MYTHS AND FACT ABOUT SUICIDE (PART 1)
There's a story that recently went viral about a man named Kevin Berthia, who wanted to commit suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge in 2005, a place where, at the time, over 1,700 people had taken their lives. He was the father of a premature daughter who blamed himself for the suffering his daughter faced, and had immense depression because he couldn't afford to pay her hospital bill and had lost his job. He believed his daughter would be better off without him. Just as he was about to jump, a police officer, also named Kevin (Officer Kevin Briggs), asked him why he was standing at the edge of the bridge. For 92 minutes, he poured out his heart, and for the first time in his life, Kevin Berthia went on to become an advocate for mental health.
Despite struggling with depression for most of his life, Kevin was known as the life of the party in high school and his early twenties, so do not assume that someone with a bubbly personality is alright.
Like in our last post, Kevin Berthia is a suicide survivor, so he has lived experience, which drove him in his work for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. But Officer Kevin Briggs is not a suicide survivor. Like Officer Briggs, you too can extend a hand to someone standing at the edge they are about to jump from; you can shine a light on the path of someone who feels it is too dark to keep walking; you can give a listening ear to a burdened person so they can unburden themselves. And if you are the one in need of these things, there's help all around you. It's only a phone call away.
There are so many myths about suicidal thoughts. One common one is that if you talk to people about it, it would push them to do it. Kevin Berthia and so many other survivors are proof that this isn't true. Here are some common myths and facts about suicide.
Myths and Facts: Suicide Prevention
1. Myth: Asking someone if they're suicidal will put the idea in their head.
Fact: Research consistently shows the opposite. Asking directly often brings relief and opens the door to help.
2. Myth: People who talk about suicide are just seeking attention and won't actually do it.
Fact: Most people who die by suicide gave some warning sign beforehand. Talking about it should always be taken seriously.
3. Myth: Suicide happens without warning.
Fact: Many people show signs first: withdrawal, hopelessness, giving away possessions, changes in mood or sleep. They're just often missed or dismissed.
4. Myth: Only people with a mental illness die by suicide.
Fact: While mental illness raises risk, many people who die by suicide have no diagnosed condition. Life stress, loss, and isolation can be enough on their own.
5. Myth: Once someone decides to end their life, nothing can change their mind.
Fact: Suicidal crises are often short-lived. Getting through that window, with support, safety measures, and connection, saves lives.
6. Myth: People who attempt suicide and survive were never serious.
Fact: A prior attempt is one of the strongest predictors of future risk. It should always be treated as serious, not dismissed.
7. Myth: Talking about suicide is taboo and should be avoided.
Fact: Silence fuels stigma. Open, compassionate conversation is one of the most powerful prevention tools we have.
8. Myth: Suicide only affects certain groups, like teenagers or people in crisis.
Fact: It cuts across every age group, profession, and background, including people who seem successful or composed.
9. Myth: If someone wants to die, there's nothing family or friends can do to help.
Fact: Presence matters. Checking in, listening without judgment, and helping someone access care can genuinely shift outcomes.
10. Myth: Recovery from suicidal thoughts is rare or impossible.
Fact: With the right support, most people who experience suicidal thoughts go on to live full lives. Crisis is not a permanent state.
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