Frances Gonzalez: Representation and Storytelling in Suicide Prevention and Mental Health

Talk #6: Frances Gonzalez (@fgonzalezwrites) - "Representation and Storytelling in Suicide Prevention and Mental Health" #affectconf

@fgonzalezwrites .@fgonzalezwrites works for the National Disaster and Distress Line (@distressline), a unique service for mental health wrt disasters.

This talk is about the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (@800273TALK), where she also works.

It took her a while to share about her own experiences with suicidality. She did not talk about it when she interviewed.

When asked about family history of suicidal thoughts, she said she didn't know. Her family never talked about it.

There is a push now for the value of lived experiences—folks who have survived suicidality or suicide attempts—in supporting others.

For everyone who dies of suicide, over 270 survive. That's a lot of voices and people who can better help the others.

She didn't see a lot of representation of her own experience as an asian-american woman.

The Papageno effect: suicide rates go down when suicidal folks hear stories of hope and survival from survivors.

Destigmatize suicide by not using the term "commit suicide," which is associated with crime. Use "died by suicide" or "killed themself."

How do we find the stories and amplify them in a way that includes others and invites a larger discussion?

We're opening for questions now. Discussing collaborations with peer support groups.

.@Logic301 made a song and music video with their number in it!  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/08/28/the-story-behind-logics-powerful-suicide-prevention-anthem-1-800-273-8255/ …

A lot of issues are causes and effects of suicidality, such as drug use, chronic pain, etc.)

5 actions to help a suicidal person:  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-someone-else/ …

Q: How do you talk to elder Asian (American) folks in your life about suicide? A: Just starting the conversation is a huge step.

Q: Do hotlines not allow folks with suicidal ideation to work for them? A: Case by case, although there is that push for lived experience.

"One of the reasons I want to change the phrase 'hope and recovery' is because for me, it implies that these things happen in your past."

"And that you recover from them. And they are a blip in the radar and that you move on with your life," which is not always the case.

@fgonzalezwrites, do you have a donate link, Patreon, or something else you'd like to plug at the end of this thread?

@dmurring That's a wonderful question, thank you for offering - I'd love if people could donate to their local crisis centers.  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/donate/ 

My work is always free, so yr financial support is extremely valuable! Tips:  http://paypal.me/dmurring  Patreon:  http://patreon.com/dmurring