Talking Them Down: A guide to communicating with a suicidal person
On an April day in 2017, Milwaukee Fire Chief John Litchford was driving home when he came across a “red flag” situation. A woman, most likely in her 20s, was sitting on a dangerous part of the bridge. “I recognized someone on top of the Hoan Bridge, outside of their vehicle, sitting on the rail,”…
Read more
Opinion – The Politicization of Mental Health: How to Break Down the Stigma & the Silence
Katie Posthuma-Bain shares her thoughts on the politicization of mental health. Suicide. An impulsive decision that often results in death. In Milwaukee, jumping from the Hoan Bridge may not be the way most suicide attempts take place, but the annual average of one known death, according to Prevent Suicide Greater Milwaukee, is still one…
Read more
‘Freedom From Depression’ Book Review
Reading the book “Freedom from Depression; 6 keys to eliminating emotional pain,” did more than providing a heart throbbing reality of depression that rests in millions of Americans today, it also provided the necessary tool and strategies to overcome the truth and stigma behind depression. Dr. Anthony Piparao does this by providing statistics and studies from…
Read more
The Signs of Suicide, Handled With Care
Five years ago Travis Pipes’ life was spiraling out of control. He was struggling with drug addiction, anxiety and depression. Pipes had almost given up on his life, but he stopped himself. He recognized that there was something seriously wrong. Before taking any drastic measures, Pipes called Kevin Hines who was a survivor of attempted…
Read more
Officers Are Civilians Too
“We see dead bodies, we see abused children, [and] bad accidents” are just some of the tragedies Sergeant Adam Malcara of the City of Racine explained when describing what officers see on the job. Officers can encounter suicide both externally in their work and internally after the job. With law enforcement suicide rates being…
Read more
The Peer Support Team at the City of Racine Police Department
911 – it’s what we dial during an emergency and first responders are present within a short period of time. As members of the public, we can count on first responders to help us when we are in a crisis situation. But not often enough do we consider who those first responders turn to when…
Read more
Three-to-six questions to save a life: The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale
Talking about suicide – whether with an acquaintance, friend or family member – isn’t easy. Even for psychologists and social workers, knowing what to say or how to ask can be difficult. This is why Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Pittsburgh – supported by the National Institute of Mental Health…
Read more
Freedom from Stigmas on Suicide and Mental Health
Dr. Anthony Piparo is on a mission. He wants to help people become free from depression. Piparo lost his son to suicide in March of 2017, when he was only 36-years-old. T.J. struggled with depression ever since he was diagnosed with a learning disability as a little boy. His parents, Piparo and his wife, both…
Read more
More than “I” in Suicide
Suicide. The word sends chills down your spine and makes your heart drop when referring to someone you know. But when you add suicide to a college setting– that feeling may become more intensified because of the number of students suffering from a mental illness. According to NAMI, when looking at young adults and teens,…
Read more