This timely and compelling family memoir candidly tells the story of one family, an attempted teen suicide, and the emotional and practical struggle to get help.

Reviews

There has been much controversy recently about whether antidepressants cause children and teens to become suicidal; this is the saga of one mother's nightmare-one that still leaves her believing antidepressants have a role to play in treating depression. Four years ago, Griffith's 17-year-old son, Will, attempted suicide by overdosing on the antidepressant Remeron. Will had previously been treated for depression, but had never been suicidal. Griffith describes the effect of the suicide attempt on herself, her husband (Will's stepfather) and Will's girlfriend, Megan, who was addicted to cutting herself. The author is painfully honest about her own battle with depression at age 40, and excerpts from Will's and Megan's diaries are heartrending. Although this is but a single case and so sheds little light on the relative benefits and dangers of antidepressant use, parents will find it instructive in how to recognize and respond to a child's depression. The book is also a plea to society to recognize that depression is a serious but treatable illness: after a stint in a residential treatment center that combined therapy and medication, Will emerged from his depression and now attends college. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Adult/High School-In this beautifully written and gripping account, readers learn a great deal about adolescent depression. On March 11, 2001, Griffith discovered that life had become so unbearable for her 17-year-old son that he took an overdose of antidepressants in a failed suicide attempt. Denial about what Will tried to do became determination to help him to recover and to control the emotions that led him to that moment. Griffith talks about the warning signs of a suicidal teen, the controversy concerning teens and the use of antidepressants, and the potential difficulties of identifying the right treatment program. Throughout the book, she is honest about her feelings of failure and of feeling lost. In 1991, she was diagnosed with major depression and realized that she had been fighting a mood disorder all of her adult life. The inclusion of segments of Will's journal and those of his girlfriend, who suffered similarly, helps to keep their voices in the forefront. This account has much to offer adults who may encounter a depressed teenager or teens themselves, including a list of organizational resources and a list of suggested reading and references.-Peggy Bercher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

In 2001, Griffith's promising yet unsettled son, Will, became one of the approximately 2000 American teens who attempt suicide every day. The author, an activist in international humanitarian and arts causes who has also served on an FDA advisory committee, explores the causes of Will's underlying depression and reveals his relationship with a sketchily described girlfriend (Megan) who indulged in various forms of self-harm. Once stabilized, Will was enrolled in a therapeutic school, where he apparently thrived despite initial trepidation. Griffith's stirring prose is supplemented by Megan's and Will's own reflections on their trauma; statistics and research on teen suicide and depression are integrated into the text along with useful and possibly life-saving advice for parents. The author also discusses the conundrum of treatment for adolescent depression, highlighting its high cost and current controversies about the risks of medicating children. Above all, this is a powerful personal story about a young man who finds a way to embrace life again. Highly recommended for public libraries and consumer mental health collections.-Antoinette Brinkman, MLS, Evansville, IN Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

"A courageous and unflinching chronicle .... A beautifully written handbook of help and hope."--Emmylou Harris