Please Don't Hang Yourself

This video that a mom did about her son who died by Suicide is very touching.  The reason she did it is so that she could help others who were hurting and in pain.  Often people who struggle suffer in silence and no one sees the pain they are experiencing.

I like the statement made in the short video, that so often those who lose out to suicide just want the pain to end.  I have felt that way in my life in those same moments.

Please know that others do care and there is help out there.  Watch my friend's video and see the resources she puts up.

I also did a webinar on Suicide a few years ago with a mom who lost her son.  Her statements helped wake me up in my own life and really shed light on what it does to the survivors.

I know that some out there think you should not discuss this side of suicide in this way, but it made all the difference for me.  Knowing what those who loved me would have to deal with brought a new perspective on suicide for me.  There's no way I could hurt them, and that is enough to kick my brain back out of the depths.

Of course, it is sad to note that the following video has not had many views.  It makes me roll my eyes a little.  Sometimes I think we say we want to help raise awareness and help others, but it becomes nothing more than words without action.  I am sorry if that offends anyone, but I don't want to see anyone die from suicide.

Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death in the United States  (source)

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2016:
  • Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of nearly 45,000 people.
  • Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 54.
  • There were more than twice as many suicides (44,965) in the United States as there were homicides (19,362).

Helping Prevent Suicide Webinar

One of the things I struggle with in life is suicide and I know I'm not alone.  In fact, I am writing a book about my struggles with suicide.  It is a situation that plagues our society and world, but the shame that goes along with it keeps many suffering in silence.

For those that are left behind, they deal with the anguish of losing a loved one or a friend to suicide.  I never realized this part until I was able to speak to my friend on the subject.  Suicide is difficult for anyone connected to it and it does destroy lives.

What is worse in our society and world is that we shame those who suffer and we don't fix the underlying problems.  We spend too little on mental health issues and support, while doing things that are beyond harmful and do anything but help those who suffer.

On February 4, 2017 at 1 pm EST, I am hosting a webinar with my good friend who lost her son to suicide.  It is a heartbreaking story, but I hope that through this webinar, we offer hope and some new ways of looking at healing and support.  While it is a heavy subject, my intent is to help prevent suicide in others.

The online webinar is free and open to whoever signs up.  Space is limited and if I see that it is filling up, we will try to schedule additional webinars.  There will be a time for some questions at the end of it.  The webinar should be about an hour long.

Free Webinar

Feb 4, 2017 at 1pm EST

If suicide is something that you deal with or you know someone that does, please join us.  If you have had to deal with the loss of someone close to you because of suicide, please join us.  I think you will find this webinar helpful and supportive and healing.

To sign up for this webinar, go to the link, A Mother's Promise To Help After Son's Suicide.  It is a free webinar, but space is limited in the online event.


I look forward to seeing you on the webinar.  Leave a comment below with questions or you can also catch me on Twitter.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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A Mother's Promise To Help After Son's Suicide

Tommy Crawford was a free-spirited boy who didn’t let things bother him — or so it seemed. The business major loved to make people laugh, and always liked to have fun. Nobody who knew him had any clue about the demons that made Tommy take his own life. They still don’t understand it.

One year earlier, Tommy was the one who first received the news that his biological dad had shot himself. Tommy was upset, but didn’t want to talk about it, burying the hurt deep down inside. Exactly one year later, on November 8, 2012, Tommy went out and got drunk. That night he was playing video games with friends, when he told them there was something that he needed to do. With no warning, Tommy took out a gun and shot himself in the head. He was just 22 years old.

That moment would have a devastating effect on Tommy’s family. His stepfather James would have a heart attack three months later, while his mother Barbara Lempereur would go through years of pain and agony, before emerging with a burning desire to help others whose lives were torn apart by suicide, or who are contemplating suicide. Tommy’s room is now a healing room in the Lempereur home. As she moves forward, out of the darkness, Barbara wants others to know there is hope. Barbara’s story — and Tommy’s — need to be told.

This is a very personal story that Don Shetterly and Jeff Lemlich wrote about Barbara Lempereur's son who committed suicide.  It isn't just about the story, but the healing she went through and how she is helping others. Please pass this on so others can be helped by this story.

Read the full article, A Mother's Promise To Help After Son's Suicide.

 

  #suicide

 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 12/19/15 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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We Need To Talk About Suicide

We live in a world where we want to ignore the painful and difficult topics.  We live in a world where we don't want to utter those negative words and bad thoughts.  We live in a world where suicide is nothing but a taboo subject.

In some places if you even come close to admitting your suicidal, by law certain professional groups are required to report you.  Then, they put you in a mental ward of a hospital to hopefully get treatment.  The thing is from what I know from ones that this happened too, there is no treatment.  If you consider drugging someone to keep them alive treatment, okay - but I just don't see that as treatment.

Suicide is real.  It happens all too often.  It shocks the survivors and leaves them standing in disbelief.  No one can comprehend what happened.  Everyone feels sad and as if there was something they should have done, seen, or helped intervene with that person.  Suicide sucks.  Suicide is a horrible nightmare.

I know first hand because I've tried too many times.  Fortunately I was never successful and there was always a friend, an angel, or some other event that stopped it.  In those moments, I didn't care about living.  I didn't care about anyone who would be sad if I was gone.  I could not care.   The pain was greater than most will ever know or understand.

Does Society Enable Suicide

This subject is near and dear to my heart.  Not only have I known people who have committed suicide, but I myself have attempted it several times.  Fortunately I've made it this far in my life and made it through those moments, but it hasn't been easy.

As I'm reading about Robin Williams dying from suicide, I'm reminded of this horrible moment that way too many face.  His death puts a spotlight on it in our society, but unfortunately in a few days or weeks, society may well forget what happened.  They may even fault him in some form or another, but sometimes it seems like nothing will change.  It seems like nothing in our society will get done when it comes to suicide.  Does society enable suicide.

How does our society enable suicide?  There are many ways of course and most are oblivious to them.

First and foremost, is that society does not want to talk about suicide.  There is no fostering of a place to go for those that are struggling with this.  Yes, there are some hotlines, but how many people would know where to call if they needed to?  How many people would even think to pick up the phone?  Even with all the outreach, we are still seeing people commit suicide because they felt like they had no place to go and no one to talk to.  (See information for suicide hotline below)