overdose or BLADE

In preparation for National Suicide Prevention Week, September 4-12 we present this special on-line offering for the month of August. This course is designed to provide you with tools which may help you understand and cope with your child, specifically your “tween / or teen” and their desire to end their life. I am not a licensed therapist or psychologist. I am a professional performance and life coach, practicing for twenty years, assisting and directing many of my clients on to personal and satisfying success.

This program is important to me because I have lived this nightmare for nine years. You see, I am the lucky father of two beautiful, gifted, and talented young ladies, ten years apart. In the late spring of 2015 I received a call from my youngest daughter’s middle school health office. She was found in a corner of a remote corridor trying to strangle / choke herself ‘to death’. They said she was despondent and belligerent, and insisted it was necessary to come and get her and take her to an emergency room asap. She no longer wanted to live.

I couldn’t believe it. Not my girl. Admittedly she was a bit of a rebel, occasionally moody, but she was always playing around and having a good time. She was, for the most part a happy go-lucky kid with a great sense of humor. There was no way she would do such a thing. Or so I thought.

The school was only about three minutes from our house so I rushed over to pick her up. When I walked into the office and saw her sitting there, it was as though she was someone else. She had no reaction to me whatsoever. I was crushed! Especially since earlier this morning when I dropped her off for school, it was like every other morning. Memories I cherish to this day. She’d bounce out of the car and dash up the steps. When she got to the doors, she’d turn to me and blow me a kiss and then disappear inside.
I knelt down beside her and said, “You okay, Sweetheart?”
She screamed I should leave her alone. The school counselor came up to me and explained that because of the danger to herself and possibly others I must take her to the hospital ER immediately - I really don’t recall anything else that was said after that. I was numb.
The ER was twenty-five minutes away. I will never forget that trip. She was indeed despondent, belligerent, and extremely verbally abusive. I said and did everything wrong on the way there. In my shock and horror I only made the situation worse. Little did I know this was the beginning of an ordeal that would continue for the next three quarters of a decade.
I created “overdose or BLADE” to educate, inform and enlighten you, should you come face to face with this nightmare. You’ll learn what I’ve done wrong and what I’ve done right so that you may navigate and manage your journey with wisdom and understanding. It IS the elephant in the room people are now learning not to ignore.
What I want you to know is that tween and teen suicides are on the rise in horrific numbers. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), in collaboration with experts from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suicide and suicidal behavior among youth and young adults is a major public health crisis. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people 10-24 years of age in the United States (US), and rates have been rising for decades.

I never in my wildest dreams ever felt, thought or believed my daughter would lose her will to live. In this program I will share my story, contributing factors and what I’ve learned that together we may begin the conversation. We will:
8/1/2022: DISCOVER and discuss the behaviors, symptoms, and terminology
8/8/2022: KNOW and discuss the warning signs, how to react and what to say.
8/15/2022: ACCEPT your circumstances, emotions and consequences.
8/22/2022: MANAGE your family dynamics, expectations and available resources.
While we are still vetting charitable organizations. We pledge 15% of the proceeds for this event to a charitable organization which supports mental health in tweens and teens.

By informing you, you will be able to manage, navigate and take control of your family’s options. There is hope!

And don’t forget the new national mental health / suicide hot line is up and running!
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Dial 988

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