Suicide

It is easy to think of the end of year holidays as having the greatest risk for suicide, but they are not. Or, if not then, it must be winter, right? Well, no doubt those times and experiences are difficult and I've worked with many (hundreds and hundreds) during those times who were suicidal, at risk for suicide, or who lost loved ones by suicide. Be careful though as this year progresses. Statistically, April, early spring, has been the month with the highest risk for suicide in the U.S. And, Mondays are the most frequented day of the week for a suicide. For all, especially professional mental health workers, it may be best to add these two factors to your concern for others. Let us not be fooled to believe that if someone survives a holiday or winter, or if we survive a weekend, and start a new year or week, all is or will be well. It may be more our wishful thinking or projected hope than reality, and a tragic consequence may follow. One thing I've learned as a suicidology and psychotherapist (and continue to work to perfect), is that understanding is a dynamic process. We never stop learning and never know it all. We learn from each other, if we open our self to it. I've learned, often the hard way, that what we think we know as fact or truth may not be. I've learned, silly as it sounds, that I am not God. I never will know it all and, when I think I do, I often get slapped in the face with the real truth and feel my imperfection and inadequacy. I'm brought to that undesirable, yet well deserved level of humility. My wife is someone who is a great gift for tempering my ego and helping me see the Light. May we all move ahead, never thinking or feeling we are THE final word of truth, yet may move towards it, if we remain open to learning and working together.