How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person’s Guide to Suicide Prevention

357 Pages·2009·1.71 MB·English

by  Susan Rose Blauner

How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to
Kill Me

ONE PERSON’S GUIDE TO SUICIDE PREVENTION
SUSAN ROSE BLAUNER
To you
I thank all who have been my legs when I could not walk and my eyes
when I could not see, but most of all I thank Sylvia, for teaching me
how to be a person on this planet
Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.
And he answered: Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises
was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,
the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the
very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?

—KAHLIL GIBRAN, The Prophet
Contents

EPIGRAPH

WELCOME

FORWARD

EDITOR’S NOTE: WHY THIS BOOK MATTERS TO ME

ONE
SO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO DIE?

Hello

The Reality of Suicidal Fantasy

Moderation and Time Limits

Me

Finding Life Essence

Change (Arghhh) and Choices

TWO
OUTTHINKING SUICIDE

Breathing

The Language of Suicide
The Neuron Superhighway

The Grim Reaper

Brain Style

Recognizing and Avoiding Triggers

Stopping the Snowball

Finding Relief

THREE
TRICKS OF THE TRADE

TRICK #1
Asking for Help

TRICK #2
Emergency Contacts

TRICK #3
A Crisis Plan

TRICK #4
Feelings

Identifying Feelings

Feelings Chart

Feelings Galore List

Tracing Feelings Back

Stating a Feeling

TRICK #5
Feelings Versus Facts
TRICK #6
The Brady Bunch Syndrome

TRICK #7
Spirituality, Nature, Meditation

Spirituality

Nature

Meditation

TRICK #8
Acting As If

TRICK #9
HALT

Hungry

Angry

Lonely

Tired

TRICK #10
Keeping a Journal

TRICK #11
Tasks and Activities—Healthy Diversions

TRICK #12
The Telephone Lifeline and Phone Lists

TRICK #13
Contracts for Safety

TRICK #14
Brain Food