Bully-induced Suicide

[BrianR]

Originally Posted by tw

So many questions. For example, how does this vary from one suffering from depression? What does a therapist see that can tell the difference? Fpr example, can the Beck depression scale identify that difference?

Is it at all possible for the victim (once properly informed) to appreciate or recognize these differences from inside himself? Or are there tests (some kind of benchmark) a victim can perform to learn that they need to seek help?
(Where is wolf?)

I cannot answer these questions. I am not depressed, not a trained therapist and never heard of the Beck scale. I have no idea if there is a benchmark or some other self-test. All I have is MY experience, which is limited to one episode and only involving me.

[BrianR]

thread killed

[wolf]

Not quite.

The problem with issues like depression and suicide is that while they can be quantified, doing so does not help in understanding, or in predicting individual human behavior.

Suicide is not exclusive to depression, and not all depressed people become suicidal to the point of developing and executing a plan.

Right now I need some sleep and I'll get back to this thread, and maybe even say something coherent.

[classicman]

Fighting Bullying With Babies

The typical institutional response to bullying is to get tough. In the Tyler Clementi case, prosecutors are considering bringing hate-crime charges. But programs like the one I want to discuss today show the potential of augmenting our innate impulses to care for one another instead of just falling back on punishment as a deterrent. And what’s the secret formula? A baby.

We know that humans are hardwired to be aggressive and selfish. But a growing body of research is demonstrating that there is also a biological basis for human compassion. Brain scans reveal that when we contemplate violence done to others we activate the same regions in our brains that fire up when mothers gaze at their children, suggesting that caring for strangers may be instinctual. When we help others, areas of the brain associated with pleasure also light up. Research by Felix Warneken and Michael Tomasello indicates that toddlers as young as 18 months behave altruistically. (If you want to feel good, watch one of their 15-second video clips here.)

[xoxoxoBruce]

Sure, harvest boatloads of third world babies, then when shit happens on the playground, the principal can call the choppers to airdrop babies on the trouble spots.

[footfootfoot]

With parachutes. Remember the 'chutes, Bruce.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I swear I thought they could fly.

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I swear I thought they could fly.

If babies are depressed, will they commit suicide?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Nope, the babies aren't capable of suicide, and the rioters kick into nurturing mode even more.