birth - The Bit in Between - death

One Death every 40 seconds. 

Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography via Compfight cc 

It is estimated by the World Health Organisation that each year approximately one million people die from suicide. 

One death every 40 seconds and it is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds.

Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 (male and female). Suicide attempts are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicides. (Source)

We have a problem. 

What is having suicidal depression truly like? 

What helps? 

Austrian born, Sinda Ruzio-Sabian, tells her story of living with Suicidal Depression. 

Is it an easy read? 

No, its painful because it is real. 

Sinda tells her story through poetry and prose. 

Many people believe that talking about suicide is dangerous. 

Sinda disagrees

'We need to bring it out into the open by sharing our lives with others in the hope that it can ameliorate the isolation, guilt and shame'

As I read the stories and the poems I was taken to the stories of many others that struggle with depression. 

The shame, guilt, and fear of telling others about what is really going on. Isolation creeps in and vulnerability increases. 

'The Bit in Between' brings the reality of  living with suicidal depression into a format that can be embraced by others. 

The hope is that by doing this others can truly connect with the struggle. 

Sinda gives the reader a set of tools she has collected over the years that has helped her.

• Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude
• Watch my vocabulary with myself, attempting to get rid of should's, have to's. 
• Daily readings - from various affirmative and twelve - step programmes' books.
• Meditation
• Listen to relaxing music/ sounds.
• Exercise
• Eat well.
• Sleep
• Socialise
• Ask - checking with friends that what they said is what I heard. 

Sinda shares her secrets. 

'They say you are as sick as the secrets you keep. Well all I now know is that until I started leaking with therapy I was a very sick puppy! Quite apart from the fact that I did start talking I wasn't aware of how sick I was. Sharing these feelings. Finding out what I wanted and how to express these wants. Bit by bit learning to be open with others was, and continues to be, a slow and often painful slog but the journey continues to worth it.'

Do you, or someone you know, struggle with suicidal depression? 

This could be a life saving book. 

You can purchase it at Amazon (Paper back and Kindle) or directly, by emailing the author. 



Like to leave a comment?

Barry Pearman

Finding God in the Simple Things of Life

 

Everyday's Life at 11:11 am by LiLauraLu

The last few months I have been looking at simplifying my life.
Having had my second run in with depression over the last 18 months I realized I needed to take time and smell the roses. However with expenses to meet I also had to juggle this with generating some income and a certain frugality. From this has come unexpected benefits.
I have started a little stress free business housecleaning and not only has this provided local income but also my fitness levels, already good, have dramatically improved. With the increase in petrol prices my mind wandered to the neglected push bike in the garage. I have now made a commitment to myself to walk or bike wherever possible within a 5-10 km radius of home.
I am now beginning to understand Brother Lawrence in his book The Practice of the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence was a seventeenth century lay brother who worshipped God while cleaning pots and pans and cobbling shoes. Although too poor to be a cleric many were attracted to him for his spiritual wisdom and peace.

Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God's presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him? Brother Lawrence

Now I am not such a saint as Brother Lawrence but I am discovering a certain freedom as I vacuum and as I cycle from job to job.
Like Brother Lawrence I do a lot of cooking, and somehow cooking from scratch is a very relaxing activity. For me I feel closer to God there, than at any other time.
If I quietly go from task to task there is a peace, and from that peace comes a certain ability to be there for others in a more relaxed way.
It also helps me be creative in art and writing as I have more time to think. In fact while in some sense I am less busy than I have been, I can see that as I recover from depression there is a certain productivity in pacing myself and spending that time doing commonplace tasks. Sometimes I don’t talk or particularly listen to God. But I know he is there.
Maybe that is why Paul never gave up tent making?
The more I am into this simple life style, the more I am convinced that I will carry this onwards.
I’m not sure how this will work out in terms of work and lifestyle but I am convinced that I am on the right track. I read the blog of Mr Money Moustache and although I don’t share all aspects of his philosophy I have had an insight into the wisdom of simplifying my wants. By doing this it gives our household more freedom to make good choices in how we live.
Does your lifestyle enable you to make good choices in how you live?
Janine Blackburn
Image by LiLauraLu Creative Commons Flickr
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Self Harm - The Path to Recovery

Guest Blog: Vanessa Taylor

Self Harm - The Path to Recovery
By: Dr Kate Middleton and Sara Garvie

Written by two authors with front line experience dealing with the reality of self harm, this book covers the basics of what self harm is, how it develops and what can be done to help those who suffer from it.

It explains self harm both from a psychiatric perspective as well as from the perspective of sufferers and their families and friends.

The authors use both facts and figures from the UK as well as excerpts written by sufferers at various stages of recovery.

This book would be very helpful to anyone who wants to know more about self harm, is supporting a sufferer, or who self harms themselves and is thinking about getting help, and/or starting recovery and wants to know what they can expect from the medical profession, family and friends.

This book provides a good coverage of the subject of self harm without being explicit and will help anyone reading it have more of an understanding of the subject, and for sufferers, may help remove some of the stigma, fear and isolation that often goes along with this condition.

I found this book to be one of the best, most comprehensive books on self harm that I have read to date, and I would highly recommend it as a must read book on the subject.
Vanessa Taylor

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