My Sister-In-Law Killed Herself Tonight

Life is so fragile. You never know what demons a person carries around inside their head and heart.

My sister-in-law is my age and she has had suicidal tendencies for about 3 years now. We know what jump started all of this, an unskilled person trying to 'counsel' her on her 'evil homosexual' ways at a church retreat she went on with one of her sisters.

She has been in and out of hospitals but she would not take her medication or follow-up with out patient treatment. About once a month she would make an attempt on her life but this time she meant business.

She lit herself on fire in her car sitting in the parking lot at her job.

I cannot imagine the emotional pain that a person has to be feeling in order to do something this drastic. She had also undergone several pretty severe stress factors recently that had me concerned for her mental health.

With her first hospitalization her brother's and sister's were told that someone needed to get a medical power of attorney... out of 6 people not one took the initiative because they did not want to make her mad. I offered, but since I am 'only' an in-law the family decided that I did not need to have that responsibility.

Would that have changed anything? I would like to think that she would have been hospitalized for longer than a week at a time and quite possibly would have received the treatment that would have made a difference in her quality of life.

I want to cry and feel sorry but I know now that she is at peace with herself. Plus I have to save my energy for dealing with the 'emotional sister' the one that can't handle day to day upset in her life, now I fear for her mental health. She at least has a husband and older children to help keep her on her feet.

PLEASE, if you have a loved one that is screaming for help the way my sister-in-law did for several years, get a medical power of attorney so that you or someone else is in charge of their medical care and if you notice them slipping into an abyss you can have them put into a facility or hospital. Let them get angry with you.... this just might save their life.