Category: Suicide

The best example of cognitive reframing

I might add that it’s also comment of the year for 2021 so far. As many of you know and some who don’t, I get a lot of comments through YouTube from people, (young people mostly) who are searching for a way to end their life. I don’t advertise the video and it’s only found through search, the goal of which is to encourage this person to think of it from another point of view. The video does not offer the instructions they seek but competes with videos that do. Some of the young people who post on the video … Read more...

Screening Youth For Suicide Risk: Can it be done in a busy pediatric practice?

Many of you who have followed this blog for a long time know what a big supporter I am for using the ASK Suicide Screening Tool validated by NIMH. Suicide is the #2 cause of death for youth and this tool is literally a lifesaver. I’ve presented with Dr. Horowitz and the team on several occasions and I interviewed Dr. Abernathy who was the first doctor to integrate this tool in private practice.

This podcast is with Dr. Lia Gaggino about how physicians, PCPs, pediatricians, family doctors, internists can integrate this tool within their practice. Kids (and even adults) … Read more...

Why isn’t my mom taking my threats of suicide seriously?

This is for those of you have told a parent and met with a blank look and inaction. Or one that said something inappropriate to your soulful and brave confession.

Some of you who have struggled with thoughts of suicide have left clues you think are so obvious, they are flashing neon signs. Young people have told me they’ve left their computers open with searches about suicide hoping the parent takes the hint. Others have told a parent outright and the response is really unresponsive and flat.

Don’t translate that to mean we don’t care when you don’t get the … Read more...

Step Away

by Bart Bright

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is bart-and-family.jpg
Kevin Bright is on the right who died of marijuana/cannabis-induced psychosis that lead to his suicide

On August 14, 2018, my son, Kevin, died by suicide. He was 29 years old. Kevin suffered from depression and cannabis-induced psychosis, (a diagnosis in the DSM-5).

Kevin told my wife and me about his cannabis use at 15

He agreed to get help. Over the next 14 years, Kevin participated in many recovery programs. He experienced periods of health and happiness while in recovery. Unfortunately, after a while, he would go back to his drug of choice, high THC cannabis. … Read more...

Emotionally Naked: A Teacher’s Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk

Emotionally Naked: A Teacher’s Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk

Order USA AMazon
see it at wiley publishing

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, a division of Wiley Publishing, a large educational publisher

Authors: Anne Moss Rogers, Kim O’Brien PhD, LICSW

Publishes: The book is expected to be on sale August 24, 2021

Most important downloads: Model School Policy on Suicide Prevention: Model Language, Commentary, and Resources, After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools (Second Edition)

The final manuscript has been sent as of Feb 2, 2021.

What can you expect?

We conducted over 30 interviews with suicidologists, school … Read more...

What I want you to know…

by Mary-ellen Viglis

Dear DJ,

It’s been nearly 10 months since you left, my sweet, loving beautiful boy- Demetrios James.

I want you to know how truly missed you are. Most days I am brought to my knees by the hole in my heart. It feels like lava overflowing. It burns. It stings. There is no end to it. It seeps out of every part of my body. All the pain and grief – it is filled with all the love I have for you.

I am not mad. I am not angry. I don’t think I ever will be. … Read more...

How I feel a year after my husband’s suicide

by Marylyn

Still heartbroken.
Still in disbelief.
Still in anguish about how desperate he was.
Still feeling guilty in whatever part I may have played in creating that anguish.
Still mad that he left his son.
Still seeing blood.
Still reliving the phone call I received from the officer at 9:18 am on January 30th.
Continually wondering what this life is for
and why live through it if it doesn’t really matter in the end anyway.

Wondering if the me I used to be is gone forever.
Deeply afraid I’m not doing my best for our son.
Wishing he hadn’t … Read more...

Has your loved one’s addiction made you angry?

We know intellectually it’s a disorder. There are many studies now that prove that. The behavior makes us angry still.

At first, when Charles was misusing substances, I’d regress to yelling which was unproductive. Those were not my proudest moments but I caught on that it was only adding to my child’s shame and driving him to use more. His drug use started because of his sleep disorder and also numbed his feelings of suicide.

I didn’t know any of that. And finding out the underlying cause of his drug use took years. He never sat down and told me, … Read more...

Be the captain of your emotions not captive to them

by Dana

Emotional stress, discord, confusion, can get so deep and out of control, you cannot find a way out. That torment can lead you to think the only way to end this torment is to end it all.

A person can learn some emotion control.

It’s like learning how to become your own counselor

It’s like a one-step program. You learn to see your emotions, you separate each one, and you start asking, I know I am angry, I’m ok with being angry, why am I angry? Is there a way I can change the situation I’m angry about? … Read more...

Audio version of Diary of a Broken Mind

Voice by Lisa Williams. It took a while but the audio version of the book is out. And of course, paperback and kindle as well. Audible audiobook is on Amazon.

Audible version
Charles’ personality was so big
… Read more...

Autism, social struggles, and suicide

by Abby

There is something that’s been weighing on me lately. I was diagnosed with depression about 3 years ago, and it got better for a while but it recently started to come back. I keep having thoughts that everyone would be happier without me, and unfortunately, it’s starting to seem more and more true every day.

I’m on the autism spectrum so it’s already hard to deal with a world that wasn’t built for someone like me, but feeling like this all the time makes it harder.

I keep having a hard time at work and disappointing my boss, … Read more...

How can I help a friend who lost her child to suicide?

One of the most frequent questions I get is, “How can I help my friend who lost his or her son (or daughter) to suicide?” And so I’ll answer that here with some explanation of how those parents feel. I can’t possibly touch on everything. I have a 280-page book that does that.

So first, I’m going to say, please say the child’s name!

I remember a story from a friend who lost his Dad to suicide in the 1970s. No one came by. No one called. And then two days after, a neighbor dropped by but didn’t come in. … Read more...

What I put in my self-harm safety kit

by Ayushree

Note from Anne Moss: A self-harm safety box is a kit that a person puts together as a self-help strategy. This was sent to me by Ayushree and she details the contents of her safety box which she has so far found helpful in breaking her self-harm habit.

Self-harm safety box

To make my own self-harm safety kit, I took a shoebox, covered it in white paper and made doodles all over it. I didn’t write anything on it because otherwise, my mom would know.

Doodles are one of my hobbies and it helps me to relieve stress. … Read more...

‘My family wouldn’t be surprised if I suicided’

Dear those who struggle with thoughts of suicide,

No matter how many times you’ve said it, we could never be “prepared.”

It is always a shock if that’s the way a loved one dies. To us, we think you won’t really follow through. Because you love us so much or you made a promise you can’t possibly keep because you are not in full control of your actions at that moment.

That sort of thinking does reflect our gross misunderstanding of what those struggling with thoughts of suicide go through. But we family members and friends tell ourselves you’re not … Read more...

I wanted to die. But I didn’t.

Strong emotional content and suicide method referenced. If you are in crisis, text “help” to 741-741 or call 988

by Devon

Devon

Growing up I’d always known I was a bit different. I was an introverted, shy, creative, and intelligent child. I felt that I was special in a way, almost as if I was from another time or place. I never felt like I belonged, therefore fantasized a lot growing up and had a vivid imagination.

As I got older and gained more insight into the world, my mental health slowly began to decline. I had just recently started … Read more...