Their apathy amid this family’s crisis was unbearable. Not long afterward some neighbors called to complain. Her young son had died by suicide in the entryway of their community. One evening, in a suicide survivors group, I listened as a mother described her agony. Especially after someone suffers the loss of a child. For half of my life, though, I thought I was Jesus’s sister. I understood that the repercussions would be awful if I let people know about my issues. I had been groomed to pretend that I was normal. Schizophrenia ran in my family, and at the age of 25, I was blindsided with the illness. I am from an era that didn’t talk about it. Mental illness was something I had been raised to shy away from. It was as though the thought of any impending doom in the future didn’t matter. My daughter grew apathetic about homework due dates, when all of her life she had been so conscientious money problems that were sure to crop up were ignored. I don’t know how I didn’t see it: not worrying about future consequences. I keep coming back to one such warning sign, one that is so obvious now. In the decade since her death, Nadine has been stunned by the cruelty of some reactions, and healed by the kindness of others. Janis died by suicide about a year after this photo was taken. Nadine Murray with her daughter Janis at high school graduation. Related: Do you need help? Contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Maybe those things can be brushed off as “just a phase,” or maybe they’re indicative of a plan that you just can’t see. Others are more subtle: giving away something that was once coveted, or neglecting personal hygiene. When it comes to suicide, some warning signs are obvious: self-harm, for example. Janis had attended the College of Charleston for her freshman year, and decided to stay there in an apartment off campus, rather than come home to Myrtle Beach for the summer. Any child or adolescent with suicidal thoughts or plans should be evaluated immediately by a trained and qualified mental health professional.It happened on a brutally hot night, in July, in Charleston, South Carolina. Parents, teachers, and friends should always err on the side of caution and safety. Rather than putting thoughts in your child's head, these questions can provide assurance that somebody cares and will give your child the chance to talk about problems.
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