We must talk about suicide and depression

Grief, despair and depression were a part of Eric Slocum’s life and ultimately a part of his death. The former Seattle news anchor committed suicide.

Slocum came into people’s homes for years as a KOMO TV reporter and anchor, and later as a news anchor at KOMO Radio. He left KOMO several years ago to write a memoir and poetry.

I hadn’t talked to him in over a year, and now, looking back at his recent poetry I see a theme of death as he battled many demons. He struggled with alcohol, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and coming out as a gay man.

He wanted to lift the stigma attached to depression and other mental illnesses so people who needed help wouldn’t be embarassed to ask for it.

Ironically, he was in a profession where it’s taboo to talk about suicide.

Most news organizations have policies, generally an unspoken understanding, that “we don’t report suicides.”

I’ve never agreed with that philosophy and I continue to defy it. Some say, “It would encourage others to commit suicide” or “It’s so common, it happens all the time, it’s not news.” I’ve heard both statements in newsrooms I’ve worked in over the years.

We routinely report stabbings, shootings and drunk driving accidents as if those are more newsworthy. Most of us aren’t going to be victims of violent crime, but I bet every one of us knows someone who is depressed or suicidal. It’s an illness that cuts across every demographic of age, gender, race, ethnicity, profession and economic status.

By talking about suicide, the news we don’t report, we might begin discussions that save lives. It’s the most important story we could report.

It’s not just media people who are uncomfortable dealing with suicides. Most of us don’t know what to do about mental illness. If any of us went over to a friend’s house and saw they had a broken arm, we’d rush them to the hospital to get it fixed up. No hesitation. If we discovered a friend had a mental disorder, that’s more complicated. How do we get them help? Where do we take them? How do we not make the situation worse? What do we say?

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call 1-800-273-8522

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

And the Poppies Die

By Dan-Eric Slocum

I know nothing of poppies or any plant,

But I have so admired these proud, red perfect ones – my early spring companions – just beyond the window for the last three weeks, if that

Startling then, when I descended the stairs this morning, with no peripheral red in the window, none.

No standing tall as before, the poppies.

The moderate spring rain turned petals to leaden weights; took them to the ground last night.

Heartbroken, I am, after only weeks?

So silly, just flowers.

And the automatic swirl of despair around my heart.

Later in the day, I’m told, “They would have died anyway. The growing season is so short.”

O my life; what to do with these constant, tiny griefs?