I was 16 years old when my dad, who lived with depression, died by suicide. His unexpected death profoundly impacted my family. Isolated by stigma, I struggled in silence for years, internalizing my grief and never speaking about my dad or his death. Nearly twenty years later, I discovered my local NAMI—NAMI Southwestern […]
[…] halt, a pick-up truck was rear-ended by someone not paying attention. The driver of that truck lost his life. If someone had recognized the warning signs of suicide in this young girl and gotten her help, two deaths could have been avoided that day. This incident really affected me. I’m from Gaston County and […]
[…] better understand this complex condition, I talked with a NAMI HelpLine volunteer who bravely told me his story. Randy* was diagnosed with BPD at 17 after a suicide attempt landed him in the hospital. “The concept of being able to like yourself and want to live just went over my head,” he explained. “I […]
[…] to my childhood home, which had been meticulously clean when I was young, I found it cluttered beyond recognition—evidence of my mother’s deterioration. Her crying episodes and suicide threats increased in frequency and intensity and caused me unbelievable pain and anxiety. Some of the incidents from my twenties are burned in my brain: the […]
Every year, 300-400 physicians die by suicide in the U.S. This statistic should make us all arc an eyebrow, considering physicians are there to save lives, not take their own. Another study shows that one in four medical students struggle with depression and approximately 11% express suicidal ideations. The American Medical Association (AMA) […]
[…] of disease by 2030. It can cause individuals to struggle greatly, impacting their functioning at work, school and in relationships. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide, which takes the lives of 800,000 people worldwide each year. Despite these grim statistics, there is hope and depression can be prevented and treated. But in […]
[…] into an extended bout of depression, which has required hospitalization, medication, shock treatments, lots of therapy and time off work. My depression comes with persistent thoughts of suicide, and I have attempted suicide more than once. Recovery is never quick: My first depressive episode required a two-year stay in a psychiatric hospital for me […]
[…] This is one of the reasons why men account for 3.5 times the number of suicides as women. And depression is one of the leading causes of suicide. Fighting depression is difficult. Not only do you have to fight the illness but you also fight the stigma attached to it. For men, the fear […]
[…] would be forever trapped in a pit of despair with my feelings of worthlessness. This sadness and self-doubt brought me to my lowest point, and I contemplated suicide daily. Eventually, I sought out medical help and was officially diagnosed with depression. While receiving this diagnosis helped me label what I was experiencing, I still […]
[…] eventually turned into suicidal ideation. I no longer wanted to live. As I got older, my mental health continued to deteriorate. In January of 2021, I attempted suicide, although my memory of the incident is hazy. I remember my brother coming over and calling 911. After, I heard my dog barking. Then I was […]
NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “NAMI” to 62640, or email. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
