Families & Friends Affected By Suicide Support Group
Suicide affects not only the individual, but also the family and friends who provide support and love. This community is offered as a place for those affected by suicide to gather and gain strength from each other. PLEASE NOTE: If you are suffering from suicidal thoughts, please take advantage of our CRISIS RESOURCES, which you can find at the bottom of every page of the...
Hi All,
I am new to this group. My off and on boyfriend went off meds for depression last April and by Oct he wanted to die. He is an artist and he seemed to spend a lot of time drawing stuff featuring death and torture. I know his counselor asked to see it and he didn't like it. I didn't like seeing it on his wall.
He called me after a fight in Dec and told me he was going to hang himself. I immediately called 911 and he is ok. He went into a psychiatric hospital and has been on meds. It has been a rocky road.
He continues to create and display his artwork. He knows I don't like it. He has a bloody crucified baby doll and a picture of a man hanging. He gets support for his artistic abilites and people love his work. He doesn't seem to understand how disturbing it is to me. I know it is a sign of something much deeper. He was severely abused as a child and has a violent history. I don't see much hope for our relationship.
Did any one else have a loved one who attempted suicide who also drew disturbing art work? Is there any one who understands this to be a sign that is something wrong that could help me maybe understand or research this. Thank you so much.
I am new to this group. My off and on boyfriend went off meds for depression last April and by Oct he wanted to die. He is an artist and he seemed to spend a lot of time drawing stuff featuring death and torture. I know his counselor asked to see it and he didn't like it. I didn't like seeing it on his wall.
He called me after a fight in Dec and told me he was going to hang himself. I immediately called 911 and he is ok. He went into a psychiatric hospital and has been on meds. It has been a rocky road.
He continues to create and display his artwork. He knows I don't like it. He has a bloody crucified baby doll and a picture of a man hanging. He gets support for his artistic abilites and people love his work. He doesn't seem to understand how disturbing it is to me. I know it is a sign of something much deeper. He was severely abused as a child and has a violent history. I don't see much hope for our relationship.
Did any one else have a loved one who attempted suicide who also drew disturbing art work? Is there any one who understands this to be a sign that is something wrong that could help me maybe understand or research this. Thank you so much.
If anyone commits suicide, it is because they want to. No other person causes a suicide.
An artist will not change his art for anyone, nor stop making it. They are very selfish about it. It can also be therapeutic for them or harmful, depending on the case.
He is on meds and in therapy, so he is doing that for himself. If he weren't, I would say run. Step away anyway if you think the art is unhealthy for you, or for him and it disturbs you too much.
This is what I know from my own experience anyway.
More than the art, his phone call to you is a big red flag. I don't think it's healthy to dwell on dark things to such a degree. I think it may aggravate an already fragile psyche.
Research it all you want, I think your gut is right. Do you have any of his family you could talk to, or where they part of the abuse he suffered? Is he surrounded by "enablers" who encourage his dark thoughts?
Maybe you could work with the therapist more on this. But I think it would be good for him to take a vacation from the painting, until maybe it can be more about healing than hurting. It won't hurt his talent, you know, only evolve it. Many artists labor under a false belief that the only way they can create is out of misery. That's a cop out. True talent (and it seems he has it) thrives in all frames of mind.
Good luck, and thank you for trying to help another person. That's not a talent, you know. It's the mark of a truly good human being. Take care of yourself too. Tell him how you feel. My prayers are with you.