Suicide Prevention Movement Is Often Driven By Family, Friends. But More And More Survivors Are Talking About Their Pasts.
The emergence of suicide survivor-driven advocacy has changed the prevention landscape, where too often talking about past attempts changed how survivors thought they were perceived. “Survivors were seen as people to be studied, rather than partnered with,” said Ursula Whiteside, a researcher with the University of Washington. Now, the lived experience survivors bring to the table is being recognized as beneficial to the movement.
The Washington Post:
Suicide Survivors Are 'Coming Out' And Telling Their Stories To Combat A National Crisis
For many years, Gregg Loomis hid the attempts from others. He worried about the effect on his insurance business. He had seen people’s view of him change once they found out. He had lost friends that way. So two days before his trip to Capitol Hill, Loomis sat in his office in a New York City suburb, agonizing over what he might say. How do you explain to total strangers the most painful, private moments of your life — the moments you tried to end it. A suicide prevention group had sent notes to him and other volunteers to prepare for the trip. (Wan, 7/29)
Meanwhile, in other news —
Los Angeles Times:
For Nurses At Risk Of Suicide, Program Lets Them Seek Help When They Need It The Most
Nurses die by suicide at a significantly higher rate than the general population, according to a recently released study from a team of researchers at UC San Diego. Examining nationwide data on violent deaths from 2014, the only year for which occupation information is included, the team found that suicide rates were nearly 58% higher for female nurses and 41% higher for male nurses. (Sisson, 7/29)
