Canyons of Life

Brother as a father of 2 I can't imagine what you're going through. Things will get better and you and your whole family will be in my prayers.
 
Grab on to your wife and children and don't let go. Hold your troubled daughter especially tight. Sending you and your family my prayers.
 
Wow, what a couple of days your family has had, and made it through. I am believing for healing and restoration for all of you.

I'm glad that she wants help, and will get it from the treatment center, her father, and a heavenly Father.


(PS: an addendum to all of us.....glad that you had your firearms secured, and that wasn't the means to make an attempt to end it all)
 
I seldom pray but your family will be in my prayers this week. I too come from a family prone to suicide and have almost done it myself. I pray my daughter doesn’t turn out like me and my family and more like her mothers side.

JLS, you are one of my favorite people here. Stay strong brother.
 
JLS,

Seeing your children in distress is excruciating. You are doing the right thing - shower her with love and support. I read a quote the other day - "Depression thrives in secrecy but shrinks in empathy." Your and your wives openness will do wonders for her.

And don't forget (I'm sure you haven't) reach out with the same support for the daughter that left after the dust up. She is probably feeling some guilt right now.

Peace for your family,
God bless
 
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Thank God your daughter is still with you and getting help.

Bias reveal: I still work as a behavioral health care provider.

We live in spectacularly trying times. Our upbringing and experience have prepared most of us for the typical challenges we encounter. Pandemic, violence, addiction, family disasters, losses. . .so many aspects of our lives are beyond our experience, and overwhelming. We use the life tools we are familiar with, and when those are insufficient, we don't know where to turn. Individuals and families that practice faith have an additional drawer of tools, which may still not solve some problems. There is another drawer of tools we can access. Clinics, doctors, nurses, therapy, medicine, inpatient treatment; these are options most of us consider in treating an illness, especially a life-threatening one.

My encouragement is to understand mental and behavioral health issues as medical issues, and to treat them with the same approaches. This crisis happened to all of your family. Each family member will have a role in healing from it, and may benefit from help in doing so. Find the help that best suits those in your circle. Include trusted faith advisors, most of those have some experience guiding you toward specialized mental health treatment resources. Use help to resist and overcome guilt and blame, those are obstacles to healing. Behavioral health professionals are trained and experienced in helping interrupted lives progress. Using help is not weakness, rather it is strength.

I join those posting here in wishing hope, healing and peace to you and each in your family. You deserve it, as do we all.
 
So glad for second chances. I'm sure it was incredibly difficult for your daughter to accept the help she needs. Depression sucks and I hope she and your family find some peace with this all and you can heal together.

I'll be thinking about you and your family, hang in there.
 
Thank you so much for the support and prayers. I very much appreciate all of them.

This was written in a spirit of transparency and bringing to light the struggles of mental illness. No one is immune to it. My best friend has two wonderful kids, raised as a ranch family. He said he is as equally terrified for his kids.

When I was taking to my daughter about inpatient treatment, I told her mental illness is like having a trauma injury that needs treatment, but you can’t really see exactly what’s wrong. You can’t do blood cell counts, or see infection. That’s the scary part about unlocking the internal puzzle to start healing.

Sunday night, I was crying and asking why my kids had to hurt. I said I would gladly take all of their pain and hurts for them and carry that burden. I felt God tell me “You can’t do that, and it’s not your job. It’s mine.”

We stopped by the treatment center today and prayed in the parking lot. I’m scared for her and I want her home, and I am so proud of her being brave.
 
Thank God your daughter made it and you are able to get her the help that she needs. Depression and anxiety are so incredibly difficult to have and especially as a young person. We will definitely keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. God bless.
 
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