Our Suicidal Teenagers is a story in two halves. The first half is a written account of the authors experience of the impact of her daughter’s decline in mental health and the thoughts and feelings relating to suicide. This truly is every parent’s worst nightmare and there are no words that can adequately describe the pain of living through such an experience for both parent and child. This is a trauma that runs deep and with scars that will never disappear, or fully heal. In the author’s time of need, her faith was challenged, as she sought the support of the church for her and her family, to help them through this traumatic period.
Whilst the book may serve as a trigger for those who have lived through this painful experience, it is a book that many families affected by suicide can relate to. In a strange way, reading another person’s story can help a little, even if it is simply knowing that you are not alone. I speak from personal experience.
The Author’s story not only raises awareness on the devastating impact on the family as a whole and the helplessness felt, but in a family with a strong Christian faith. The Author’s personal experience leaving her to feel let down by the church she had turned to for support. She goes on to detail how she fought to get the support she needed and to raise awareness so that others affected by suicide within the church community would not experience the same or quite as alone.
In the second half of the book, the Author then focusses on the evidence and research that she had undertaken relating to suicide and poor mental health and how this helped her campaign. This being the subject of her dissertation. For readers who have an interest in theoretical studies and this topic, the second half will provide much interest and an engaging read with references throughout that can be researched further. For me personally I did feel in the latter part of the book that this was too heavy with the theory and the numerous sources of references listed, and I would have liked to have seen more of the authors own words, thoughts and interpretation of the material she has read interspersed throughout to balance this up more.
An emotive, well written and resource focussed read, and to which I award 4 stars.
