Fighting the Pull

Suicide Prevention Month Special

I almost didn’t make it in 2020. I overdosed on 12,000 milligrams of caffeine, ended up in the ICU with kidney failure, and somehow walked out alive. This episode is the one I wish I had back then. It’s for my cousin, who died by suicide in 2020. It’s for anyone who’s ever stood at the edge. And it’s for you—because if you’re listening, you’re still here, and that matters.

In this episode:

* Why language matters (“died by suicide,” not “committed suicide”)

* What happens inside the suicidal brain (science + faith)

* Common triggers that load the gun

* The 6 R’s of Rescue (a practical loop to survive the moment)

* Tools: micro anchors, the Not Today box, sensory resets, NSDR, prayer

* What the church can do better

* What to say (and not say) if someone you love is suicidal

* How to build a real safety plan

Resources

* 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (U.S.)

* Crisis Text Line: text HELLO to 741741

* Veterans Crisis Line: call 988, then press 1

* Skills & planning: NowMattersNow.org, SafetyPlan.app, Stanford Crisis Self-Help Workbook

* Find help: Psychology Today, Open Path Collective, DBSA, NAMI

* Faith resources: Hope for Mental Health, FaithNet NAMI, Sanctuary Mental Health

Takeaway: Most people who survive an attempt never go on to die by suicide once they get the right support and tools. That gives me hope—and I want you to have it too.

Stay. You are not a burden. You are loved. You matter more than you know.