Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:23 am by piotr
I think it is a mistake to see this tragedy solely in terms of bullying. No doubt Amanda was subjected to unrelentless bullying and marginalisation but there appear to me pre-existing and concurrent problems that are quite independent of the bullying. It appears to me that she was pre-disposed to depressive illness and it is likely that she also had borderline personality disorder. The general public still appears unable to conceptualise mental illness as genuine illness with a biological basis to which some people are pre-disposed, as per physical illness. The sad story of Amanda Todd is one of the effects of bullying and untreated and/or improperly treated mental illness.
Further, there are signs that Amanda's homelife was difficult. It appears that her parents were separated and that she had no sanctuary at home. This is evinced by her description of herself as "having no one and needing someone". There are other indicators of problems beyond her victimisation. These include her inability to form supportive relationships with both members of the same and the opposite sex. That Amanda was unable to develop a healthy relationship with a boy at school -- which would have buffered her from some of the victimisation -- is unusual. There were clearly aspects of Amanda's personality that impeded her social success. This, her apparent impulsivity and her self-harm are consistent with borderline personality disorder.
This of course does not exonerate nor justify her victimisers. Amanda was treated cruelly and that cruelty did contribute to her deteriorating mental health and eventual suicide. That notwithstanding, it is important -- for the sake of preventing teenage suicide -- that mental illness is understood as real illness and it is understood that a portion of the population is "at risk". It is when an at risk individual encounters an adverse environment that the risk of mental illness is realised and tragedy often ensues. In Amanda's case I think it was a case of genetics loading the metaphorical gun and the environment (unsupportive home-life, untreated mental illness, bullying, social isolation) pulling the trigger.
Teenage suicide is a major problem in the Anglo-sphere, it has been described as an "epidemic" in at least one documentary on the topic. The media -- at the urging of mental health professionals so as to prevent a contagion effect -- under-reports it. The sad reality is that there are many Amandas that we never hear about. My teenage nephew told me that six teenagers in his social circle have committed suicide. Many years ago on the way home from work I witnessed a very brutal teenage suicide. The federal government in Australia is funding a series of advertising campaigns urging troubled teenagers to seek help; it has also funded various initiatives to make mental health services more accessible to teenagers. I believe there are similar governmental efforts in North America and the UK. Saddening stuff. We also shouldn't forget that there is a parallel "epidemic" of suicide amongst our war veterans. There is something profoundly wrong with our societies.
