Suicidal Thoughts Are Normal and Natural

At least for some of us. Let's stop shaming people who experience abuse.

Some mornings I awake to voices in my head saying “I want to kill myself” over and over. Not this morning, I’m happy to report. But I’m writing about it today because Wednesdays are for grief.

I write about grief each week here in my Good Grief newsletter, to help normalize feelings most humans I know have. Only they’ve been shamed away by a society driven by capitalist greed to eradicate emotions that result in reduced productivity. And greater comfort with and reliance on AI (artificial intelligence).

I do not mention suicide or my own suicidal thoughts to attract attention or cause alarm. Suicidal thoughts and suicidal ideation are not the same thing. I do not have a plan to kill myself. I only occasionally have thoughts I might want to. They represent just one small part of me, not the whole.

When I have those thoughts, I immediately feel ashamed and …