How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me, Revised Edition: One Person's Guide to Suicide Prevention

NOW WITH A NEW CHAPTER AND AN UPDATED RESOURCES SECTION

Suicide has touched the lives of nearly half of all Americans, yet it is rarely talked about openly. In her highly acclaimed book, Susan Blauner—a survivor of multiple suicide attempts—offers guidance and hope for those contemplating ending their lives and for their loved ones.

“Each word written with thoughtful intent; each story told with the deepest of honesty and humility, and in doing so Blauner puts forward a life-saving book."—Daniel J. Reidenberg, PsyD, Executive Director, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (www.save.org)

“I continued to romanticize my death by suicide: who would find me; what I’d look like. I spent hundreds of hours planning my funeral, imagining the remorse of my family and friends. I wrote good-bye letters, composed wills, and disrupted the lives of everyone close to me. Then reality hit.”—Susan Rose Blauner

The statistics on suicide are staggering. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 800,000 people die by suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds, and for each completed suicide there may be twenty or more attempts.

In How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me, Susan Blauner is the perfect emissary for a message of hope and a program of action for these millions of people. A survivor of multiple suicide attempts, she explains the complex feelings and fantasies that surround suicidal thoughts. In a direct, nonjudgmental, and loving voice, she offers affirmations and suggestions for those experiencing life-ending thoughts, and for their friends and family.

With an introduction by Bernie Siegel, M.D., this important, timely book has now been updated with a revised resources section, and a new chapter on the author’s experiences since the book’s initial publication.

The statistics on suicide are staggering. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 800,000 people die by suicide every year, which is one death every forty seconds, and for each completed suicide there may be twenty or more attempts.

In How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me, Susan Blauner is the perfect emissary for a message of hope and a program of action for these millions of people. A survivor of multiple suicide attempts, she explains the complex feelings and fantasies that surround suicidal thoughts. In a direct, nonjudgmental, and loving voice, she offers affirmations and suggestions for those experiencing suicidal thoughts, and for their friends and family.

With an introduction by Bernie Siegel, M.D., this important, timely book has now been updated with a revised resources section and a new chapter on the author’s experiences since the book’s initial publication.

“In her heartfelt and important book, Blauner … offers guidance and hope for those contemplating ending their lives.” - Library Journal (starred review)

“With neither hollow platitudes nor medical doublespeak… Blauner provides an extremely valuable and much-needed tool for both suicidal thinkers and their loved ones.” - Publishers Weekly

“The best suicide prevention manual for the suicidal thinker, suicide attempter, layperson, or professional.” - Iris Bolton, founder of the National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare

“Each word written with thoughtful intent; each story told with the deepest of honesty and humility, and in doing so Blauner puts forward a life-saving book.” - Daniel J. Reidenberg, PsyD, Executive Director, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (www.save.org)

“How I Stayed Alive is vulnerable and resilient, deeply personal and profoundly practical.... As we continue the fight for mental health parity and equal access to treatment services, this empathetic and pragmatic guide offers support for those who desperately need a roadmap to survival.” - Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Representative and founder of The Kennedy Forum

“How I Stayed Alive is vulnerable and resilient, deeply personal and profoundly practical. In its revised edition, this book will continue to be an important resource for those suffering from suicidal ideation and mental illness, and to provide insight and hope for their loved ones.” - Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Representative and founder of The Kennedy Forum