All Posts Archives - Speaking of Suicide

Making It Safe to Disclose Suicidal Thoughts

by Susan Caso

September 28, 2026

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Before someone tells a friend or family member, “I’m thinking about suicide,” another conversation takes place inside them. They are asking themselves what is likely to happen if they share. Will this person stay calm? Will they judge me? Will they minimize…

Choosing to Live After My Stepfather’s Suicide

by Culley Emborg

July 22, 2026

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My stepfather died by suicide in July of 2019. I was 20 at the time, living in a fraternity house in Wyoming, delivering pizzas as a summer gig. A month before he died, my mother informed me they were getting a divorce.…

A mother sits on a porch with her arms around a son and a daughter

Helping Children Understand Suicide

by Erie Crawford, PhD, LSW

June 29, 2026

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When a loved one loses their life to suicide, it’s difficult for adults to understand, let alone children. The night my husband, Jac, died by suicide, my three small nieces and my nephew were at our home. They were all under the…

Letter to a Dear Friend who Died by Suicide

by Allison Songbird

June 10, 2026

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The last time I saw you was a Saturday night. The air was cold and crisp outside, and your kitchen smelled like mulling spices and Christmas cake. You poured me a glass of red wine, like you had done so many times…

Chatbots and Suicide: Both Sides of the Story

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

December 10, 2025

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Two recent headlines show ChatGPT’s dramatic potential to harm or help people with suicidal thoughts: “Lawsuits Blame ChatGPT for Suicides and Harmful Delusions” (The New York Times) “Over 1 Million Users Talk to ChatGPT about Suicide Each Week” (PC Magazine) ChatGPT isn’t…

I Wanted to Die for Five Years. Here’s How I Saved My Life.

by Morgan Ellis

November 16, 2025

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On a cold November night in 2020, I awoke at 3 a.m. to find I was barely breathing. Very light inhalations, barely enough to stir my chest, spaced unnaturally far apart. I’ll never forget the cadence and feel of that breathing. “huh………..…