Suicide in the Trenches

I found this poem and I was moved. It's hard not to think about it once you've read it. It was written almost 100 years ago and is still valid today. This is the poem, complete.

I KNEW a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.

In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.

by Siegfried Sassoon circa 1917

The Sheen Solution™

  'Bad Boy’ Behavior Due to Mercury Exposure

If you haven't already done so, please listen to my podcast at TalkShoe # 130

This was the first time that we (Charlie Sheen and I) have gone public with the fact that our conversations lasted 2 years and it influenced and motivated his turn around in social misbehavior.

To go into more specific detail of the conversations would be inappropriate. However, a further explanation of the how and why Charlie has recovered would be appropriate.

First, I had to watch and identify him as someone that I could possibly help. Watching Charlie on TV was uncomfortable for me. I knew that he was being brow beaten from every direction except for the people who were feeding him the false illusion of tranquility via the vices of drugs, alcohol and sex. I didn't have much optimism of success because of the social clutter and chaos that I knew was around him. I decided to try to make contact, regardless. I was pretty shocked when he accepted my friendship on Facebook and Skype on my first try. I was actually stalled by my success but I had to push through my hesitation and try to maintain his attention. When I succeeded in both areas I was certain that he was desperately seeking someone who would listen to him without judgment. Who could also understand the obscure, and seemingly, unintelligible code he was speaking.

Second, His motivation was easy to determine because he accepted my friendship so quickly. It was my responsibility to keep him motivated, until he was connected to his life again. I determined quickly that he was a no nonsense character and any bull-shit on my part would have driven him away. The truth was the only weapon in my bag of tricks. So I used it. Charlie was dealing with allot of complex problems that I was neither equipped nor able to help out with. I decided to give him advice that was tried and true for at least 2500 years. When I was reading about his dilemma with the program of 'Two and A Half Men', I elected to offer him advice directly out of Sun Tzu's 'Art of War'. Without telling him to sue or not to sue, I told him "Never enter a battle that you don't expect to win." When I read in the news that he had decided to sue . . . I knew that he had already won. This fight and his success would give him a lift in personality and confidence, which was a major part of his recovery.

Third, education and justification was the pivotal benchmark of his recovery. I am not a sage or have any social skills that anybody else could or should use. What I do have is an extensive education in heavy metal poisoning. I recognized, very early on, that Charlie was acting under the influence of at least mercury. Probably other metals but the mercury was the easiest to identify and correct without any great effort on either of our parts. Within one month of talking to him, I told him that I didn't think that he was an alcoholic, drug addict or an unusually violent personality. This caught his attention in a profound manner. That statement went against everything that everybody was saying to and about him. He wanted to know more. Now I had to deliver in a clear and concise way. I told Charlie that he was behaving in a way that could and should have been defined, medically, as an 'erethism'. I went farther and gave him the definition's location so that he could read it for himself. The next step was to show him how and what he was being poisoned by and I suggested that he had teeth that were filled with mercury. He researched and verified what I was telling him and he confirmed and was satisfied that what I was teaching him was true, accurate and correct.

Fourth, being three thousand miles away, I couldn't suggest to him that he rely on a support system of friends or family. The reason being, that I didn't know any of his family or friends. Besides, his family and friends, I was quite certain, had no knowledge of the subject that I was teaching Charlie. At some point, I am sure, that Charlie told, at least his family, that he was speaking to someone on the internet that was helping him out. I can only imagine what kind of cold shock and emotionally numbing paralysis that this information created. None the less, his family and friends tolerated his exchanges with me. Perhaps, they were observing that there was no harm being done or that while Charlie was on the internet, he was not doing drugs or alcohol. What ever the reason, I am grateful for their indulgences. In the span of two years, there were two unusually bad days that Charlie had to deal with. For these two incidents I recruited and relied on his brother, Emilio. I contacted Emilio and asked him to call Charlie, without giving him any reason or excuses. He did and the problem was solved. That is what I mean by a functioning support system. I'm confident that Charlie feels the same way. Without a functioning support system, my efforts would have failed.

