Coronation Street, Aidan. - Trigger warning: discussion of suicide *Title edited by MNHQ*

[IHaveBrilloHair]

A thread specifically for this storyline.
It seems a few of us have unfortunately had experience with this, so a thread where we can discuss it.

Hi there. I don't have any close experience of this but it is a subject that worries me deeply, as a mother of 3 adult sons.

I'm aware of 2 lovely young men who committed suicide at my dcs' school and 1 local schoolboy who did. My DH worked with someone who went home to find her teenage son hanging by the neck, dead.

What can parents, siblings, teachers, friends do to help people in this desperate situation?

I knew a work colleague who killed herself, tbh I wasn't particularly friends wuth her, but even so, her death affected me quite deeply. To the outside world, back in 90s London, she had everything, a great flat, a dj boyfriend, friends, etc etc, and I honestly don't think the actual 'reason' was ever discovered, but she threw herself in front of a train. Such a shock, clearly remember the whole workplace being in such tremendous distress, she was literally the life and soul.

I have once, fleetingly, thought about ending my life, I had terrible pnd, and the black mist descended, never have I felt so alone and empty, but guilty too, I had a beautiful, healthy baby and shouldn't feel like this. I realised something was so wrong, I went to my doctors, spoke to people,refused anti depressants (stupidly thought they would make me weak - a by product of emotional abuse from childhood). Pnd has changed me for life though, I'm less confident than I used to be. Watching my mum go through terminal cancer stopped the suicidal thoughts though, I have a new found desire to live my life to the full.

My Dd has got close twice.
I thought about it quite a few years ago.
An teenage ex of mine hung himself, and another shot himself.
I think it's a huge taboo and should be talked about more.

I don’t need to watch this as form
Is ‘entertainment’ too painful.
Too sad. May send some over the edge. I want the old coronation st back the one you watched and felt happier and lighter.

Someone I know took her own life a few months ago. I was fine, I didn’t know her very well, but then it was featured on a television programme I was watching only a few weeks back. I cried until my throat hurt, just so sad for her, her family and the despair she must have felt and to not have any idea is just awful.

I sobbed my way through it . I knew a couple of people who committed suicide . I believe statistically men are likely to succeed so do think it is a very important topic.

I think topic could do with a trigger warning on it

I know it's not entertainment, but for years soaps have been there with topics to make people talk about them, whether they're domestic abuse, rape or suicide. They are all subjects that people shy away from discussing. I think soaps are really important for that. The fact suicide is distressing (obviously) doesn't mean it shouldn't be a topic in a drama, as long as it's done well.

I’ve had 3 close relatives do this and I was ok till I Saw Gail’s speech. I couldn’t move for crying after that.

Hi OP,

Because of the discussion of methods in this thread, we've just edited the title to put a trigger warning so if anyone's feeling fragile right now they've got a heads up.

Aidans story has really affected me, I cried so much. I've realised it's because both my DP and DNephew show signs of depression and it's frightened the life out of me.

We had DN to stay last night and I'm going to try and keep him here for a while I think so I can keep an eye on him (he's 15). We got him to talk a bit about how he's feeling about things and he is very low

Suicide doesn't end the pain, it just passes it on to everyone else.

Giving away possessions is a recognised “sign” (for want of a better word). Our dear friend gave my husband and son things he “no longer needed” or something “to look after”. We didn’t know. Even when we waved him off after a weekend away where he insisted on paying for everything. We didn’t know.

I thought it was so upsetting and has played on my mind since I saw it.
A close family member struggles with depression and other deep mental health problems and we all worry and are in a way expecting this at some point but obviously hoping that things will turn around, but it's unlikely.
As for Corrie I think it was very well written and well acted. I think they got it right. I also noticed they've had quite a few lighthearted scenes in the coming weeks, maybe to balance things out.

I thought Jenny was a selfish bitch after finding out about Aidan’s death because afterwards she threw her and Johnny’s passports in the drawer with a scowl on her face & you could just tell that she was only thinking of their move to Spain

I was just reading that 146 university students killed themselves in 2016. That's horrendous. Do you think young people are more susceptible to suicide these days?

I can only think of one person with mental health issues when I was a student in the 70s/80s. Maybe that's because it wasn't discussed/identified much.
My 19 year old ds however is in a flat of 8 students in his first year at uni and, from what he says, it sounds like half of them have been medically diagnosed with depression/anxiety.

I could understand if it was just that the problem is more readily identified these days, but that doesn't explain the increase in young suicides.

As I said on the other thread, my children's 16 yr old step sister (as such) asked for certain things before she died. Special wiring paper (for the notes she left), her favourite meal etc.

She seemed happy because she had made her decision, ex h viewed their cctv after and saw her taking a ladder etc to a tree in their garden a week before.

I sat and cried during coronation street this week, the reactions are very good. Johnny's especially hit home as it was ex h and the girls mum (his partner) who found her.

to all who have been affected.

As a family we have been affected, some 24 years ago, but it is still raw. I could not have watched the CS episode.

In my local area we lost 8 school children in 8 months last year. The day I opened an email from my DS's headmaster saying 'It is with great sadness, I announce the tragic loss of one of our students today,' will live with me for a long time.

DH works for a charity that supports children with mental health issues and received an email from a parent last week saying she wanted her DD alive, not the child in the cemetery with the highest GCSEs.

If we lost 8 children in 8 months to measles in such a small area that would be seen as an epidemic. Why isn't child mental health treated in the same way?

If we lost 8 children in 8 months to measles in such a small area that would be seen as an epidemic. Why isn't child mental health treated in the same way?

This really hit me, Oldowl. That is the truest thing I have heard on this subject recently. Speaking as someone who knows people that deny mental illness existing at all (especially in our "young, happy, carefree" children), I just wish I could show what you said to them. Thank you.

The storyline broke my heart, the saddest part was seeing him tying up loose ends. It really really got to me. And I think probably because I've felt really under pressure lately and it has fleetingly crossed my mind. Not that I would actually do it but just the thought that it would stop all my worries because I am exhausted. But I love my children far too much