Suicide Attempt Archives - Speaking of Suicide

What to Do If Your Child Attempts Suicide

September 7, 2024

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It’s devastating, frightening – maybe even maddening – when a child attempts suicide. They’re so young. They have so much life ahead of them. And they tried to die. Parents and caregivers agonize about how to help prevent this nightmare from happening…

What is a Suicide Gesture?

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

April 16, 2014

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Many clinicians and researchers advocate for abandoning the term “suicide gesture,” but its use still persists. Over the last few years, several definitions have been reported: “…A suicide gesture is like a one person play in which the actor creates a dramatic…

Where Are They Now?: The Fate of Suicide Attempt Survivors

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

July 5, 2013

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Say someone wants to die by suicide so badly that they go to the Golden Gate Bridge to jump off. But then they are stopped from jumping. What happens to them afterward? You might think that, once freed from the authority figures who…

Is a Suicide Attempt a Cry for Help?

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

June 17, 2013

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“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…

Shame, Stigma, and Suicidality

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

June 13, 2013

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Many people feel ashamed of their suicidal thoughts: “Thinking of suicide means I’m weak,” clients have told me. “I should be able to cope.” “I’m a bad person for wanting to kill myself.” Shame especially can follow a suicide attempt. One small…