Yesterday, my friend Stacie sent me the article on the grandfather of 30 yr old Cheslie Kryst who we tragically lost to suicide a few days ago.
In the article, we heard the grandfather talk abt the shock. He did not see “this” coming…fam members did not see “this” coming. He felt traumatized by the speed of it all.
How often do we hear this after suicides…of a public figure, yes…but suicides of everyday folks we are tragically losing in record numbers.
The “gold standard” in suicide prevention is to ask if the person has a “plan.” I’ve discussed this before, but this implies that every person who dies by suicide (or even the majority of them), “thought this out”…in advance.
We then do trainings that MOSTLY focus on – “the signs to look our for in OTHERS: friends/fam/coworkers.”
While in SOME cases, there are signs…in many cases, there aren’t. Yes there are folks who exhibit certain behaviors…folks who say certain things that are alarming. But…listen to Cheslie’s grandfather. Sometimes these thoughts do come out of nowhere.
As someone who’s felt what intense ideations are like…& shares that they – came out of nowhere for me…literally an attack of my brain w error msgs, I get daily emails, calls, texts, from folks willing to be vulnerable back, abt their experiences, just bc I put my story out there.
I don’t take that – responsibility – lightly. And I can’t tell you how many describe the ideations also as error msgs: magnetic pulls to engage in self harm, even tho that’s not what the person WANTS. How it overpowers them.
If we know this- why are we not talking/teaching abt this in EVERY school & office in the world. If a suicidal ideation can “get you” out of nowhere, why aren’t we addressing prevention like we do heart attacks- which get us out of nowhere…or breast cancer self-checks where we learn what to look for in OURSELVES – first person?
Is it cause we’re uncomfortable talking abt it?
Well NOT talking abt it resulting in MORE deaths. We do these L.I.F.E. Saver presentations all over. It’s the most impt work we do of all others! Reach out to grps like us to have the convo. Please be proactive!