Speaking of Suicide

Key Takeaways Escapism and Isolation: Dean’s gambling began as an escape from heartbreak and emotional pain — but it quickly turned into the very thing that deepened his despair and pushed him into isolation. Addiction and Accountability: Years of hiding and lying brought him to breaking point, culminating in suspension from the police and prison. Only when he accepted gambling as an illness did r...

“Living your life in two cultures, mentally and physically, is a huge burden to carry all your life.” Key Takeaways: 1. Suicide and mental health exist in every community — even when they’re hidden Mental health struggles and suicide are not confined by geography, gender or ethnicity. Within Sikh and Punjabi communities, stigma and silence can make these issues almost invisible — but absence of st...

“I’m in control of my mind. My mind’s not in control of me.” In this raw and moving conversation Linda shares her journey through identity loss, marital breakdown, job loss, bereavement, severe mental illness and a planned suicide attempt. What began as a gradual loss of confidence spiralled into overwhelming paranoia, intrusive thoughts and the terrifying sense that she was harming those she love...

“Suicidal ideation in perimenopausal women is seven times higher at this stage of life than at any other point in a woman’s life.” – Dr. Sam Whiteside In this powerful episode of Speaking of Suicide, host Pennie Stuart speaks with Dr. Sam Whiteside of Whiteside Wellbeing , a GP and menopause specialist, about the overlooked ental health consequences of perimenopause and menopause. With an estimate...

“Our quilt is redressing the balance. It’s about how our loved ones lived their lives — and how we remember them.” In this deeply moving episode of Speaking of Suicide, Pennie Stuart meets Susan Finlay and Sue Henderson from Lothian Speak Their Name to explore a remarkable community project: a touring memorial quilt honouring lives lost to suicide. Each of the 49 squares has been lovingly created...

“I felt like a pair of scissors that was split in half and you just couldn't do anything… every single decision, every single part of your life is intertwined with Alan. And then to not have that, I just felt completely lost.” What does it mean to become a widow at 31? In this deeply raw episode of Speaking of Suicide, Lisa shares what life has looked like since her husband Alan died by suicide in...

"I started to grieve for everything he was losing long before we lost him...it wasn't just him that couldn't see any future clearly, it was me too" Key takeaways from this podcast Serious mental illness doesn't happen overnight, its a slow emergence We need to re-think how we work with families and loved ones An inspirational example of turning grief into positive conversations for change Jacqui l...

"I think it's really important if people are struggling and they have reached out that you take that time. I try to be as kind and caring and compassionate as I possibly can be" Key takeaways from this podcast We need to build in time, space and compassion to our lives to help and support people who are struggling. We all have a part to play in that in our lives. We can have these courageous conve...

"my heart was stopping, I couldn't breathe, I felt like I was dying, I couldn't see that it would ever be ok" Counsellor Shona Macpherson's key takeaways from this podcast The shock of losing someone to suicide can be utterly physical. Don't be surprised if your body shuts down in order to protect itself from the pain of grief. Friendship groups can be incredibly important to get you through extre...

Maike’s father died by suicide when she was 21. For the following 30 years she has been not just coming to terms with the impact his death had on her, her mental health and wellbeing, but following a path of acceptance about his death. This journey to acceptance isn’t to hold guilt or shame herself, but to allow the impact of her life trauma to be contained. By accepting her situation and circumst...

Meet Alex and Cammy, probably two of the last guys you'd ever look at and think they had mental health struggles but like loads of us, they do, but they've found a way to cope through the support of Andy's Man Club. In the 2nd of our episodes from the remarkable Wilderness Wellbeing Retreat in the remote Scottish Highlands, Alex and Cammy from share their recovery journeys. For Alex it’s a story w...

"Its been fantastic, I've done so many firsts, challenged so many fears ... I'm leaving feeling wonderful both physically and mentally" How did Daz manage to go from extreme social anxiety to the above statement in a single weekend? Listen up to this week's ep! After years of battling her mental health due to a chronic skin condition, Yazzie Basan turned her own mental ill health into a mission to...

