She spent two weeks recovering in hospital but did not receive any mental health treatment. While she was there, she learned from other suicide survivors that if she had used alcohol with the sleeping pills her suicide would have been completed. She felt she was worthless and that life was too hard, too painful, and not worth living. She still wanted to die.
When she was released, her boyfriend took her to a community agency for help. Alicia had never had counselling before, but was willing to talk to a Therapist and tell her story despite feeling that it would not help.
Through the use of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE), the Therapist learned that Alicia had grown up in poverty and had been physically and sexually abused by an alcoholic father.
In counselling, the Therapist helped Alicia make the connection between her childhood trauma and her present despair. She learned that what had happened to her was not her fault. This was the beginning of a healing process that has gone on for over a year now. There have been lots of ups and downs, and some scary times when disappointments have made her question the value of life, but she is still engaged. Alicia is convinced that without the support of her Therapist she would be dead.