Is It Ok to Talk About Your Suicide Attempt?

A recent opinion pieceby Benedict Carey in the April 14, 2014 New York Times national edition, talked about suicide prevention efforts now beginning to include input from the close to one million adults in the USA who have attempted suicide. [About 38,000 americans do kill themselves every year]. Mr. Carey reports that previously, talking about attempts was not considered helpful with fears that it would encourage people to attempt suicide and also worries that it would lead to increased stress for those who were sharing their experiencesbecause of the shame and stigma attached to such behaviors. Only recently the American Association of Suicidology decided to recognize all those who attempt suicide and give them a voice in the suicide prevention efforts. This is important considering that seven percent of people who attempt suicide actually kill themselves at a later date. This is thirty times more than those who have never attempted suicide. Hopefully, recognizing the importance of the experience and wisdom of people who have attempted suicide will help these people to feel better about themselves as they reach out to others at risk for suicide.

Mr. Carey then shared a number of personal stories of people who have attempted suicide. The focus was on the pain that they experienced as they felt that they were shamed by professionals who did not allow them to share their experiences that led to their attempts. They felt more support and acceptance from each other [others who had attempted]. More people who have made suicide attempts are talking about the attempts in more public forums. It is hoped that sharing this information will encourage other survivors of suicide attempts to talk about their experiences and to be encouraged by those who are having success in their lives and are not held back by their having attempted suicide or by their moods.

It is also hoped and a research project is testing out if people sharing their experiences with suicide attempts will lower the stigma that is often attached to people with psychiatric problems. According to psychologist Patrick Corrigan at the Illinois Institute of Technology who is working with the San Francisco based Center for Dignity, Recovery and Stigma Elimination, having contact with someone such as by hearing them talk or reading what they have written can lower the stigma as education alone does not seem to lower it.

So, again it seems that we can help each other by being open to hearing other people’s experiences and not judging or sterotyping others. We all need each other and I believe that the people listening to others benefit as much as those sharing their experiences. We are actually all in it [this wonderful life] together and judging or stereotyping others only separates us and increases our stress