thedrifter
04-05-09, 07:55 AM
Suicide survivor shares message of new hope, life
By Julia LeDoux
Published: April 5, 2009
Mark Hines is one of the fortunate ones.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was a teenager, Hines survived a jump from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in 2000 when he was 19.
“I attempted to take my own life and I did use the bridge and it was the worst day of my life,” Hines told a group of Quantico Marines during a base-wide suicide awareness and training session conducted by Headquarters and Service Battalion Monday at Little Hall. “I’m very lucky to be alive. Ninety-eight percent of the people [who jump] die that way.”
Hines’ message to the Marines was one of hope and perseverance. Again and again he stressed the importance of becoming educated if you’re diagnosed with a mental illness.
“If you’re suffering from a mental health issue right now, a disorder of the brain, a disease of the brain, it can and will get better with proper treatment,” he said. “It takes time. It takes a great deal of effort to fine a routine that fits you.”
The routine that works for Hines is exercise, healthy eating, and a regime of medication that helps keep his bipolar disorder under control. The time and effort it takes to ensure mental health is well worth it, he said.
“Work on it,” Hines urged those in the audience. “You deserve to be alive. There’s no reason anybody should die by suicide. It’s completely preventable.”
Conducted by Headquarters and Service Battalion as part of the Marine Corps Common Skills training package that requires suicide awareness and prevention training, the Marines listened to Hines’ story and learned about ways that suicide can be avoided.
“We want these Marines to know it’s okay to not be okay,” Hines said. “It’s not okay to not get help. They’ve got to get the help they need.”
In 2008 there were 41 suspected suicides Corpswide, the Marines’ highest suicide rate since 1996. That led Commandant Gen. James T. Conway to release an article instructing all commands to develop a “high impact” three-hour leadership training program. In line with that, a group of Quantico Marines participated in making a suicide prevention video earlier this month that was shown before Hines spoke. In the video, Security Battalion Commander Col. Richard Anderson said education and awareness is key to preventing suicide.
“We are committed to providing education utilizing a number of different resources, including MCCS [Marine Corps Community Services], suicide prevention Web sites, hotlines, and annual suicide prevention peer meetings and various other partnerships throughout the Department of Defense,” he said.
Those who are thinking about committing suicide often say things like “I don’t want to be here,” or “I don’t like my life,” or “I hate this earth,” said Hines. They also begin giving away their prized possessions.
“I gave away a $4,000 comic book collection. I gave away a $450 CD collection right before I jumped,” he said. “Those were signs, but nobody knew that. They just thought I was being generous.”
People who may be thinking about suicide often fall into a deep depression and then become extremely happy before attempting to take their lives, continued Hines. He said one of the most important things you can do if you believe that someone you know is contemplating suicide is to ask them if they are thinking about hurting themselves.
“Lay it out there. They will never think about if for the first time when you ask them that. They’ll either have been thinking about it or not,” he said.
People who are thinking about taking their own lives will appreciate that someone saw into their heads and recognized something was wrong, Hines said. He also stressed that people should be honest with one another about mental illness.
“If my arm was broken and I had a cast on my arm everyone would sign my cast and wish me well,” he said with a shake of his head. “If my brain is broken, people kind of want to get away, tell you to snap out of it, get over it. It’s time for this country and countries around the world to come out of the woods and say, ‘mental illness is real, it is here.’ We have to treat it.”
Hines was joined by his father, Pat, for the presentation.
“My dad is my biggest supporter and he takes care of me,” Hines said with love and pride. “He’s always been there. He never misses a beat.”
Since 2001, Hines has traveled across the country speaking about mental health issues and preventing suicide, primarily at educational institutions. He also addresses audiences at national mental health and suicide prevention conferences.
“Mental health issues are the new civil rights movement,” he said.
Ellie
By Julia LeDoux
Published: April 5, 2009
Mark Hines is one of the fortunate ones.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was a teenager, Hines survived a jump from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in 2000 when he was 19.
“I attempted to take my own life and I did use the bridge and it was the worst day of my life,” Hines told a group of Quantico Marines during a base-wide suicide awareness and training session conducted by Headquarters and Service Battalion Monday at Little Hall. “I’m very lucky to be alive. Ninety-eight percent of the people [who jump] die that way.”
Hines’ message to the Marines was one of hope and perseverance. Again and again he stressed the importance of becoming educated if you’re diagnosed with a mental illness.
“If you’re suffering from a mental health issue right now, a disorder of the brain, a disease of the brain, it can and will get better with proper treatment,” he said. “It takes time. It takes a great deal of effort to fine a routine that fits you.”
The routine that works for Hines is exercise, healthy eating, and a regime of medication that helps keep his bipolar disorder under control. The time and effort it takes to ensure mental health is well worth it, he said.
“Work on it,” Hines urged those in the audience. “You deserve to be alive. There’s no reason anybody should die by suicide. It’s completely preventable.”
Conducted by Headquarters and Service Battalion as part of the Marine Corps Common Skills training package that requires suicide awareness and prevention training, the Marines listened to Hines’ story and learned about ways that suicide can be avoided.
“We want these Marines to know it’s okay to not be okay,” Hines said. “It’s not okay to not get help. They’ve got to get the help they need.”
In 2008 there were 41 suspected suicides Corpswide, the Marines’ highest suicide rate since 1996. That led Commandant Gen. James T. Conway to release an article instructing all commands to develop a “high impact” three-hour leadership training program. In line with that, a group of Quantico Marines participated in making a suicide prevention video earlier this month that was shown before Hines spoke. In the video, Security Battalion Commander Col. Richard Anderson said education and awareness is key to preventing suicide.
“We are committed to providing education utilizing a number of different resources, including MCCS [Marine Corps Community Services], suicide prevention Web sites, hotlines, and annual suicide prevention peer meetings and various other partnerships throughout the Department of Defense,” he said.
Those who are thinking about committing suicide often say things like “I don’t want to be here,” or “I don’t like my life,” or “I hate this earth,” said Hines. They also begin giving away their prized possessions.
“I gave away a $4,000 comic book collection. I gave away a $450 CD collection right before I jumped,” he said. “Those were signs, but nobody knew that. They just thought I was being generous.”
People who may be thinking about suicide often fall into a deep depression and then become extremely happy before attempting to take their lives, continued Hines. He said one of the most important things you can do if you believe that someone you know is contemplating suicide is to ask them if they are thinking about hurting themselves.
“Lay it out there. They will never think about if for the first time when you ask them that. They’ll either have been thinking about it or not,” he said.
People who are thinking about taking their own lives will appreciate that someone saw into their heads and recognized something was wrong, Hines said. He also stressed that people should be honest with one another about mental illness.
“If my arm was broken and I had a cast on my arm everyone would sign my cast and wish me well,” he said with a shake of his head. “If my brain is broken, people kind of want to get away, tell you to snap out of it, get over it. It’s time for this country and countries around the world to come out of the woods and say, ‘mental illness is real, it is here.’ We have to treat it.”
Hines was joined by his father, Pat, for the presentation.
“My dad is my biggest supporter and he takes care of me,” Hines said with love and pride. “He’s always been there. He never misses a beat.”
Since 2001, Hines has traveled across the country speaking about mental health issues and preventing suicide, primarily at educational institutions. He also addresses audiences at national mental health and suicide prevention conferences.
“Mental health issues are the new civil rights movement,” he said.
Ellie