Closer Look at Suicide Attempt Findings

[Carolyn Marie]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-suicide-attempts-alarming-transgender-20140127,0,3324954.story#axzz2rnptz1VQ

Carolyn Marie

[JJ]

Interesting reading. I wish it discussed the suicide risk after successful transition and being able to live in your transitioned gender. But I can see where that could be exceptionally difficult. The studies I am aware of have shown where transition is seen as successful the rate drops to average or slightly below. It is important to discuss what is happening but we also need to address what can be done about it.

The stats don't surprise me but I am glad to see them getting more attention. I have also seen it postulated that they may still be low as far as overall rate because they are only talking about the survivors. There are some studies that have determined by age 40 only 20% of FTMs who have not transitioned survive. A rate suicide rate seen as lower among MTFs though the reasons are so far not proven or completely clear. Maybe female brains really are capable of handling prolonged stress better. Been suggested anyway. Women hang on and transition in later life is not unusual while transition after 40-45 is considered rare for FTMs. And it seems borne out by my nearly 4 years here on Laura's.

But these stats are the reason we can't just learn to live with this condition. It tales far too high a toll.

Across the board these stats are appalling-they represent so much pain and despair and wasted life.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Johnny

[Guest Brenda Hailey]

Wow, I have thus far overcome some pretty steep statistics and I am still here. The numbers dont really surprise me and still wouldnt even if they were actually higher, what surprises me is are the comments left on the article affirming the rate to grow.

[Charlize]

The responses to this article are amazing!!!! It is great to see some familiar folks standing up to the bigots as well as some others. At least today there is a safety net in existence and some support. My chosen method was alcohol. It was slow and certainly not painless but was almost successful.

I hope we can stand up again like the girls at Stonewall and be ourselves without fear. Eventually perhaps the narrow minded folks will find themselves as the smallest minority. They already have a large number of support groups to help them.

Hugs,

Charlie

[VickySGV]

The numbers and their sources I have seen before, what I am glad to see is simply the publication of them in "Mainstream".

The article mentions "family acceptance" as a major element, but that is also tied into "self acceptance" which is where I had to place a good deal of my own thoughts of self elimination.

I for one would like to see the IDENTITY issue reinserted into a description of our condition since it is a sense of self and who we are that crumbles and loss or alienation from the "I" part of our lives is a terror I have not heard expressed elsewhere, only among us.