Redefining Failure-Suicide Attempts

Suicide attempts.

Success.

Failure.

Over the last few days, all I've been able to think about is my baby brother, life, death, God, heaven, hell, and suicide.

It's strange to me that when someone survives a suicide attempt, it's referred to as a failed attempt.

Failed.

As if the intentions of someone so ill that death seemed the only cure could determine the description of the act.

 Because "failure" the greatest success that could possibly follow a suicide attempt.

"Failure" is another chance at life.

"Failure" is a chance at treatment.

"Failure" is the beginning of a new life.

"Failure" is life-changing.

"Failure" let's us tell him how much we love him.

We prayed for "failure."

We begged God that he would "fail."

We consider "failure" a miracle.

I thank God every second for "failure."

For anyone to ever refer to a suicide attempt as a failed attempt is the height of ignorance. No success comes from a person falling to suicide, and no failure comes from surviving illness.

 Suicide is a symptom of a disease. A person must have suffered so much at the hands of mental illness to consider death a cure to life.

Society fails us when suicide is attached to the person and not to the disease. How ridiculous would it be for someone to say there was a failed attempt at cancer? No one would ever say there was a failed bacterial infection, or a failed pneumonia, or an attempted death of natural causes.

We live inside our minds.

We need to create a culture where mental health isn't stigmatized. I want to live in a world where a coworker or classmate would be just as comfortable telling me about seeing a therapist for depression as telling me about seeing a doctor for a flu.

But, for now, it's not. So here I am, thanking God for "failure."