been there too, and despite all my friends believing me when i say i'm not suicidal, they do think it's the coward's way out. a cry for help is usually calculated to at worst land you in the hospital, not full-blown critical existence failure. although i don't think they deserve physical trauma, i do believe that they should experience a controlled suicide attempt, to see how it feels to actually take your own life. i know that i was lucky, but the mix of emotions i felt is simply undescribable to regular people (my gf has been in combat, and oddly enough, relates to that feeling of detached calm regarding your own life). it's not something a coward would do.
actually, i can draw a parallel here between the jumper and the stuntmen: one was taking calculated risks and ignoring basic personnal safety to save a soul, the other was taking uncalculated risks and ignoring basic personnal safety because she was out of her head due to psychological and emotionnal distress. the difference? one wanted to save (and screw my life), the other said "screw my life", and was happily saved. the difference between heros and nutters, perhaps?
anywho, back to lurking