Suicide. We don’t talk about it. When it happens we whisper, almost afraid to say it out loud. A secret, shhh. Don’t tell. Too painful to talk about? Maybe. But there is more. Unable to wrap our heads around this most drastic and final step, we, as a society, place blame: on the victim, his family and friends. Unsure of what to say we are often silent. And silence is the exact opposite of what is needed to support those who are struggling with deep depression, and their families too.

Article: Stigma’s Impact on Suicide. Robert Gebbia, CEO at The  American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP), writes about how stigma can impede someone from getting help before a suicide attempt; and then after a suicide how stigma leaves surviving family members feeling isolated.

Article: Shine Your Light of Hope… Kathryn Goetzke, founder and President of iFred (International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression) talks about rebranding depression in order to end stigma and hopelessness.

Fast Facts: Suicide
Pinterest: Countering the stigma of suicide
Research: The stigma of suicide