Suicide is an extreme on the continuum of severity of harm to the self. We enact violence against ourselves also through addictions, substance abuse, physical self-harm (such as cutting), and distorted relationships with food (too much, not enough, or eating junk). We self-sabotage by procrastinating to ensure failure, by “pushing away” healthy, loving relationships, and many other ways. We subject ourselves to insidious, vicious messages through negative self-talk (I’m so stupid; I don’t deserve to be happy, etc). We self-destruct through stress, risky behaviours, and consistently ignoring or downplaying our own pain. Of course, these tendencies are themselves usually reactions to violence perpetrated against us from the outside.
Darkness Calls ( - 3.78MB)
Here is a story about a teenager who is bullied at school, misunderstood by his teacher and feels isolated from his family. Darkness Calls (link above) is a suicide prevention publication available from theThe First Nations Centre. For more resources on suicide prevention for First Nations youth explore: Honouring Life Network.
Youth In Care
When we don’t know how to deal with life we often take it out on our selves and those around us, participating in really dangerous behavior. Watch a young woman’s journey from foster home to foster home and finally to the discovery that lashing out and self harm is not the right way to deal with hurt.
Video
Pictures
- 3.78MB)