Normally, I would have sympathy.
But because Chief S itting Bull does this to himself, I have no sympathy.
One wishes the bird-smacking stoned red-faced primitive to get well, of course, but at the same time one isn't too sympathetic to self-destruction.
Sorry Frank I disagree with you.
People do not come to the point of self distruction all by themselves. There are other forces out there that have to be taken into account.
I had a friend that commited sucide at the age of 26, She worked with me and I regret not acting on the signs of a really unstable person, I just excepted her as she was This woman and her husband were a strange couple.
This woman was so wierd and totally shuned by other workers I felt sorrow for her and tried to befriend her.
I cannot do as Frank can with his discriptions of people but I will try.
She was about 5' tall and weighed a good 40 pounds over weight. Her hair was scraggley and looked greasy, her finger nails knawed to bloody stubs. Her choice of clothing lasted 3 days with the stains of 2 days before on them.
We knew from day one that she was unusual. She delighted in news that a co-worker was fired, In fact, she lived to drag someone into the office for the slighest thing. She had nothing good to say about her family, felt they had betrayed her. Her syblings had recieved gifts from the family but she had gotten nothing. ETC,ETC.
This was the first and only demented person I have ever known.
True dementia is a shock to us in todays world, but I found myself facinated with her, instead of helping her--if anyone could, I sat back and marvaled at this strange person.

I knew her husbands famiy, a strong Yankee family that went way back--he was adopted.
He was a bit of an odd fella himself, he had a phobia against brushing his teeth and needed acknologment for working in the comunity. He only volenteered for work if he was photographed in the local news paper.
Biggest problem either ran into at work was the smell. Both extruded this odor that was noxious.
I at the time wondered if that smell came from overwelming fear. it seemed to come and go as the day went on.
To this day we who knew her have a hard time accepting a sucicide in her death, she was too darn selfish and wierd to off herself, she as she was terrified of guns not known how to take the safty off or place the barrel in her mouth.
After 18 years there is still the guilt that perhaps if I had done or said anything dirrerent would she be alive today .?
Self disturction does not just involve the individual, it includes all people in their family and impacts us who knew the person in one way or the other.