(Somersault is (c) Richard Cowdry; if you want to reproduce any part of it you should ask him first; you can see the larger version and all of the previous episodes  archived here)

(a page from the Suicide chapter of Psychiatric Tales by and (c) Darryl Cunningham)

As you’d expect if you’ve been following the rest of Darryl’s series this delicate issue is handled with sensitivity and empathy, not only for the person who feels so bereft of hope in their life that they feel driven to take their own life but empathy for the wounded they leave behind when they decide to end all problems for good (why did they do it? Was it my fault? How could I have stopped it? What did I not do correctly or in time? Those two simple words that can haunt us – ‘what if?’).

As with the other chapters Darryl eschews the easy route of passing judgements as some would for a more sympathetic approach; the only black and white here is in the art, not in the narrative or morality. I’m looking forward to this being collected and published next year – its a fascinating, often deeply touching work and its opening up an area which, let’s be honest, most of society still veers away from talking about openly, preferring to hide it away, which ultimately only serves to alienate those with mental health problems further and so inadvertently  increase suffering. Writing about it in this public manner won’t cure mental health problems, but it does let sufferers – and their families and friends who suffer the pain along with them – more aware that they aren’t some isolated, freak occurrence, that many – indeed any – members of society can suffer such problems. And that’s a start.