Fifth, Undesirable influences, I saw as a problem that, I would not be able to defeat. This is the conclusion that I made. I didn't advise Charlie to get rid of any friends or family. These people were promoting his 'off the wall' behavior. With the information I was delivering and his superior intelligence, he was able to come to his own conclusions of good and bad influences. His decisions and behavior and that of some of the people around him corrected themselves. I hope that my influence on Charlie was seen as unbeatable and this motivated others to make the appropriate behavior changes. I will probably never know but I can always hope. Once Charlie removed his mercury filled teeth, I did suggest to him that he avoid people in his life with mercury in their mouths. I told him that this was essentially a guarantee of problems with behavior or compromised health. The simple fact is that nobody needs the emotional baggage of dealing with someone who is unpredictable or who has a serious health problem.

Sixth, One essential component of any sound relationship is trust, which implies faith. It was mandatory for me to communicate and demonstrate, effectively, that I would take full responsibility for any errors, mistakes or calamities that I created. I told him that everything that I was advising him to do or not to do, I had already experienced or done. I also advised him that if he took my advice that I was willing to go to court with him and testify that he was sound, stable and willing to take 100% responsibility for his children (sons). I was completely sincere and meant every word I said. Of all the conversations that we had, I think that this was one of my comments that affected him the most. I think that he concluded that I was as serious and honest as he had ever found and it gave him such a boost in moral that he was all ears from that point on. Actually, I was and am so sure that a person that is completely free of mercury influence is in fact, a genuine personality that can be relied upon, that I would be willing to wager anything and everything that I have or am.

Seventh, One area that I have not failed in, but not succeeded in, is the idea of follow thru. I know that Charlie has removed his mercury fillings from his mouth and will never again allow mercury to be applied to his teeth. What concerns me and will until he is motivated once more, is the fact that he carries a body burden of mercury (and other metals) from the early age of about 8 years old. This body burden will not go away by accident. It must be systematically attacked to instigate its evacuation. Charlie knows this because I told him. The problem is that he feels well enough to continue on with his life with minor adaptations for health anomalies. The time will come when his adaptations will not be sufficient enough and these incumbents will become symptoms, sufficient enough to diagnose a disease or condition that has no identified cause and no prescribed cure. When this event occurs, Charlie knows that he can contact me and I will do everything in my power to lead him to a recovery. The problem is that the process will not be as simple as the removal of a few fillings or teeth. It will involve my direct influence and not from 3000 miles away but in the next room or within driving distance. That will involve a life change for me and a belly full of anxiety for Charlie. I would prefer to prevent this event, rather then deal with it as a tension filled environment.

Eighth, during the two years of our conversations, both Charlie and I were dealing with life altering events that had the potential to destroy either or both of us. Under normal circumstances, if one person helps another there is usually a reward of some kind to be received. Most of the time it is economic, other times it is material. In this case it was neither and both at the same time. Basically, I helped Charlie with information and Charlie helped me with patience and tolerance. Truth be told, I believe that I’m the superior benefactor because what actually happened was that Charlie helped me thru a tough period while validating my entire life of research. He proved me correct while tolerating my rants and ramblings of misery.

I have been asked, “Why didn’t you charge him . . . he’s got money?” And, my answers to that is, if you drive down the road and see a person who has been in an accident, do you charge him for stopping and help out with information that you happen to have? My answer is NO! You get back in your car, go on you way and feel good about being able to make a difference with the abundance of information that you were able to accumulate and deliver.

Friends of the kind that we have become happen only once if a lifetime . . . if you are lucky. I have been graced with it happening to me twice. The first time, it was in the middle of a war. My shipmate and I became so familiar that we didn’t have to say words or express ideas. The simple act of a raised eyebrow or a shrug of a shoulder spoke volumes and communicated accurately and adequately. And so it is with me and Charlie. I suspect that this might be the first time experience with this kind of friendship for Charlie. Regardless, I am the one that walks away with the wealth of friendship and experience.