Mental Health and Suicide

artskids
Tue, 16 Dec 2014 20:19:56 +0000

So sorry for your loss @VoiceTeacher. I can relate to the concerns raised by @vocal1046. I am raising an artist with depression and bipolar disorder. She has survived a number of suicide attempts so not a day goes by that my mind does not visit all of the “what ifs.” She does very well when being very vigilant about self-care (taking medication, seeing a therapist, getting proper sleep, avoiding unnecessary stress, exercising and eating well) but less well when one of the legs of the stool is out of balance. I have read “Touched With Fire…” and other literature about the connection between the emotional/mental disorders and the artistic temperament in an attempt to understand how best to help my child now and into adulthood. I admit the process of looking for colleges and programs is very different for me with this child than it was for my first. There is so much more to consider as we consider programs where she will be challenged but not crushed. One of my main priorities of this last year preceding college is helping my child hone self-awareness and self-care skills to a fine point. If she is able to recognize and appreciate the signs of oncoming issues (and so far, from the outside looking in, the signs are there if you know what to look for), she will be better able to reach out and ask for help and/or use some of the other coping skills in her arsenal.