"Because I've seen suicide so persistent in my family, its felt like that's what I would have to do, or the only way that I would die" Key takeaways from this podcast Generational trauma as a result of suicide is real and shows trauma can be passed on from one generation to the next silence around suicide can breed shame understanding the pain of loss to suicide is hard but showing yourself love a...

"I wrote on a piece of paper 'you're self-harming' then ripped it up...looking back I'm really proud that I wrote it down and put it there. If you're going to tell yourself something, say it loud!" Key takeaways from this podcast Self-harm can take many forms and happen for many different reasons Accepting the truth of self-harm for yourself can be really important Meeting self-harm with empathy a...

"I never got to say goodbye, and he never said it to me, so our relationship, albeit in different forms, goes on" Key takeaways from this podcast Reframing our language to acknowledge that grief is a 'living' experience rather than a past-tense 'lived one' can be really helpful Relationships don't necessarily end with death framing helpful and courageous questions which can be answered, rather tha...

“The anticipation of putting money on and the build-up of thinking you’d get something back” Key takeaways from this podcast You can be vulnerable, upset and angry, its about dealing with them Gambling will eat you alive until you get out of it Recovery lies in honesty, with yourself and then others Ross Kemp discovered the thrill of gambling from a young age.  He traces it back to the amusem...

“We’ve found him. He’s not alive. And it’s clear he has done it to himself” were the 15 words that would change Caroline Roodhouse’s life beyond imagination. Key takeaways from this podcast The value of friends at a time of crisis - none of us can do this alone The importance of compassion and kindness in supporting someone through grief That healing is possible through trust, love and community B...

"I'm a nurse of nearly 40 years and I didn't realise that after Ian's death that both myself and our children, Beth and all the children, were at higher risk of dying to suicide. That never actually entered my head." Key takeaways from this episode: If you lose a loved one to suicide that puts you at significant risk of suicide yourself and other mental health problems, particularly in the first y...

"How was a nine-year-old supposed to feel? I didn't know what to say or think. I was emotionless at the time...everyone around me crumbled down in sadness, crying, deafening wailing, some pacing the floor, leaving the room. I thought I had to be like them. Am I supposed to cry? I'm not sure how long it took, but when it sunk in, I felt sad. Really, really sad. My mind couldn't understand what had...

"Everything came to a head one night, and fortunately, the right person asked me 'are you ok, what's wrong?' and I just broke down" Key takeaways from this podcast: Asking if someone is ok can literally save their life, never be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to ask someone if they're feeling suicidal, it won't put the thought in their head, you won't make things worse by asking. After losing seve...

"I think about him all the time really. But it's not every minute of every day, it's not every hour every day." Key takeaways from this podcast The perspective surrounding grief will evolve with time. Alex describes a hand in front of his face in the early stages of grief that slowly moves away allowing his perspective to change with time. The hand always remains there, but the picture around it f...

"The first thought that went through my head was that it was not meant to be... ...this is not the end of your story, you are still needed on this planet, in this life" Key takeaways from this podcast We don't always have internal permission to do something, to open up. So by doing it slowly, gently and carefully Tom was building courage to remove stigma. Tom van den Hurk revealed his own suicide...

"Suicide is the leading cause of death in the first year after a mum has given birth" Key takeaways from this podcast Compassion, kindness and listening to someone goes a huge way to helping people who are struggling with their mental health or feeling suicidal. Having the courage to speak to someone about your mental health can bring you hope. Like a lot of new parents, especially mums, Gill Sken...

I think we feel a huge responsibility for our area and for our community. You always want to be able to do more, to have all the answers" Key takeaways from this podcast 1. There are practical things you can do and learn to help support others around you with their mental health. 2. Football and wider sport are great vehicles for helping bring suicide support to communities around Scotland and bre...

Key takeaways from this podcast Young people affected by suicide can carry huge anger, pain and confusion if they lose a parent The biggest risk factor for young people affected by suicide is not being able to express their feelings. In this extraordinary episode Aileen shares how her husband, Josh, took his own life 10 years ago, leaving her to bring up 3 young children. She talks about how...