Byron is a stressed adolescent from a dysfunctional family. Hisdad died when he was 13. They had been very close, so when his momremarried about a year later, Byron had a hard time adjusting tothe new home environment. His Mom who is considered to be lovingsuddenly changed upon the death of his Dad. She never shows careand sympathy to him for both of them are still grieving. Byron isso annoyed seeing his Mom cuddled by his stepdad. He was always sadand in argument with his Mom. Their communication becamecomplicated until he found himself in a dark environment.
His stepdad talked about how much God loved him, but Byrondidn't want to hear it... just like he didn't want to hear theteachers in the school assembly say “things get better; thatsuicide nor drugs is not the answerâ€. Byron had lived through theyears of anger, pain, and emptiness looking for better. It didn'texist.
Byron separated himself from reality and from the people wholoved him. \"There were people in my life that cared about me,\" hesaid. \"The way I wrote to them in my suicide letters was so deep.Why couldn't I go to them and say, 'I am about to kill myself. Ineed your help'? The world of drugs separated me from myrelationship with them.\"
As he lay in bed that night, he felt tired. Tired of thepressure. Tired of the anger. Tired of the hurt. Tired of living.The death of his father was so traumatic to him.
He got out of bed and put on his best clothes. He wrote his willand good-bye letters to his family and friends. He was so angry athis father for dying early, he decided to kill himself over hisfather's grave. Byron sat in the cemetery with his friend's rifleunder his chin. He tried to pull the trigger, but couldn't. Hetried again and again. Completely frustrated with himself, he threwa bottle of liquor and say, “what am I doing?. Then he put therifle under his chin and pulled the trigger again but didn’twork.
After sometime, he realized what his step-dad told him how muchGod loved him. He looked back at the graveyard with teary eyed andwhisper, “Lord help me.†A day after, he came to you for counseling(as referred by his friend), related the whole story aswritten.
- Based on the above-mentioned case, how would you assess Byron?Describe his life experiences in view of his relationship with hisbiological father and his situation living with mother andstep-father. (25 pts)
