Terminally ill 16-year-old takes his anti-suicide campaign to RTE

Very sad to hear this new. Sincere sympathy to his friends and family. I thought him choosing to try and do something positive with his time left was brave and generous.

many of us didnt agree with what he said but that woud be no reason to jump for joy when the inevitible happened unless were of a sadistic nature.
rest in peace to the lad at least he is free of that horrible disease now.

Dave147 wrote: »

Just wanted to comment on this, "a mental illness is just as real as cancer". While mental illnesses are terrible, comparing them to cancer isn't fair. My cousin is bipolar and has had a tough couple of years, but he's not dying, he has a good chance, as do most people with mental illnesses, they are not a death sentence like cancer so often is.

just because most mental illnesses doesnt directly lead to passing away doesnt mean they arent life threatening.
many if not most mental illnesses are indirectly life threatening at severe level,its just as out of the persons control-due to how it affects the persons mental state and cognition-as cancer is.
and mental illness in many cases is truly a living hell,for some people whose condition is hard to stabilise they are in that state for the rest of their life and its why some mentaly ill people fight for euthanasia [of people with mental illness].

just as may think its an insult to people with cancer to compare the suffering of mental illness,its also an insult to broadcast mental illness as being of automaticaly lesser suffering,unless happen to know everyone across the broad spectrum of mental illness have got no understanding of the suffering involved to make that comparison.

Didn't agree with him but he dealt with his affliction like a champ and had his heart in the right place. He wanted to do right with what little time he knew he had left.

severe chronic depression, could be considered terminal, as most will keep trying until they actually die.

just saying

you know,
I don't think the views on mental illness being terminal will change UNTIL, someone with life insurance commits suicide and the family sue because it wasn't "suicide" but the depression/bipolar that killed them.

Even though with his views on Suicide and Mental Illness were controversial; he had appeared to be a nice young man all the same.

RIP Donal. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

RIP Donal,

I neither agree or disagree with what he said. But I think looking at life from his perspective could help and strengthen alot of people. I read his article last night when I heard the sad news, from this day forward whatever obstacles I face I will think of him and his relentless fight.

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I hear what you are all saying about his message.

I'm coming from the background of having a family member who had a mental illness and committed suicide....

I'd agree that in our case, that our family members illness was not a death sentence.....but the thing with suicide in a mental illness situation, is that its not inevitable, but thats not the same as saying its preventable......you can do everything you can (as a sibling) to prevent it happening......but that doesnt mean it wont happen.

Personally, I'm glad he said what he said.

I dont think it was trite. It wasnt a "why dont you people just cheer up" type comment. I think it was particularly aimed at very young people who consider suicide, when they are emotionally immature. I think that is real, it does happen, and his message was an important one.....your life is more valuable that that. Dont give it away so lightly. Fight for it.

I can safely say that my teenage years were the worst years of my life. I was very unhappy. It got better.

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Thats not what I'm saying.

What I'm saying is that when younger people face issues, they are less well equipped to deal with than when they are older....thats what I mean by less emotionally mature.

In my case, I was bullied when I was a teenager. I was very insecure about it, I felt awful, my self confidence was really low. I didnt talk to anyone about it, or get any help.

If that happened now, if someone tried to bully me now, I could deal with it. It might bother me a little, but not a lot. Then, I couldnt deal with it.

Whats changed is that I am more emotionally secure about myself, largely because I am older.

And look, I know I'm only speaking from personal experience. I know everyones situation is different.

Tomo I think you have explained exactly what he was trying to say here. I do think he was addressing young teenagers ans not mentally ill people.I also look back on my teenage years and feel the same way as you about them.I know friends who suffered from depression during those years and who suicide attempts and failed who are now happy and fulfilled adults. For people who serious mental illnesses it doesn't happen but for most teenagers who hit dark days the truth life does get better in adulthood ,it is worth hanging on and fighting through.

When you're 15 and your parents are separating, or when you have no friend in your class of 30 kids and you feel no one will ever like you or "get" you because that's your entire life experience so far, or you feel hideously ugly compared to your friends,or everyone has a bf/gf and you don't then those can be dark days. We look back and laugh now but at the time those issues were impossible to put into perspective and searingly painful for lots of us. Lives are lost over these things. Lives that might have been wonderful.

I think we need to start telling teenagers it genuinely gets better for most people,not that every teenager feeling depressed might be beginning a life of life threatening mental illness.

Also very sorry for your loss Tombo. I think you've probably made some of the best comments in this thread.

He passed away it seems.. RIP.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tribute-to-antisuicide-campaigner-29262803.html

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/inspirational-teen-walsh-passes-away-594191.html

EDIT, Just noticed it's been said. Leaving links anyway.
RIP. Just reading all through it now. Very sad.

RIP

I can't imagine what it's like knowing that you are going to die at 16, he showed remarkable courage during his final months.

Mental illness is not terminal, life threatening, most definitely.

OCorcrainn wrote: »

The boy just died and despite that you people are still rambling on and criticizing the boy over the comments he made that you did not like from a TV show back from nearly two months ago.

STFU already.

If you read back on the thread it was bumped to remind people of his tragic passing. He spoke out in public. That's regrettable but when you speak publicly on health issues people do have to talk about them - and that's what you're seeing here. If you want to complain or give out to anyone blame the folks at RTE who thought it would be a good idea to give him a pulpit.

Jernal wrote: »

If you read back on the thread it was bumped to remind people of his tragic passing. He spoke out in public. That's regrettable but when you speak publicly on health issues people do have to talk about them - and that's what you're seeing here. If you want to complain or give out to anyone blame the folks at RTE who thought it would be a good idea to give him a pulpit.

He isn't here to defend himself anymore though is he?

We can still comment on what he said on TV as it is getting huge coverage, and has some important factors in the debate on mental health and whether RTE should have given him a soap box to stand on. It is a very worthwhile conversation he has opened up. We are also passing on condolonces.

We're debating the points, not having a go, or being crass after the poor young man died.

Mental health in this country needs sorting out. It's a total disaster. As many have said you can't turn on the TV for road safety warnings that are proven to be ineffective, but more commit suicide every year than die on the roads. These conversations, no matter how unpleasant or how they arise need to be had. This kid has opened the whole thing in a very dramatic way so lets keep mental health on people's minds!

Dravokivich wrote: »

Its not a matter of defending himself. People shouldn't be in too much of a rush to make a martyr of the kid. He was in no position to speak about what he did, without the knowledge about what he was speaking of. People are catching on too much about what he said, without thinking about what it means. The issue isn't with him.

Agree with this. The point being that he raised a lot of important points for DISCUSSION. We're disagreeing with what he said as part of a larger debate, not attacking him himself. If anything, the real issue we have is with the media making him out to be a superhero.