My community is devasted! Two students have committed suicide in the space of 8 days, and one other attempted -- that we know of. Rumor has it, that it is around 9...including adults. My SS knew both boys, but wasn't really friends with them. The students from the MS thru the HS are falling apart. The news is portraying our town as a bunch of bullies/cyber bullies.

I am working with the school and the County Department of Mental Health to create a Parent/Student Suicide Prevention Program. After the first, I was more or less in shock, the second made me angry...there was such an outpouring of love and support that the second kid had to know he could reach out for help. Everyone is doing what they can. But then I think, could he have been afraid to come forward for some reason? Did he think he would be stigmatized? We'll never know. The kids are coming forward now, asking for more help than the school is giving them right now.

But of course with all this research, I'm seeing all the signs of depression (which I already knew) in my step daughter. So, we will do what we can and move forward as a town.