Friends and Family Archives - Page 4 of 5

“Shame Festers in Dark Places”: Keeping Suicide Secret

June 30, 2013

27

A friend recently sent me an anguished email about someone she knew whose teenage daughter died the week before. The mother was telling others that the death was an accident, when it was unquestionably a suicide. This saddened my friend greatly –…

“You Can’t Do Everything”: Limitations in Helping a Suicidal Person

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

June 21, 2013

71

Just about every list of “suicide myths” mentions this one: “If a person is serious about killing themselves then there is nothing you can do.” But is it always a myth? In important ways, yes, it is a myth. There are many…

Is a Suicide Attempt a Cry for Help?

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

June 17, 2013

54

“She is not really suicidal. She just wants attention.” “He did not really attempt suicide. It was just a cry for help.” “If she had really wanted to die, she’d be dead.” These are often the reactions of friends and family to…

“How Would You Listen to a Person on the Roof?”

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

June 6, 2013

10

What would you say to a person on the roof? That is, if you were called out to a crisis scene, where a young woman sat on the roof of a tall building weeping and shouting that she would jump at any…

Coping with a Loved One’s Suicide

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

May 29, 2013

13

The grief, loss, and bewilderment following the suicide of a loved one can be overwhelming. Many reactions are common, ranging from everything from shock to anger to self blame to considering suicide for yourself. There are questions, so many questions. “Why?” “What…

10 Reasons Teens Avoid Telling Parents about Suicidal Thoughts

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

May 29, 2013

583

Teenagers often tell me that they do not like to talk with their parents about their suicidal thoughts. Some teens do not tell their parents at all. There are many reasons why teens lock parents out. The biggest reason that teens give…