Book about Child Suicide Has Huge Impact

Online, November 26, 2009 (Newswire.com) - According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, one person commits suicide every 40 seconds, yet how many people are aware of this? More tragically, an increasing number of children, some as young as 10, are taking their own lives. After the suicide of Jan Andersen's son Kristian in November 2002, she quickly discovered that the stigma and lack of understanding surrounding suicide confined many grieving families to a world of silent, relentless torture. As a result, not only did she create the supportive website Child Suicide, but began writing a book entitled Chasing Death: Losing a Child to Suicide, which was published in October 2009.

Chasing Death attempts to put candid, but heartrending words to the often incommunicable pain that the surviving families endure, not only through the telling of Kristian's story, but through the experiences of other families mourning the loss of a child, stepchild, sibling, friend or relative to suicide.

The author, Jan Andersen, said, "In my frenetic search for understanding and support, I had difficulty finding any resources that truly connected to my raw grief. Whilst many articles and books on bereavement talked about the range of emotions that one could expect to feel, such as guilt, anger and disbelief, few of them explained how these feelings could truly manifest themselves through uncharacteristic and frightening thoughts and actions. Most suicide books appear to be remote and academic and focus on trying to understand suicide rather than relating to the shattered world of those left behind. They may talk about stages of grief and recovery, but anyone who has lost a child to suicide will agree that it is a brutal ordeal from which you will never fully recover."

Chasing Death covers topics within its 24 chapters that will not be found in other books on the topic and the early response from those who have already read the book has been overwhelming and has shown that the audience for Chasing Death extends beyond grieving families and those who deal with them, providing a compelling, touching and enlightening read for anyone interested in emotional true life stories. The book has been described by some as the "best written on the topic".

Nicole Klieff, author of Baby Next Time, who hasn't lost a child said, "I was curious to read this book as suicide is very much a taboo subject and yet it seems every day we read about someone tragically taking their own life, whether it be revealed within a wee snippet in the corner of the local journals, or worldwide on televised news bulletins informing us of the latest celebrity to depart our world. Death is never easy to accept at whatever age and I can only imagine the horror of losing a child. As a mother myself it would be inconceivable.

"Harshly, in life many do survive with this painful scenario and I hope will seek out this book for some comfort knowing that they are not isolated with their discontented feelings of the massive void.

"As soon as I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. This book is written in the manner of a bestseller novel. It is eloquently written but without being too complex and with such raw honesty. Without revealing too much, I can only admire how the author has the courage to reveal the background leading up to her own son's death. Being emotionally fuelled and sympathising with the author, I found at times I just could not prevent the tears from flowing down my cheeks but being an important measure in the process of the book; revealing the brutal honesty of dealing or not wanting to deal with the grief.

"I also would say that the author does break away with compassionate integrity sharing other people's stories interconnecting with her own experiences of how to deal with the death of a child, albeit through suicide or by any other diagnosis.

"This heart-to-heart book will be identified by the many who need no verification of the pain they have already endured but also to envoke to the ways of staying in touch spiritually. Through this book many people will find great comfort and the recognition for the loss of their own special child."

Jan said, "I believe that something positive has to emerge from every tragedy. If the website and the book can help just one family, then it is an achievement - not mine, but Kristian's."

£1 from every book sold will be donated to Kidscape, the UK charity committed to keeping children safe from bullying and abuse. Chasing Death is currently available on Amazon and in all good book stores.