also sharing how suicide affects those left
behind (something she also does on her
podcast of the same name, aired on ABC
Radio). She offers stories of resilience,
healing and courage to demonstrate how
people faced with unimaginable loss are
able to persevere.
Friends and family left behind are often
surprised to learn how widespread suicide
is in the U.S. According to the American
Foundation of Suicide Prevention, it’s the
10th leading cause of death in the country.
In 2017, there were an estimated 1,300,000
suicide attempts, and 47,173 Americans
died by suicide, an average of 129 per day.
That same year, men died by suicide 3.54
times more often than women. The rate of
suicide is highest in middle age, and white
men are particularly vulnerable. And
the costs aren’t just emotional: Suicide
and self-injury cost the U.S. $69 billion
annually.
“I’ve learned that the two hallmark fea-
tures of someone who attempts suicide or
dies by suicide is they have lost two things:
hope for the future and a fear of death,”
Ashton told ABC News. Some people may
be missing one or the other at different
points in their lives, she says, but if they
lose hope for the future and a fear of death
at the same time, the resulting despair can
be very dangerous.
Of her own journey after the suicide of a
loved one, she said, “I learned that grief is
an expression of love, and that pain is a
part of life, but suffering is optional. I dis-
covered that talking about my feelings of
weakness, failure and guilt actually allowed
me to feel free from the façade of perfection
for the first time ever.” Sharing her story
and those of others helped her heal, she
said, while noting that “Part of me feels as
if my pain will always be massive. I accept
both of these realities.” ❖
More Expert Advice
LESSONS FROM THE
LISTENING LADY
Tammy Sausa (Amazon.com, $13)
Managing anxiety
can be a lifelong
effort, but it can be
especially tough
for teenagers,
whose bodies and
minds are changing
at a rapid rate. In
Lessons from the
Listening Lady:
Adolescents &
Anxiety – A family
guide to making
the mind, body,
spirit connection, Hillsdale resident and
therapist Tammy Sausa helps readers learn
how to instill healthy coping skills in their
teenagers. The book provides cognitive
behavioral therapy techniques to change
negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and
puts them in context with explanations of
how the brain functions. Though written for
adolescents, this guide to understanding the
connection between mind, body and spirit has
lessons for readers of all ages.
THE ME IN MEDICINE:
REVIVING THE LOST
ART OF HEALING
Dr. Patrick Roth (Changing Lives Press, $22)
As the practice of
modern medicine
becomes
increasingly reliant
on technology, it’s
not uncommon for
patients to
complain about a
lack of dialogue
with their
physicians. In his
latest book,
Ridgewood’s Dr.
Patrick Roth describes how doctors would do
their jobs better if they listened more and
relied on electronic record systems less. Roth,
the chairman of neurosurgery at Hackensack
University Medical Center and director of its
neurosurgical residency training program,
urges readers to be part of his movement to
embrace narrative medicine. When patients
share thoughts and feelings as well as physical
ailments, he says, doctors can validate their
experiences, talk about the best way forward
and avoid overtreatment.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE
FOR THE HOSPITALIST:
MANAGING THE
COMPLEX CARE
OF A VULNERABLE
POPULATION
Drs. Hooman Amzi and Fiona Gupta
(Lioncrest Publishing, $10)
Dr. Hooman Amzi-
Ghadimi, a
neurosurgeon at
Hackensack
University Medical
Center, and Dr.
Fiona Gupta, a
specialist in
neurology and
psychiatry in
Oradell, have
written this guide
for their fellow
health care practitioners. Their goal is to help
them understand the hospital-related
complications that can develop in patients
with Parkinson’s disease, so medical care
results in better outcomes. The book explains
how Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed and
managed; the importance of strictly following
prescriptions, and how to avoid common
pitfalls of hospitalizations.
(201) HEALTH 2019 EDITION
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