While this story is so upsetting, it’s likewise impt to tell. It’s time as a society we better communicate abt the topic of suicide so we can prevent these tragedies.
The basics: Teen football star, Bryce Gowdy, from the Deerfield Beach, FL, was set to attend Georgia Tech, when struggles- fam finances, & his own MH, intervened, & we tragically lost him to suicide.
Bryce’s mom shared his comments days before his death- some indicative of psychotic thoughts & losing touch w reality- “feeling trapped by doors & mirrors.”
It’s best practice NOT to talk abt the method of suicide when we lose someone. In this case, it’s an impt part of the story – bc of how suicide is erroneously discussed in the media, & even by some experts. Trigger warning – Bryce threw himself in front of a train, w no prior talk of that action.
If you read the comments from the expert on the next few slides, he discusses: the inability of young ppl to REASON; an inability to “weigh the future of their consequences…or think it thru.”
This infuriates me. Based on the reaction of those of you in stories, who’ve experienced ideations/have fam who have, it infuriates you too.
As someone who experienced the crushing feelings of ideations, I must say, when they’re strong, there is NO ability to REASON thru these irrational error msgs/thoughts. Like a magnet, you’re DRAWN to these actions, like it’s a NEED. You can’t reason- you don’t sit there & write out pro/con lists, regardless of how mature you are.
These are “brain breaks” & they overpower you, & the only way to save yourself is to have the wherewithal to scream out for help, (eventually dial a 988), & just like knowing the signs of a heart attack- identify the signs, & get help immediately.
Do we lose SOME to suicide, who are upset, down on life, want to escape pain, think it thru & sadly decide they’re better off not here? Yes. But…just bc that scenario does happen, does not mean we don’t also lose hundreds of thousands a yr, globally, to strong ideations. That’s not the fault of the person who dies. It’s the fault of our society for not openly discussing/preparing ppl for what stress/trauma can do to our thoughts.
