Depression allegedly triggered a 40-year old man to take his own life Friday morning at Brgy. Timawa West, Molo, Iloilo City.

PO3 Jonathan Tolentino, Molo police investigator, said that the body of Rolly Robles was found by his eight-year-old son Friday morning at their house.

The investigators surmised that the victim tied his neck to an electrical cord and hang it on the ceiling and that he was already dead when the cord gave in because it could no longer carry his weight.

Neighbors said that they heard a loud thud around 2:00 a.m.

When the incident happened, the victim was alone at the house because his five children live with his parents.

Roble’s family believed that there was no foul play in the incident. 

They said that since Robles’ wife died of an ailment a month ago, he began showing signs of depression and stopped reporting for duty as messenger at Malayan Insurance.

Some family members said Robles told them he wanted to be with his wife.

According to www.webmd.com, depression carries a high risk of suicide. Anybody who expresses suicidal thoughts or intentions should be taken very seriously. 

Over 90% of people who die by suicide have clinical depression or another diagnosable mental disorder. Many times, people who die by suicide have a substance abuse problem. Often they have that problem in combination with other mental disorders.

Adverse or traumatic life events in combination with other risk factors, such as clinical depression, may lead to suicide. Warning signs that someone may be thinking about or planning to commit suicide include always talking or thinking about death; clinical depression – deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble sleeping and eating – that gets worse; having a "death wish," tempting fate by taking risks that could lead to death, such as driving fast or running red lights; losing interest in things one used to care about; making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless; putting affairs in order, tying up loose ends, changing a will; saying things like "it would be better if I wasn't here" or "I want out"; sudden, unexpected switch from being very sad to being very calm or appearing to be happy; talking about suicide or killing one's self; and visiting or calling people to say goodbye.*