golden Gate Bridge. Had medical intervention on the second. I guess I have started to realize its not my faultits no ones fault when a loved one commits suicide. Her family still has hope that they will one day find her. But, as you said, the problem is also bigger than a question of means. West was in the Bay Area to take summer classes at UC Berkeley; she was supposed to enter school in the fall, but due to a concussion she sustained and classes being held remotely, she opted to defer for another year but stayed in California with family friends. The Bridge (2006 documentary film) - Wikipedia I would bet that most, if not all, had narcissistic mothers. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. BERKELEY, CA The parents of Sydney "Syd" West, a missing person who was previously a University of California, Berkeley student, have divulged new details in her case and are asking anyone with information to come forward. Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge suicide net, a coarse web of steel designed to catch and cradle people who jump, is two years behind . At this point I feel like Ill just maim myself or end up locked up for a minimum of six months( yes thats happened to me). Also Live Through This website has beautiful portraits (photographic but also in prose) of people who survived a suicide attempt. 19-year-old Sydney West was last seen Sept. 30. San Francisco Police have previously said the teenager "is considered at risk due to depression."