Suicide is a fundamental, existential issue. So many things – in addition to ‘mental illness’
can lead to pain that drives suicidal experience:
Thoughts
Feelings,
Intentions
Actions
Values
Beliefs
When this pain feels
Unmanageable
Unavoidable
Unescapable
Unbearable
Suicide can feel like the only way to end one’s suffering. ‘Treatment as usual’ for suicidal people, Medical models, Involuntary hospitalization, often falls short and intensifies pain!
Can we see and do things differently?
Can we widen our lens to understand…
how personal, interpersonal, social, cultural, even political factors
may contribute to suicidal despair?
Can we listen compassionately to the stories of suicidal people,?
Try to understand both how this pain, and the desire to escape it
could seem justified from their perspectives?
Can we let them know that we hear and understand?
Can we do this without rushing to restrict their freedom and autonomy when they tell us?
Can we then collaborate with them to help reduce the pain and make life more bearable?
More worthwhile?
More liveable?
And when we aren’t able to help, how can we best support those left behind?
Can we value the voices
of those with lived experience and expertise
in both suicidality and loss
to help all of us understand
what helps…
and what doesn’t?
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