Customer Reviews

Suicide: The Forever Decision for Those Thinking About Suicide and for Those Who Know, Love and Counsel Them

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

.. I've got a good (well, depressing) 18 years of being severely depressed, with a few dysthymic (sp?) episodes thrown in for good measure. Being alive has often felt like pergatory-maybe worse... and... suicide... *is* an option, and it's one that I fight not quite on a daily basis, but very near. The thought of suicide is like my twin, if that makes sense. It's always there, a very comforting thought, but a thought that I'd REALLY like to go away - which is why I picked up this book. I've only read a few chapters and... I was *comforted* right away. It's so helpful to know that someone "out there" understand, and is trying to give you a life rope. I consider this book life jacket, and hope anyone in pain reads this.

This is one of the most compassionate books for those who are suffering in pain due to mental disorders. I have been battling severe depression and suicidal thoughts for some time. The gentleness and care from the author allowed me to open my heart enough to be able to read this book to the end. It was comforting and yet realistic at the same time. When we roam in the darkenss of suffering and pain, we tend to become blind and forget essential facts that may save our lives. I must admit that I have not been able to conquer my suicidal thoughts but "Suicide, the Forever Decision" helps me "fight" my illness. The book stays by my bedside.

Dr. Quinnett, reading your book makes one feel that they are sitting in an office and listening to your words with comfort. I believe that this is due to your understanding and care for this illness. In the near future, I will be volunteering and participating in a research project on antidepressants. I look forward for future writings from you not only for myself but for many others who are fighting the "beast". I thank you.

I work on a inpatient psychiatric unit and everyday we have patients who are on our unit with suicidal ideation. We use this book as mandatory reading for those patients. The feedback we receive has been great. We have yet to have anyone say they did not get anything out of it. Most of the patients have taken the book home with them. Staff have also read this book and we all feel that it is a great book that presents suicide in a very compassionate yet matter-of-fact manner. It has probably saved many lives. Thank you Paul!

I have just finished reading this book and felt compelled to buy it. It offers hope to the hopeless and encouragement to those who are at their wits end and trying to survive. I felt a very personal contact with the author and sensed that his genuine concern for those considering suicide was apparent. This book goes right to the point and addresses the issues in a clear sensible way. It helped me so much that I feel the need to have it in my personal library.

I purchased 3 suicide books when I went through my latest suicidal crisis--well, all right, maybe I'm still in it. This was the one which actually made me feel better. One book made me angry; one I still haven't read; this book pointed out to me that behind my mild-mannered exterior lies an intensely angry human being--someone I wasn't in touch with at all. This surprising insight alone was worth the price of the book. I can pick it up and read one of the short chapters inbetween my intensely stressful and busy life and it makes me feel better. Yes, I'm seeing a therapist; yes I'm seeking other forms of support; but I've added this book to my support system. I want it on tape!

In negatively reviewing this book, I feel like the Grinch that stole Christmas since so many people say that it has helped them. If it has, the wonderful. However, I found Quinnett's much publicised and lauded master work to be trite, superficial and uninformed by genuine behavior and brain science. He thinks that people who kill themselves are like everybody else. He often says things to them like your anger is just like mine, your grief and frustration are just like mine, etc. Sorry, Dr. Q., but unless you have manic depression, major depression, scizophrenia or any of these other MEDICAL and BIOLOGICAL conditions that cause abnormal behavior, the you don't know how we feel anymore than you know how a rape victim feels unless you've been raped. People who kill themselves do so because they had no other choice given their brain chemistry at the time of the deed, and the options open to them. If you want help us, then give us the proper medical care and stop preaching and telling us how much you want us to grow up and be responsible and think positive thoughts. To be fair, their are portions of this book which deal with suicide as the health issue that it is. He does, after all, recommend that people undergoing a suicidal crisis be hospitalized, that they see psychaitrists and take medication, etc. But then he spends much more of the book moralizing about suicide and talking about how life is a gift and how could you be so bad as to throw it away, and think of all the poor weeping relatives you will leave behind, ad neauseum. Sorry pal, but a life tormented a mood disorder is not much of a "gift" (if someone gave you a piece of s*** for Christmas, wouldn't you throw it away?) and as for all the people that I would leave behind if my disease got the better of me, I DO feel sorry for them, I just don't feel guilty. Suicide is like a heart attack--something went wrong and the organ in question (whether brain or heart) turned on itself). All the moralism in the world cannot change! facts of behavior science. This book is to suicide what Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" slogan was to the drug issue. To my fellow victims of mental illness: Take your lithium or prozac, get a good non-judgmental therapist, go on with your lives and send irrational guilt back to the Dark Ages where it belongs.

I found this book disappointing. It might be okay for a person who is only slightly depressed. I actually laughed out loud when I got to the part where the author "helpfully" points out that there are suicide hotlines which are open. Ya think? Those hotline counselors are poorly trained although I am sure they mean well. I think they are mainly to call EMTs for life-threatening situations.

This might be worth a read, but I do not recommend it for someone who has unsolvable, daunting problems. I feel the author trivializes people's crises, although he claims not to.

I bought this book, hoping that it might offer me some intelligent and persuasive help, but was dismayed by its banal psycho-babble. It may be a helpful book for someone who is new to therapy or who is not struggling with agonizing circumstances, but not for the self-reflective or truly pained.

Even with its no-nonsense approach, to me the start of this book was rough as a self-help book aimed towards suicidal thinkers. If someone was in the state of mind to where they were very much depressed and suicidal, yet reaching out for help the words might bite back at them in a bad way.
This might be a helpful book for those who are dealing with a suicidal person, but I wouldn't recommend a non-sympathetic toned book to be given to someone who is suicidal themselves. I would find a book with a warm, calm and relaxing tone to ease their brains into accepting the help they need.
I suppose it would all depend on the person and how they handle criticism. I would imagine that most people in a suicidal state are fragile mentally and should have much more care and thought put into any words that reach them.

I ordered this book on an impulse because I was having a bad week. Most of the stuff the author says makes sense, but he presents it in a really strange fashion. It seems almost cynical to me and like he is trying to compare my own feelings to that of someone elses. The book did have some great points, like setting small goals for yourself, which can be helpful. This is an okay book if your looking for a little insight and maybe even a little hope if things aren't going too well, but I wouldn't recommend to someone who has had severe suicidal thoughts.