Neuroscience of Suicide: Coping in Community Part 2
In this episode, we continue the conversation around suicide by examining how public policy, personal experience, and community care intersect. While not our direct experience, we approach this topic with care and humility, sharing research and insights that deeply impact LGBTQ+ youth, cisgendered men and other vulnerable groups.
We touch on:
* The relationship of highly traditional masculinity on the higher rate of suicide deaths in male populations
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How all mental health is political and why policy decisions can directly increase suicide risk
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2024 data from The Trevor Project and the urgency of supporting LGBTQ+ youth
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The emotional weight of not knowing what to say and how just showing up still matters
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Risk factors like trauma, mental illness, abuse, impulsivity, and lack of access to care
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How poverty, homelessness, unsafe environments, and access to firearms contribute to suicide risk
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The importance of community support, compassionate dialogue, and stigma reduction
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Coping tools and the role of personal safety plans in navigating moments of crisis
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How conversations, even imperfect ones, can save lives
We also reflect on how connection, compassion, and clear support systems can make all the difference. If you've ever wondered how to be there for someone or how to be honest about your own struggle, this episode offers both vulnerability and education.
💬 Whether you're personally affected, politically engaged, or just trying to understand more deeply, this episode is a raw, real look at how collective care, not silence, becomes a lifeline.
🧾 References: Also provided in the show notes
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2019). AFSP Annual Report. Https://Afsp.org/Pdfs. https://annual2019.afsp.org/pdfs/AFSP-AnnualReport-web.pdf [https://annual2019.afsp.org/pdfs/AFSP-AnnualReport-web.pdf]
CDC. (2025, March 26). Suicide data and statistics. Suicide Prevention; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html [https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html]
Coleman, D., Feigelman, W., & Rosen, Z. (2020). Association of High Traditional Masculinity and Risk of Suicide Death. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(4), 435. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.4702 [https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.4702]
Firearm Suicide | Center for Gun Violence Solutions. (2023). Center for Gun Violence Solutions; John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/firearm-suicide [https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/firearm-suicide]
Holt‐Lunstad, J. (2024). Social connection as a critical factor for mental and physical health: evidence, trends, challenges, and future implications. World Psychiatry, 23(3), 312–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21224 [https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21224]
Lee, W. Y., Nicholas, H. J., Hobaica, S., DeChants, J. P., Price, M. N., & Nath, R. (2024). State-level anti-transgender Laws Increase past-year Suicide Attempts among Transgender and non-binary Young People in the USA. Nature Human Behaviour, 8(8), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01979-5 [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01979-5]
Marshall, C. A., Crowley, P., Carmichael, D., Goldszmidt, R., Aryobi, S., Holmes, J., Easton, C., Isard, R., & Murphy, S. (2022). Effectiveness of suicide safety planning interventions: A systematic review informing occupational therapy. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 90(2), 000841742211320. https://doi.org/10.1177/00084174221132097 [https://doi.org/10.1177/00084174221132097]
National Institute of Mental Health. (2025, March). Suicide. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide [https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide]
Nikhil Palekar, MD. (2024, April 19). How To Improve Working Memory with Everyday Habits. Stony Brook Medicine Health News. https://health.stonybrookmedicine.edu/how-to-improve-working-memory-with-everyday-habits/ [https://health.stonybrookmedicine.edu/how-to-improve-working-memory-with-everyday-habits/]
Siegel, J. Z., & Crockett, M. J. (2013). How serotonin shapes moral judgment and behavior. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1299(1), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12229 [https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12229]
Stack, S. (2021). Contributing factors to suicide: Political, social, cultural and economic. Preventive Medicine, 152(1), 106498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106498 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106498]
The Trevor Project. (2024). 2024 U.S. national survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people. The Trevor Project; The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/ [https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/]
Young, S. N. (2007). How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN, 32(6), 394. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2077351/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2077351/]
Keywords:
Suicide prevention, LGBTQ youth mental health, Trevor Project 2024, Suicide risk factors, Mental health and public policy, Gun control and suicide, Borderline personality disorder (BPD), Depression and suicide, Suicide and trauma, Emotional neglect and mental health, Coping with suicidal thoughts, Suicide safety planning, Personal safety plan mental health, How to support someone suicidal, Mental health stigma, Executive dysfunction and mental illness, Childhood trauma and suicide, Suicide statistics 2024, Mental health podcast, Mental illness and politics, Access to mental health care, Community support and suicide, Neurobiology of suicidal ideation, Suicide awareness podcast, Suicide and marginalized communities, Grief after suicide loss, Suicide prevention coping tools
