Tragic Christopher’s story could help save others
A 27-year-old who committed suicide at Beachy Head wanted his tragic story to save someone else’s life.
Christopher Thorne, of St James’s Crescent, Bexhill, told mother Dee he was going out to visit a friend on February 26 but instead he rode his motorbike to Beachy Head where he jumped to his death.
Chris was a long-term sufferer of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) consumed with worry about his physical health who felt he was not getting the help and attention he needed. In October he was told his income support would be stopped and he would receive Jobseeker’s Allowance, and this added to his stress and depression because he felt he could not cope with added pressure.
Chris believed his IBS had been initially caused by a parasite caught from a dog and having researched this online he took medication he bought on eBay.
Dee said, “He didn’t get the help and support he needed and he felt let down by the system. He didn’t think people believed him as to how serious his problem was.”
Chris had already made one attempt at suicide but was saved by a Samaritan warden at Beachy Head.
At this point a crisis team stepped in to closely monitor him but overall medical support came “too little too late” according to Dee, and Chris decided he couldn’t carry on with life.
In the last few months he took to writing his feelings down so that his experience could help other people not suffer on their own.
He wrote, “My life revolves around my stomach and a little hope that one day I might be better. Some don’t even believe me and just think I am going mad. All this, and the depression because your life’s not going anywhere, really makes you think – what is the point? So why is this treated so poorly on the NHS and people are in chronic pain in this day and age?”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Eastbourne
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
