Suicide is a topic most folks would rather not speak about. It is frightening that someone they love could decide they do not wish to live any longer and leave them in a cloud of grief and guilt. However, just because we don’t talk about suicide does not mean it will go away.
September 2 was complex post-traumatic stress disorder awareness day, and September 10 is suicide awareness day. In this article and those that follow in this series, we shall discover together what complex trauma is and how advocates for those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts can and should advocate for themselves.
Complex Traumatic Stress Disorder
Complex trauma involves multiple exposures to repeated traumatic events and is related to many associated psychological outcomes, such as developing complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) (Briere & Scott 2015).
One of the clues that someone you love is experiencing CPTSD is if they self-harm. Self-harm occurs when a person becomes overwhelmed and deliberately hurts their body. The injuries are anywhere from minor cuts to severe injuries that are life-threatening. As bad as self-injury is, most people who deliberately harm themselves do so without conscious intent to die by suicide (Muelenhkamp, 2005).
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