by Tamarack Song
While we undoubtedly hope that we would be able to recognize and prevent others from taking their own lives, being confronted with such a situation isn’t something many of us have had experience with in the past. It is my hope that this text be a resource to those who have chosen to take positions with hotlines, in mentoring, and any who would like to equip themselves with a skill set to prepare for the possibility that there may come a time when someone’s life depends upon access to understanding, care, and awareness.
Even though I approach the topic of suicide with utmost seriousness, I take it as only the tip of the iceberg. Many tormented people function under the radar, keeping themselves buoyed by coping mechanisms, sheer persistence, and sometimes just plain denial. Some of them will become actively suicidal, yet most of them just go on leading lives of quiet desperation. As critical an issue as suicide is, let’s not let it detract us from all the others whose lives are just as compromised, whether or not they ever become actively suicidal.
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