My Dear Community,
As I read articles and work with clients, I see an emerging pattern about youth suicide.
Many of these teens appear to “have it all”. They’re intelligent, charismatic, athletic and/or artistic. They’re often attractive. And they’re always willing to give to others.
My son, Reed fit this profile.
I’ve sat in many circles with bereaved parents, spouses, siblings, family, and friends. I’ve asked, “Does this profile fit your departed loved one?” The response I hear ninety percent of the time is a resounding, “Yes!” The majority are male.
It is time for me to contact the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). I need your input.
If you go to the AFSP website About Suicide page, you’ll read:
“There is no single cause to suicide. It most often occurs when stressors exceed current coping abilities of someone suffering from a mental health condition.”
Yes. And, perfectionism is a stressful mental burden. It’s a picture of ourselves that we can’t live up to. The constant faultfinding voice in our head that says: I should, I ought, I have to…
After Reed died impulsively by suicide I said, “Being too hard on yourself can kill ya’.”
I am contacting AFSP on Monday, April 8, 2019. I’m sharing a YouTube video about this profile that I’ve informally discovered. And I’m scheduling a 90-minute interview. We’ll discuss ways we can help youth at risk for suicide.
Please hit the reply button below. Comment about your experiences with suicide and this profile. Your input is crucial to the discussion.
Deepest Gratitude,
Georgena