Another segment about Suicide. notes.

When Child Dies by suicide or accident, pain does not fully heal (as told by parents)

Victim is also the perpetrator - miss you and angry with you.

An individual set himself on fire in his backyard.  His parents witnessed it as well as his children.  Emotions - anger - to love - to anger - to love.  This person is the victim of the event and perpetrator and that is the difference.  There is guilt, shame, helplessness.  Shame - what does it say about me?  How do I deal with you not in my life.  How do I counsel the children?  Was I an inadequate in life?  

Do they talk about it?  No and that is why therapy is required.  Explore that guilt.  If I can blame myself, I’m not powerless.  We look for reasons and sometimes blame counsellors.  Suicide is a choice made by the individual and usually thought about for a long time, usually leading to distorted thoughts.  Usually, a therapist will ask - Why didn’t they tell me?  A PHD therapist stated, “I would have stopped him.”  She had suffered for about a year wondering why.  If an individual knows you will stop him, he loses his choice.  Some therapist will leave the profession.  There is a limit anyone can do to prevent suicide.  If I interpret and stop you to prevent suicide -  a heavy burden if I think I could have stopped this and didn’t.  One person saw a psychiatrist, a social worker and a therapist all in two weeks and committed suicide.  How does it affect others?  Maybe I should join them?  As a clinician you can teach to cope, but you cannot do it alone.  Give permission and self care (recharging batteries).  Address guilt and shame.  Teach to identify and name emotions.  Name it and take it.  1 to 10, How sad do you feel?  If they say 10, try to bring it down to 5.  Teach mindfulness, to increase non-judgemental self - awareness.  This can help clients catch it early before they go into crises.  Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - Identify situations/thoughts that trigger me and may increase my feelings of sadness and or despair.  Address guilt/shame.   

To be continued.  Have a good weekend.