Doctors knew my son was suicidal. I should have been told before he died

Professionals denied me the chance to be there for my boy when he needed me the most

Three years back I joined a club no one wants to be a member of. I became a parent who lost their child to suicide. He was 20. I didn’t think it was possible. I trusted his doctors to take good care of him. I trusted they would tell me if there was a real risk of him dying, given I was his mother and prime carer. I thought they had the expertise to identify and address a crisis when they saw it. Suicide was not in the script.

I turn the events around his sudden death over and over in my head, and it makes no sense. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 weeks before he died. Initially his response to medication was good but then he plunged into a deep dark depression, which I thought was being managed by his GP. All this time, he lived at home with me. None of the medical staff mentioned the word “suicide” at any stage.

A father was told by the GP: 'Now that your son's dead, I can tell you this wasn't his first attempt at ending his life.

Related: My colleague's suicide showed how vulnerable medical professionals can be

Continue reading... April 10, 2018 at 02:16PM