This week on Comm Talk, we are talking about dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Depression and thoughts of suicide is a difficult thing. There’s a lot that encompasses those things, so much so that people tend to avoid it. Before we get too far into this, let us specify that we are NOT medical professionals. We do not claim to be experts in this realm. We are, however, people who have seen a few things, experienced other things, and walk with friends as they struggled with the above subjects.

We decided to take on this topic for our podcast in the wake of the tragic suicides of celebrity chef  Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer Kate Spade. These were people in the spotlight who seemingly had things under control, yet they had something that they were struggling with. So what led to this? How do respond and avoid the same tragic outcome? We talk about several things in this podcast but we boil it down to a  points

Say Something

We believe that it begins with simply being vocal. Being honest and open about what it is you’re struggling with isn’t easy. But how can someone help you if they don’t know what’s going on? Jody Dyess of Say Something School Assemblies was once asked about what’s the best advice you can give someone who may be struggling with depression and he said,

“Don’t hold it in silence… talk to somebody. Talk to somebody you love and respect that will listen to you. One of the biggest lies out there is sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you. It’s a big lie. They [words] stack up on you big and will destroy you.”

Take a balanced approach

As people of faith, we do believe that there is a spiritual side to depression and thoughts of suicide. There are people who have opened doors to their lives that are a root cause of the depression, but at the same time, depression itself is a very medical based condition. We do firmly believe that God can heal people from depression but at the same time, He’s given us people who have trained and studied to be able to help people. There is a balance to the healing process. Seek medical help if you need it while you seek Jesus.

Talk to Others

We began this by asking people to be vocal about their struggles. Now we ask that you to keep an eye out and be vocal with others whom you suspect may be dealing with depression. Let them know that they are loved and that there is hope. Many dealing with depression suffer from feelings of isolation, so let them know that they are not alone. Also, talk with other people about the facts behind suicide.

Suicide is Currently the 10th leading cause of death in our country.
44,965 people die yearly from this disease
For every successful suicide, 25 more have been attempted.
That’s 1,104,825 suicides attempted every year.
123 people die daily from it!

If you need help or know someone who needs help check out the following info for the Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 or Text 741-741

In the podcast, we referenced a few things. Click the links below to see them!

 Victims and Villains
https://www.victimsandvillains.net/

Our Interview with Josh of V&V
https://geekdevotions.com/2018/05/01/how-to-be-a-light-to-those-dealing-with-depression-and-suicide-extra-tuesday/

Say Something School Assemblies
http://saysomethingassembly.com/

How to be a Professor X to Bullied People: Article Dallas wrote for Geeks Under Grace
http://www.geeksundergrace.com/christian-living/how-to-be-the-professor-x-to-bullied-people-in-need/

Podcast Version of that article is Episode 14 of Comm Talk:
http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/014-how-to-be-professor-x-to-bullied-people_113565http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/014-how-to-be-professor-x-to-bullied-people_113565