AMBIVALENCE COMMON FOR THE SUICIDAL.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer Juan Manuel Several Spanish and Portuguese princes wore this name:
The Grand Cherokee was a spinoff of the smaller Jeep Cherokee. in the path of an oncoming Metrolink train Wednesday with intent of ending his life, but he changed his mind at the last moment, according to authorities. After getting out of his vehicle, they say, Alvarez watched as it derailed the commuter train. Alvarez was showing what psychiatrists say is a common trait among suicidal people: fear. Studies of those who survive suicide attempts have found that they remain ambivalent right up to the very end. In fact, Alvarez reportedly tried to slash his wrists and stab himself prior to driving his SUV on to the train tracks. But he couldn't go through with any of the attempts. ``It's a pretty big decision,'' said Dr. Bruce Spring, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission Keck School of Medicine. ``It's not unusual for someone to have second thoughts at the moment of truth. Sometimes, fear takes over.'' While the most common way to attempt suicide is by overdosing on pills, many despondent de·spon·dent adj. Feeling or expressing despondency; dejected. de·spon  dent·ly adv. people resort to more drastic measures, to ensure that they will die, experts say. ``If you get hit by a train, your chances of surviving are relatively small,'' said Dr. Stuart Twemlow, professor of psychiatry at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at the Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine is a private medical school located in Houston, Texas, USA on the grounds of the Texas Medical Center. It has been consistently rated the top medical school in Texas and among the best in the United States. in Houston, Texas. Some suicides are impulsive acts, fueled by alcohol or drugs, while others are methodically planned in advance. Perhaps because of the likelihood that death will be instantaneous, more than a dozen people have killed themselves since 1992 by deliberately driving onto Metrolink tracks or throwing themselves in the path of Metrolink trains. Experts said Alvarez, a 26-year-old Compton transient, was probably completely unaware or unconcerned that his actions could lead to the deaths of innocent people. People who try to kill themselves by driving onto a railway track or jumping from a freeway overpass into oncoming traffic are often focused only on ending their lives, said Richard Lieberman, a psychologist and coordinator of the suicide prevention unit for the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . ``They are focused on their own 'psyche ache,' '' he said. ``It really becomes blinders blind·er n. 1. blinders A pair of leather flaps attached to a horse's bridle to curtail side vision. Also called blinkers. 2. Something that serves to obscure clear perception and discernment. to the world.'' Lisa M. Sodders, (818) 713-3663 lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com |
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