For psychology professionals...?

Well everyone is different wheter you're in the field or not. Seeing that your friend is a mental health professional I would say that he did indeed know how to mask or hide his depression. There is nothing those around him could have done differnt in terms of preventing the suicide. I have battled with depression myself and unless someone has been through it those on the outside really don't know how debilitating it can be. I often bring up this very point during my group therapy sessions, how family or loved ones may say things like, "snap out of it" or "what have you got to be depressed about". One other possibility that you haven't brought up but one that I frequently see is that of bipolar disorder. BP disorder has depression on one pole but also mania on the other, there are different types of bipolar disorder. A person at either end can have suicidal ideation with a plan to commit. Either end of these poles (depression and mania) causes irrational thinking and thus suicidal ideation, this is why many people become emergency committed to a psyc. hosptial until they can become stablilized with medication and therapy. Again, there was nothing anyone could have done if your friend was committed to suicide. You may want to relay to his close family or friends participation in a survivors of suicide support group to help them gain insight into what happened to alleviate any self doubt or self blame. Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20.

Absolutely. Many mental health professionals such as social workers, counselors, and therapists enter the field because of desire to help others with issues they hold close to their hearts. Many of these helping professions require students to seek professional conseling for a good period of time to be sure they have worked out their own issues before working with clients.

KNowing what is and is not perceived as abnormal provides a person with a format of how not to act. I work with several mental health professionals in my current job. At times, it has been unnerving to realize that they are constantly analying things i did or said. This drew my attention to many of my mannerisms. Now, when I do not want them to see I am upset, I put on a mask when I enter the room. I have spoken to several people who told me they do similar things. It is kind of like talking to doctors who are drug addicts/alcoholics. they know what to look for to detect the problem, so they know how to avoid detection. The worst thing is - often they are so good at hiding it that noone says anything - this makes them so depressed that no one "cares enough to see the truth" that they may take drastic measures. I am sorry for your loss.

Yes it is, I think. I was in a similar situation where I was working in a mental health environment and a co-worker killed himself. Looking back on it after his death we all saw the signs and felt guilty.