November 24, 2003
One morning last spring, Song decided he wanted to die. He gathered his final pennies, bought some pesticide and swallowed it. When he woke up in a hospital, a nurse derided him for being cowardly and a drain on medical resources. "The nurse told me not to waste her time," says Song. "She said I was so stupid that I couldn't even kill myself correctly." Upon finding out that Song had no money, she forced him to check out of the hospital the next day, even though his throat still burned from the poison. No one came to pick him up, because no one knew he was there. Even today, Song does not know what to call the dizziness and bad thoughts that continue to haunt him. He has never heard of the word depression. All he knows is that he is a failure. "I cannot go home now," he says. "I would be an embarrassment to my parents and they would lose face in our village."
Posted by robert at November 24, 2003 08:44 PM
Where Is My Mind
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Reading the article and seeing the photos [taken by Stanmeyer] today, gave me a sense of hopelessness no doubt. Many won't be celebrating the holidays.
It really makes you wonder...
Image: John Stanmeyer
Posted by robert at November 24, 2003 08:44 PM