There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, based on a book by Jay Asher. As a mom who lost her 16-year-old son T.J. to suicide I find myself reading and watching everything I can about suicide in the hopes of learning something new that I can pass on to help raise awareness and prevent others from dying by their own hand. Emotions are running high concerning this series as people on one side condemn it while others advocate it should be required viewing. As with most issues I believe the reality lies somewhere in between. First and foremost, the series is out and kids are watching it, so what should you know about it? 13 Reasons Why portrays a young girl named Hanna
I was reading a book titled, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Sadly, Paul died at 36 of cancer. In the book’s epilogue, his wife stated “What happened to Paul WAS tragic, but he was NOT a tragedy.” This quote really resonated with me because, while T.J.'s death by suicide was beyond tragic, T.J. was not a tragedy. T.J. was amazing, funny, thoughtful, sensitive, kind and passionate. I have been blessed to meet other families who have lost children to suicide and these characteristics are common threads. All of these lives lost are tragic, but not one of these precious children was a tragedy. Their parents all share memories of love and laughter, of intelligent, compassionate, sens
Project Semicolon Dealing with a brain disorder like depression or anxiety is often a lifelong journey. There is no quick fix or miracle cure. Sometimes, every minute can seem like a battle for your life, but for those who seek treatment there can be relief and days of hope and joy. Because depression and anxiety are often episodic, a period of relief, which can be years, may be followed by bouts of extreme turbulence. There is no predicting when an episode may occur, but stress can be a trigger. I once read an account of someone battling depression in which the author stated, “It felt like my brain was trying to kill me. Being afraid of being afraid consumed all my thoughts.” I am one of th
