Why Suicide?: Questions and Answers about Suicide, Suicide Prevention, and Coping with the Suicide of Someone You Know (Revised, Updated) - Paperback

by Eric Marcus (Author)

"The need for this book is obvious. Why Suicide is a must read for anyone who is a student of life."
-- John Shelby Spong, author of Eternal Life: A New Vision--Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell

Subtitled "Questions and Answers About Suicide, Suicide Prevention, and Coping with the Suicide of Someone You Know," Why Suicide? by Eric Marcus is an important, non-judgmental guide that bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman calls, "compassionate, informative, and insightful." Anyone whose life has been dramatically touched by this most shattering occurrence can find answers and solace in this extraordinary book.

Front Jacket

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in our lifetimes 80 percent of us will have some up-close experience with the suicide of someone we know. And more than 20 percent of us will have a family member die by suicide. Journalist Eric Marcus knows this better than most people. In 1970, his father took his life at the age of 44. In 2008, his 49-year-old sister-in-law took her life as well.

In a completely revised and updated edition of the landmark original Why Suicide ?, Eric Marcus offers thoughtful answers to scores of questions about this complex, painful issue, from how to recognize the signs of someone who is suicidal to strategies for coping in the aftermath of a loved one's death.

No matter what the circumstances, those of us who are affected by suicide are left with difficult and disturbing questions:

• Why did they do it?
• Was it my fault?
• What should I tell people when they ask what happened?
• Is someone who attempts suicide likely to try again?
• What should I do if I'm thinking of killing myself?

Drawing from his own experience, as well as interviews with people who have been touched by suicide, Eric Marcus cuts through the veil of silence and misunderstanding to bring clarity, reassurance, and comfort to those who so desperately need it.

Back Jacket

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in our lifetimes 80 percent of us will have some up-close experience with the suicide of someone we know. And more than 20 percent of us will have a family member die by suicide. Journalist Eric Marcus knows this better than most people. In 1970, his father took his life at the age of 44. In 2008, his 49-year-old sister-in-law took her life as well.

In a completely revised and updated edition of the landmark original Why Suicide ?, Eric Marcus offers thoughtful answers to scores of questions about this complex, painful issue, from how to recognize the signs of someone who is suicidal to strategies for coping in the aftermath of a loved one's death.

No matter what the circumstances, those of us who are affected by suicide are left with difficult and disturbing questions:

• Why did they do it?
• Was it my fault?
• What should I tell people when they ask what happened?
• Is someone who attempts suicide likely to try again?
• What should I do if I'm thinking of killing myself?

Drawing from his own experience, as well as interviews with people who have been touched by suicide, Eric Marcus cuts through the veil of silence and misunderstanding to bring clarity, reassurance, and comfort to those who so desperately need it.