Thank you more than words can express for providing this information. I am sick to stomach reading some of his posts in the LGBTQIA forum and mental health forum. And if you're okay with this (I know it takes months to get permission to post on this site) will you please share with anyone in any of the forums that knew him, a final message from me (if it's appropriate):
I am a clinical social worker (AKA therapist, different kind of training but I work similarly to psychologists, MFT's etc), not the kind that works with abused children, though I had considered doing that. I have worked in psychiatric inapatient hospitals, outpatient doing traditional therapy all focused on kids and young adults. Reading what my brother posted is horrifying, as a professional to read. I also read some misinformation about antidepressants, psych diagnoses, etc. (some my brother promoted, etc.) My brother was severely, severely, depressed. And from what I can tell he was masterful at hiding it, which is not uncommon. My heart breaks reading about how much pain he was in and how much pain some of the rest of you are in. If I could've told my brother one thing it's that depression literally changes your brain chemistry. There are chemicals in your brain that impact the number of negative, hopeless thoughts you have, etc. There is therapy and medicaion that can change this. Nothing he was going through was "unfixable" he just felt so sad and hopeless. All of you on this community gave him some hope and got him through when no one in my family could. If you are feeling sad, depressed, anxious... go get help. If you hate phone calls there is a NATIONAL suicide text line 741.741. I know what it is like to feel like there is no way out, and it is hard, but there is a way to get better. I've seen it. I've seen people in the pit of despair drag themselves out corageously. You just have to ask. Sometimes, you have to ask more than once. I love my profession, but sometimes there are people who don't know what they are doing. Don't quit. Don't give. People love you and care about you. I am not much older than some of you and I know that google can be very very helpful, but also very dangerous. A lot of information on treatment and medication is simplified, please talk to a professional. I would give anything in the world to have picked my brother up and dragged him to a hospital, because based on what he was saying... he would've been admitted.
I hope none of you blame yourselves. You gave him a shining piece of light in a world that he gave up on. We all did the best we could, and this time it wasn't enough. Please remember him as the funny, sarcastic, smart as hell little brother I did. And please, get yourselves help.