Weekly News Roundup May 15 – 22, 2017
Every day we scan news headlines and social media for items of interest to the field of suicide prevention. Here’s what we found last week:
Featured:
Netflix’s new release 13 Reasons Why, which follows the story of a girl who died by suicide after being bullied and sexually assualted, continues to be in the news this week. Mara Grunau, Executive Director for CSP, spoke with several news outlets in the past couple of weeks regarding the series, noting that the series does not adhere to media guidelines for suicide reporting, and could therefore be triggering to those already at risk of suicide.
Talking about suicide with teens – Ryan Jesperson Show
May 2, 2017
Talking about suicide with students – Alberta Primetime
May 16, 2017
How a remote California tribe set out to save its river and stop a suicide epidemic – Los Angeles Times
May 20, 2017
A reserve in California where the Yurok Indigenous people live has experienced the suicide deaths of 7 of their people in just a 15 month period, placing their rate at 14 times the national American average. The reserve’s main source of income, the salmon that swim through the Klamath River, are coming in fewer and fewer numbers, and for the last 50 years, the reserve has fallen into poverty and addiction.This feature article talks about the Yurok people who have died by suicide, and how the tribe had to overcome the stigma of suicide in order to discuss openly what was happening to their people, and what they’re doing to change it. “Many felt drawn again to their ancient ways. They enrolled their children in workshops that taught them how to gather food and medicine, smoke salmon, build eel baskets. A group of men began meeting every week in a sweat lodge to discuss their problems.”
Death by a thousand cuts – Walrus
May 19, 2017
A mother describes her struggles with obtaining proper psychiatric care within the Canadian heath care system for her daughter, Tamara, who ultimately died by suicide after waiting weeks and sometimes months to see mental health specialists: “If people like me do not describe what the system is like for mental-health patients and their loved ones, nothing will change.”
Death of Chris Cornell, front man of Soundgarden, ruled a suicide – NPR
May 18, 2017
Chris Cornell, 52, was a leader in the grunge rock movement of the 90’s as front man of the band Soundgarden. Cornell died by suicide last week, and is being remembered for his contributions to the music industry. He struggled with alcohol and drug abuse and depression.
Related: It’s not what you think – The first ten words (blog)
May 20, 2017
This blogger, while struggling to deal with the suicide death of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, discusses Cornell’s contemporaries, and how many of them also lived, and died, with mental health issues.
Dancing towards the light – CBC
May 16, 2017
Many youth are dying by suicide in Arviat, an Inuit hamlet, but Andy Evaloakjuk is hoping to curb the rampant hopelessness and boredom felt by youth in the community with dance. He and other like-minded youth have begun organizing teen dance nights, where young people can get together to have fun and feel connected.
A suicide therapist’s secret past – New York Times
May 11, 2017
This article chronicles a psychotherapist’s own struggles with depression and anxiety, and that despite the fact that she was helping others, was unable to help herself for a long time. After a suicide attempt, she was able to begin the road to recovery she continues on today.