Thoughts From A Licensed Therapist: Meghan Revealing Her Struggle With Suicidal Thoughts is Tragic, and So Important
Via Bruce Detorres on Flickr
If you are having suicidal thoughts, you are not alone. Support can be found at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) in the USA and SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources internationally.
Yesterday, in their interview with Oprah, Meghan & Harry opened up about Meghan’s suicidal thoughts and Harry’s grave concern for her well-being during the intense scrutiny she received as a Royal. It was deeply troubling to hear about how dark Meghan’s thoughts were, at one point saying she “just didn’t want to be alive anymore.” Even more troubling, is that Meghan asked for, and was denied, mental health support in her time of need.
I am a licensed psychologist, and my brother died by suicide 12 years ago.
It was the most painful and harrowing experience of my life. If suicide was talked about then the way people are starting to now, maybe he would still be alive today. As a survivor of suicide loss, it’s especially heartbreaking to hear that Meghan tried to seek help and was denied.
I take comfort in knowing that Meghan’s courage to open up and bring attention to the realities of mental illness will literally save lives.
Being educated, famous, wealthy, or even royal doesn’t make you immune to mental illness. In the case of Meghan, it makes her more susceptible to harm because she is a woman of color. This is a reminder to all of us to have more compassion for others, especially to those whom we *mistakenly* think have a perfect life. This is a reminder that racism is pervasive in all levels of society and it’s our responsibility to do something about it. We need to check in on our strong friends. We need to judge less and love more. We just do.
The British tabloids have been horrendously toxic for decades. I want to say a very big thank you to every news outlet writing about the Oprah interview that is responsibly posting information on how to get mental health support. This is more important than you may ever know. Someone in the world feels a little less judged and more willing to seek support because of this. This is how we break down mental health stigma.
If you are suffering with depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, I hope you feel less alone. I hope you find the courage to seek help, and that when you do, you receive it. I hope that when you share your struggles, people believe you. I hope that, despite what it may feel like, you find a way to remember how deeply worthy you are of a full and happy life. It may not feel like things can get better, but they can and they do.
With love,
Dr. Therese