TW: Mentions and descriptions of suicide, depression, and mental illness.
Suicide remains one of the most prominent public health issues of our time that casts a shadow over many lives and communities. This complex issue has several underlying factors, and it’s our responsibility to research and understand the warning signs of suicide to not only help those around us but also to help ourselves.
1. The Last Time We Say Goodbye
After Lex’s brother, Tyler, takes his own life, Lex’s world is shattered, leaving her with a flood of emotions and unanswered questions.
Cynthia Hand’s book focuses on the effects of a loved one committing suicide and shows the process of rebuilding their life after such a loss. Lex’s story paints a nuanced portrait of this experience and captures the silent battles everyone struggles with.
2. Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me: Depression in the First Person
Anna Mehler Paperny’s memoir revolves around her own major suicide attempt in her 20s. Being a reporter, she uses her skills to research suicide and depression to understand her own condition as well as the medical treatments available.
Paperny includes many interviews with medical experts across the US and Canada, as well as survivors. This memoir offers a raw and insightful look into her journey and shows the reality of living with mental health issues.
3. Life After Suicide: Finding Courage, Comfort & Community After Unthinkable Loss
Jennifer Ashton M.D.’s story follows the tragic loss of her ex-husband shortly after their divorce and discusses how it impacted her family.
Being part of one of the world’s biggest media companies, Ashton often relays many experiences but initially found discussing her personal loss too difficult. She came to realize that talking about her experience and sharing her emotions with everyone gave power to her grief, and she hopes that her revelations can help those affected by or struggling with suicide.
4. The Astonishing Color of After
When Leigh Chen Sanders’s mother dies by suicide, she believes that her mother has been turned into a bird. So, she travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time in search of the bird.
Emily X.R. Pan’s novel covers love, grief, and finding solace in family history. The story of Leigh Chen Sanders is a story for young adults that provides a deeper but sensitive understanding of mental health and suicide.
5. Diaries of My Older Sister: Depression and Suicide in Korea, Asia, and America
Terry Bu’s book follows the last 13 years of research he has compiled after his sister’s suicide. The research and understanding of this global pandemic are based on her diary entries, with Bu discussing how his sister saw herself and the world around her.
Diaries of My Older Sister include the mental habits of people dealing with mental health issues while offering an important and personal insight into understanding the perspective of those who struggle with depression.
These five books offer a profound exploration of suicide and mental health through diverse perspectives and narratives. Using varied approaches, these authors give the public true and raw experiences that everyone struggles with. As we turn these pages, we are often filled with sorrow and grief for those we have lost, but we can find strength and hope in those who share their stories.
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