My son committed suicide 1/27--he was 25 years old [View all]

[crimycarny]

Last edited Sat Feb 5, 2022, 04:09 PM - Edit history (1)

I am in so much pain I can't breathe. My son was my firstborn and he was my rock. Perhaps I relied on him too much?

I can't get over the fact that my last conversation with him I relayed a bad argument his father and I had about money. It was a dumb argument and I should NEVER have burdened my son with the details. I of all people KNEW how he would internalize other people's feelings, emotions, and somehow blame himself. Worse, in my conversation with my son I told him that if his dad and I didn't get this resolved the only solution may be for us to get divorced. Not true--I was just mad--but this would have been something that would have weighed heavily on my already fragile son. Yes, I realized I didn't know how fragile he was but that doesn't matter---I was perhaps the proverbial straw.

Looking at receipts, etc. he had started planning his death over a month prior. He was just waiting for a reason, and I gave it to him. I will never forgive myself. I will never be the same. I don't know how to live with this pain.

I get people telling me "you need to be strong for your other two kids". Yes, I KNOW THAT. "It wasn't your fault". Really? How do YOU know? Then I get mad at my son as well, why didn't he come to me first? Then I get mad at myself again. I knew he was depressed and feeling a bit at loose ends due to COVID sort of short-circuiting his career plans (he graduated 4-year college during lockdown).


I was trying to gently guide him towards getting back on track, then he took his life using a toxic chemical combination (which he found all the instructions for on the internet, isn't that great?) his note was simply a warning to HAZMAT and also the words "I don't deserve to live".

EDIT/UPDATE: I don't know how to do a "reply all" but I'm reading through all the comments and they are so helpful. Particularly those who have suffered from depression themselves and are explaining to me that nothing I or anyone would have tried to do at the time would have helped because they hid their despair. Also those who have experienced a similar loss and felt similar feelings of guilt. I just stumbled across a video my husband made in 2005 when all 3 of our kids were little. Justin was smiling, happy, and it kills me in some ways to remember happier times. I want to go back there and never leave.

I'm also trying to find someone to facilitate his celebration of life and struggling to find the right person. Justin was not religious but was very accepting of EVERYONE. I hope I can find just the right person. I'm lost.

Anyway, THANK YOU everyone for your kind words, advice, understanding. My heart has been ripped out and I honestly don't know how people can survive this much pain.