Encore Episode – Frank King – Suicide Prevention….Start the Conversation
SEASON: 1 EPISODE: 35
Encore Episode Overview:
This week millions of people are processing the news of another loved and admired celebrity who died by suicide.
No doubt, the world has lost too many people we love to mental health challenges. It can be difficult to understand or make sense of the news that somebody we looked up to, admired or touched our lives died from suicide.
When we read some of the online comments, we realize that we still have along way to understanding mental health and its impact on all of us.
Comments like…
“How could they do that to their family?”
“What a selfish thing to do”
“There are so many resources available for people”
“Terrible timing, so close to the holidays”
I admit that I used to have those thoughts, until I started educating myself about mental health and its impact. When someone dies from a terminal disease, we don’t say, “What a selfish thing to do” or “I can’t believe they died so close to the holidays.” When my father passed after suffering from liver cancer, I didn’t say, “What a shame, how could he do this to his family”
It might be helpful for us to think of dying from suicide, the same way we think about dying from a terminal disease. Mental health experts teach us that just as disease can deteriorate one’s physical body, mental illness can impair the processes of the mind.
When someone has a disease that deteriorates the body, we can see it. When someone is fighting mental health challenges, they often feel shame and we are unable to see the pain they are experiencing. We need to remember that just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean the pain they are experiencing isn’t real or overwhelming.
As Frank King mentions in this podcast interview, It is important to understand that those suffering from mental illness are wanting to end their pain and that is different than wanting to end their life. That’s why death by suicide isn’t selfish. It’s what happens when someone loses their battle with mental illness.
My guest in this encore episode teaches us to change the way we think and talk about suicide. Join me now for this encore conversation with Frank King.
Guest Bio:
As a former writer for the Tonight Show for 20 years and a full-time speaker and comedian, Frank King knows how to infuse humor into his content and uses his personal experiences to highlight the importance of maintaining your mental health. Participants in Frank’s programs will gain an understanding of the mental health challenges, how to maintain a positive and profitable workplace culture, how to reduce stress, and promote both team and management well being.
As a humorous keynote speaker, Frank brings his corporate brand of comedy to educate, inspire, and finally, entertain…with ah-has, and a sprinkling of ha-ha’s, in a one of a kind presentation on matters of life and death.
He blends his experience as a clean, clever stand-up comedian, an award-winning syndicated humor columnist, and as a warrior in his own lifelong battle with depression and thoughts of suicide, for content-packed and eminently listenable keynote presentations and workshops.
Resource Links:
- Website: www.TheMentalHealthComedian.com
- Product Link: https://www.yourtedxcoach.com
Insight Gold Timestamps:
06:34 Change the language
07:15 The majority of people who died by suicide did not want die
10:08 The number one so-called addiction for suicide is gambling addiction
12:31 Brene Brown said, vulnerability is a superpower
16:29 People with depression, tend to think in the immediate
17:39 Gamification
19:23 Practice these five things….
24:15 Suicidal call lifeline, dial 9-8-8
26:58 Burdensomeness
30:46 Top 3 signs of depression
37:53 Suicide prevention Text Line. Text ‘Help’ or ‘Connect’ to 741-741
38:05 Signs somebody may be considering suicide
Connect Socially:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankkingthemhcomedian
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thementalhealthcomedian
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/theMHcomedian
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thementalhealthcomedian
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthcomedian
Email: frank@thementalhealthcomedian.com
Frank King’s TEDx Talks Links:
Born to Be Funny https://youtu.be/mugOzr6ItFk
Mental With Benefits https://youtu.be/mCnsHSdAn48
A Matter of Laugh or Death https://youtu.be/IeMg6OFYfU0
Suicide, The Secret of My Success https://youtu.be/3D4m33DXtsI
Sponsors:
Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/
Resources: https://becomingpreferred-podcast.com/resources/
About the Host, Michael
Michael Vickers inspires enduring success, redefining the possible for today’s sales professionals, leaders, and managers. Whatever the sales or business opportunity, Michael will greatly enhance your odds of success. Every person who has an idea to promote, an employee to motivate, or a deal to negotiate, will attain a new level of success after an event with Michael.
Michael is also the best-selling author of Becoming Preferred: How to Outsell Your Competition, and Dance of the Rainmaker: Creating Authentic Differentiation in Today's Competitive Marketplace, where he shares his secrets to achieving the very highest level of sales mastery.
Whatever the result you’re striving for, if it involves influencing others or achieving success through others, Michael will build your confidence and accelerate your performance.
Michael is the Executive Director of Summit Learning Systems, a company that offers customized in-house training programs to many of today’s leading companies. He teaches thousands of business professionals throughout North America the skills required to achieve optimum performance.