From helplessness to hope: a psychiatrist's story of working with suicidal teens

In this episode, we are joined by Shivana Naidoo, a child psychiatrist, who shares a poignant reflection on her experiences with some of her most worrisome teenage patients. As she prepares to leave her job, she finds herself running on empty, knowing she won't be able to say goodbye to the five out of seven teens currently hospitalized for suicide attempts. She reflects on the work she has done with these teens and their families, wondering if she focused on the wrong person, and the challenges of working in a system that doesn't prioritize parent psychoeducation. Shivana also shares her thoughts on the power of handwritten notes as a token of compassion, and how she crafted goodbye letters to her patients and their parents, imparting wisdom and advice on envisioning a future worth living for. She ends with a heartfelt message for anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts or caring for a loved one who is, encouraging us to make our hearts our home and find a way back to hope.

Shivana Naidoo is a child psychiatrist.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A goodbye note to my suicidal teenagers."

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