Freeper Obit. TrappedInLiberalHell

12-12-03 | EA

[EggsAckley]

I'm sorry to have to report that one of our own Freepers, TrappedInLiberalHell, has passed away. His profile is HERE

I met Chris this past summer and found him to be a brilliant young man, who unfortunately carried around a lot of painful psychological troubles. He wrote few posts here, but was an active and clever noter, and a very sweet young man.

R.I.P., Chris van Loon
b. 3/2/72, d. 12/9/03

[Celtic Conservative]

I hate to beat a cliche' to death , but people who say they are depressed and suicidal are NOT to the point of doing it YET but it is a "cry for help" and should not be ignored. They are suffering but have not come to the "resolution" phase.When their mind is made up to commit suicide, the pressure, the pain subsides, and they are deceptively happy and seemingly pain free. I have both suffered from depression and in My law enforcement career have seen many others who suffered from it. The ones who cry and carry on concern Me, and definitely need help. The ones who are happy, giddy, giving away possesions, visiting all their friends are the ones that scare the crap out of Me and warrant immediate and intensive intervention. I have only seen a few of the latter category, but when I have it was very unnerving knowing these people were really close to doing "it". Glad to hear you found a way out.

God bless,

CC

[TBall]

It has been many years since I have been in a serious funk and I hope it stays that way. It's nice to read the compassion and honesty on this thread. God bless.

[cyborg]

I lost a very good career in the Air Force because of depression. Military and law enforcement are pretty close. I've met a lot of people who enlist to get away from their problems big mistake. When I was a volunteer firefighter, I knew a lot of NYPD guys I thought should not be on the job. These guys were good people BUT they had a lot of issues. The men I most identified with were the Vietnam vets. I learned a lot of copinbg mechanisms from those brothers.

[Burn24]

Can you describe depression? I would like to hear what it is like, for many reasons.

If this is offensive, please forgive me.

[Jhoffa_]

Will take care of it, immediately.

Thanks for the Ping..

[EggsAckley]

Thank you Jhoffa. Many thanks.

[Semper911]

Chris, You are one Yankee fan I will miss. I enjoyed spending the baseball playoffs here with you.

Your posts helped make Free Republic what it is. You made me laugh and you made me think.

Now you are really making me think.

[SerpentDove]

I would like to know too...(depression)

THX

SD

[Admin Moderator]

Prayers to Chris's family and friends from the moderator team. He will be missed.

The ~ Free Republic Memorial Wall ~ can be found at the very end of Free Republic's home page.

[EggsAckley]

I personally would be very careful about discussing depression with these guys. There are those here who claim that depression doesn't exist, it's the weak-hearted who blame depression, etc, etc.
Watch your back. It's almost like asking a Freeperette if she's ever had an abortion. A potential trap, ammunition for flaming.
Be careful.
Judy

[EggsAckley]

Thank you.

[cyborg]

My depression was not 'organic' in that I didn't have a physical ailment causing it. I was abused by a relative and severely bullied in school, and so problems I didn't know how to handle were causing my depression. For me, depression was like the stages of an avalanche. Once I started the downward slide, there was no stopping it. When I was depressed, I felt like I was underwater or getting some perverse vietcong drown torture. I hate to sound like a walking cliche but it's true about feeling like you're in a bottomless pit.

[ChemistCat]

I hope nobody will take such a heavy burden on himself.

There's nothing like knowing that someone you know through the internet is suicidal...and that you have no way to do anything about it.

I don't know if you can say it's "never" someone else's fault, but I don't think it's OFTEN someone else's fault.

Nobody on FR could have done anything. NOBODY. I don't even expect his wife could have done anything. I'm sure she has been fighting this with him for so long...doing her best, but there it is.

We can be compassionate with each other, and I think we usually are, but we're not perfect and sometimes we'll still squabble when we feel irritated with someone else's position on an issue. If you disagree with someone over the internet, you're STILL not responsible for his or her depression.

If it gets too unfriendly for someone here, there are so many other options. I doubt anyone ever died ONLY of a flamewar. At least I hope not.

[DollyCali]

just came back to thread & found your beautiful posts... it is beautiful when you have confronted your demons & can share the journey.

God bless you Cyborg & any others posting/lurking who share in this dilemna. Tough going and a struggle in life.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

God bless his soul with your Grace and Mercy take now into your arms a child born of a world not worthy of him .

Amen

[Cultural Jihad]

May God be merciful and lift Chris van Loon up to the Light of His countenance, and may perpetual Light shine upon him.

[ChemistCat]

In my post above I don't mean that depression can't be caused by childhood abuse, or an abusive spouse, or whatever. I just mean that we can't take our inability to help someone over the internet, especially when we don't know there's a problem, so much to heart that we feel responsible for not somehow making it all better.

[cyborg]

If someone doesn't like what I say, then they're hypocrites who really don't care about helping people. I know exactly what you're talking about.

If someone enters this thread trying to start up something, then they're scum becaause I am honoring a FReeper by telling MY story. So a big DFU to whoever doesn't like what I say.

[StarFan]

This is horrible news and I pray the family finds comfort during this most difficult time. Also sorry to hear of the loss of your mother and hope each day gets a bit easier.

[rintense]

Rest in peace, Chris. I hope you found some relief here at FR. Your posts were always fun to read.