Goondwindi Argus
Words from those who chose life
30 Jun 2017
Exerpt from article by John Malouff
Have you ever thought about killing yourself? I did once, briefly. I considered a permanent solution for what turned out to be a temporary problem.
Lots of people think about suiciding at some point. A survey showed that 4 per cent of adults thought about suicide in the prior 12 months. Australia averages about eight suicides a day, almost every one with friends and family left behind. Suicide does not so much end suffering as distribute it.
I have been involved recently in training volunteers for a new Lifeline face-to-face counselling program in Armidale.
I gave them a copy of the Reasons for Living Inventory they can use if they have a client with suicidal thoughts. Among the reasons for living: I still have many things left to do; I am curious about what will happen in the future; I have a responsibility to my family; I have the courage to face life.
Marsha Linehan created the Reasons for Living Inventory. Her interest grew from her own teen suicidal attempts. After surviving that difficult period, she became a psychologist famous for developing a treatment for borderline personality disorder: dialectical behaviour therapy.
Read the whole article here .