Thinking about Suicide?
By Mark Ragins, MD – campus psychiatrist CSULB
Was there ever a more uncomfortable conversation starter?
They say to talk to someone if you’re thinking about suicide, but how do you even start that conversation? Whoever you tell is going to freak out. (To be fair, unless you’re used to your own suicidal thoughts, it’s likely it freaks you out too.) They’ll think you have a mental illness – which we all “know” is just a nice way of saying you’re crazy. They’ll tell you to see a mental health professional, or a psychiatrist, and then they’ll lock you up in a hospital, and call your parents, and everyone will know and…and…and…. Slow down a minute. Don’t panic. (As it happens I am the campus psychiatrist and I’m not that scary and I haven’t locked anyone up in years - and she was so high, she was slithering across the street thinking she was a snake.)
