Dispelling Misconceptions About Suicide

Healthy Conversations

In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, today we’re re-releasing a special two-part episode with Dr. Seth Feuerstein, a psychiatrist and researcher who’s made the study and treatment of suicide his life’s work. Dr. Feuerstein is the CEO of Oui Therapeutics, which is building life-saving digital therapeutics to help in preventing suicide. He and our host, Dr. Daniel Kraft, have a wide-ranging discussion about misconceptions, data and innovations in suicide prevention. Dr. Feuerstein also challenges the way health care professionals think about suicide. “The suicidal state of the brain is a lot like the arrhythmia state of the heart,” he says. “It’s a relatively spontaneous period where there’s an elevated risk of sudden death.” Reframing our thinking about suicide in this way, Dr. Feuerstein explains, will make it easier for clinicians to talk about it.

Cara McNulty, President of Behavioral Health and Mental Well-being at CVS Health®, introduces this episode by looking at the latest reporting from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which says suicide rates in the U.S. are again on the rise. She discusses how CVS Health is using a systematic approach to reduce suicide attempts and raise awareness of suicide prevention.

Suicide prevention resources

• CVS Health mental health resources
• Oui Therapeutics
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Mental Health First Aid
• The Trevor Project
• The Jed Foundation