The Suicide of My Son: The Story of Childhood Depression

by Trudy Carlson

After the suicide death of her teenage son Ben, author and lecturer Trudy Carlson sheds light into the little-understood symptoms of depressive illness and anxiety disorders in youngsters. Using her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0964244314
• ISBN13: 9780964244313
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Benline Pr
• Length: 262 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

A revision of title may be in order

The first half of this book dealt with the story itself including the suicide and the life of the author's son `Ben'. The second half covered the different mood disorders that afflicted Ben and methods of treatment. There is one basic reason I gave this book four of five stars. This book did not talk about childhood depression. In brief areas throughout the text the author hinted to depression and a manic depressive (bi-polar) illness. However the majority of the text and history provided of Ben's life was about his ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disorders. The author ranted for many chapters about how she tried to help him with his studies and how school was a problem for him and how she wanted Ben to do better in school, but he was not getting the assistance he needed. Long story short, she focused the primary emphasis of her text on his learning disabilities and not on his chronic depression or manic-depressive disorders, which in the end were the causes of his suicide. Based on these facts I would rate this book lower, however it did do a much better job in the second half of the book with thorough descriptions of the various mental disorders for diagnosis purposes and treatment methods as well as a section for suicide awareness and avoidance. If you want a book which describes the trials and tribulations of a child with various mental health issues, buy this book. If you want a book about suicide prevention, or a book with an in-depth look at adolescent depression or manic depressive (bi-polar) mood disorders than look else where because this book falls short in these areas.

Could your life ever be the same?

If you've ever experienced the loss of a loved one by suicide, you probably have wondered. Carlson's book is helpful in so many ways, but especially in helping life get back on track. Having lost her son to suicide, Trudy Carlson picks up the pieces of her family life and moves ahead in the best way she can, and becomes an inspiration to others along the way. Though every family is unique and each story different, the death of a child is perhaps one situation with common threads: grief, pain, guilt, hopelessness. Carlson shows us how to deal with these, suggests options that could help (and which the reader may not have been prepared to consider) and shows by example that while life after a suicide is not the same, the difference it brings about is not necessarily bad. I've read this book a few times and now have given copies to friends. It amazes me that you can mention "suicide" in a group of people, and suddenly everyone has a story about it. I found this book comforting, uplifting, and helpful. You know Ben Carlson. You know Trudy Carlson. They are us.

If you're only going to read one book.....

As the mother of a teen suicide myself, I highly recommend this book. For those of you who are grieving from the same tragedy, it will answer many of your "Why" questions. And for those who have loved ones suffering from depression or bipolar disorder, you will learn how you may prevent their suicide. All depressed and bipolar people are at high risk for suicide. Trudy eloquently describes how triggers may prompt a suicide but mental illness causes it. She also describes quite accurately many of the confusing behaviors these individuals display: anger from limit-setting, logical leaps that are hard to follow, and a jovial attitude when experiencing deep pain. She did a marvelous job in her discussion of the relationship between loss and depression. This book also includes a detailed section on medications that I've seen in no other book like it. A must read!

A "must read" for teachers!

When the teachers can't figure out what's wrong and it keeps on and on in a downward spiral, maybe they are overlooking something. Carlson's book keys in on what can be considered as a "perfect recipe" for suicide. Teachers need to be aware that there is more out there that bad grades or bad behavior. Trudy Carlson compels one to dig deeper and to gain a clear understanding of what children with multiple disabilities suffer on a daily basis, clearly bringing to light that "at risk students" are a special population that needs to be taken seriously and respected before they are lost, lost forever.