Last Day

Latest Episodes:

Suicide 8: Overcoming Childhood Trauma Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

This week we’re talking about ACEs - aka - Adverse Childhood Experiences. How do you move forward when there’s a lot of pain in your past? And how are you supposed to open up when you were raised not to air your dirty laundry?? We’re joined by WNBA superstar Chamique Holdsclaw who dealt with her parents addiction early on and Music Industry Exec Mike Heyliger who talks about navigating his LGBTQ identity in an abusive home. We also speak with our favorite mental health and addiction expert, Dr. Nzinga Harrison, and The Trevor Project’s Michele Giordano about trauma and the affordability barrier disproportionately facing Black LGBTQ+ youth when seeking mental health care.

Season 2 of Last Day is created in partnership with The Jed Foundation. The Jed Foundation (JED) empowers teens and young adults with the skills and support to grow into healthy, thriving adults. You can find tips, tools and resources for taking care of your emotional health available at: www.jedcares.org/lastday

Resources from the episode:

This episode features three amazing podcasters, linked below:

Hear Mike’s musings about toxic masculinity on Detoxicity
Listen to Chamique and other famous pro athletes discuss mental health on Tremendous Upside
Learn about mental health and addiction on Nzinga’s In Recovery, another Lemonada original

Read more about the Trevor Project’s research on suicidology within the LGBTQ+ community, and check out additional ways to get help if you’re in need of someone to talk to.
Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America
BIPOC mental health resources from the Mental Health Coalition and SELF Magazine
LGBTQ+ mental health resources

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or feeling hopeless, it’s important to talk to someone about it now. Contact one of the resources below for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor anytime.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Suicide 7: A Mental Health Emergency Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

Imagine you’re six months pregnant with your first child and the person you love, the person with whom you’ve built a life, wakes you up in the middle of the night convinced there are people in the house. But...there aren’t. He’s convinced you’re being followed. But...you’re not. Where do you turn for help when your mental health crisis is invisible? Jenny Heddin took her husband to the emergency room only to find they weren’t equipped to handle their crisis. Like millions of Americans, they were turned away because there wasn’t an available bed. This week, we hear her story and are joined by our producer, Jackie Danziger, to talk about bed shortages, parity laws and psychiatric boarding.

Resources from the episode:

Jackie’s Reading List:

Learn more about mental health parity laws and how to submit a complaint or appeal for denied care through the Kennedy Forum’s Parity Registry.
For recommendations on how to report on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suicide 6: I Feel Nothing Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

What’s the point of going to treatment if you’ve essentially been dealt a death sentence? That’s the way some veterans feel about a potential PTSD diagnosis. Another thing holding people back? The fear that their trauma isn’t bad enough. So how do you admit you need help? And where do you turn when you’re ready? This week we’re joined by Jason Kander who served as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, Tara Consolino, Director of Suicide Prevention and Substance Use Disorders at the Detroit V.A., and Rajeev Ramchand, a psychiatric epidemiologist with the RAND Corporation, to talk about what happens when your symptoms don’t look like the ones in the movies.

Resources from the episode:

Keep up with the Veterans Community Project’s initiatives for homeless veterans.
Listen to Jason’s weekly podcast, Majority 54, to better learn how to have a civil and productive conversation about the most divisive issues.
To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

If you or a veteran you know are struggling, dial 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. You can also text 838255 or chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net.

You can also contact one of the resources below for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor anytime.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suicide 5: Psychological Autopsy Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

After losing a loved one to suicide, “why” is often the first question that comes to mind. But what if you had a meticulous case file that filled in the blanks? This week, we talk to Sharon Kritzer, her older sister Noa, and their mom, Batia, about their sister Tali, her chronic depression, and the documentation she left behind that outlined all of it. We also call up Janis Whitlock from Jed, who talks to us about the potential downsides of being your own lead investigator.

Resources from the episode:

To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suicide 4: We Don't Want to See Our Parents Unhappy Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

They don’t get a lot of attention, but seniors are the most at risk to die by suicide. In 2014, Marguerite Reynolds lost her fiercely independent mother to suicide after a cornea injury left her feeling burdensome and debilitated. This week, we hear her story and are joined by professor and researcher, Yeates Conwell, who unpacks “The Four D’s” that put seniors at an increased risk for suicide. And Stephanie has an uncomfortable - but very important - conversation with her dad.

Resources from the episode:

Keep up with the University of Rochester’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide here.
To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suicide 3: The Great Darkness Nov 04, 2020

Show notes

In his TED Talk, “Be Human(e),” Dr. Jeremy Richman said, “We felt the world was spinning out of control and that if we didn't find something to hold on to, some reason to go on, that we'd get spun right off into this great darkness.” Jeremy delivered this message as both a neuroscientist and a grieving father. He lost his 6 yr old daughter, Avielle, in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. This was one of his last public appearances before he died by suicide on March 29th, 2019. Today, we look at “the great darkness” with fellow Newtown residents Ian Hockley and Lee Shull and explore advocacy as a trauma response plus the toll it can take. We’re also joined by the other half of our Jed advisory team, Janis Whitlock, who provides wisdom and insight on creating a life worth living.

Resources from the episode:

Watch Jeremy’s TED Talk here.
Learn more about brain health from The Avielle Foundation.
Keep up with Dylan’s Wings of Change.
Read stories from the community at Sodina Project.
To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Support the show by checking out our sponsors:

Every week, fitness guru Jillian Michaels interviews experts on wellness, nutrition, and parenting. Subscribe to The Jillian Michaels Show wherever you listen to podcasts.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suicide 2: Is Suicide Contagious? Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

The term “suicide contagion” gets thrown around a lot in academic papers and media headlines, but what does it actually mean? The term suggests that suicidal ideation is something you can catch, but the reality is much more complicated. This week, we navigate the complexities of suicide clusters from the heart of Silicon Valley, California to the soul of Cowboy Strong, Wyoming.

Resources from the episode:

Check out Lisa Hao’s Jed Talk
Learn about QPR Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention
Get to know other Jed Foundation storytellers at https://www.jedfoundation.org/storytellers/.
To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Support the show by checking out our sponsors:

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The overhauled Stitcher podcast app makes it easier to listen to podcasts on the go, including all ad free Last Day episodes on Stitcher Premium. Test it out for yourself at www.stitcherapp.com/lastday.
Dr. Nzinga Harrison teaches us all about turning addiction treatment into recovery for life in another Lemonada original, In Recovery. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Suicide 1: Beyond the Bridge Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

We open Season 2 of Last Day with a tale of two Kevins. One is Sergeant Kevin Briggs, also known as the guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge. The other is Kevin Berthia, an Oakland native who drove to that bridge on March 11, 2005 with the intent of ending his life. This week, we tell the larger story behind a moment of intervention — what led up to it and what happened in the 15 years since. We’re also joined by Courtney Knowles, our advisor at the Jed Foundation, who’s here to poke holes in our narrative.

Resources from the episode:

Kevin Berthia has a new foundation! Check it out here.
Kevin Briggs can be booked to speak about crisis management and suicide prevention through Pivotal Points.
To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Support the show by checking out our sponsors:

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To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/last-day shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Introducing: Last Day Season 2 Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

Last Day is back for a second season, and we’re tackling another important topic: mental health and the rising rates of suicide. With her baseline irreverence and wit, host Stephanie Wittels Wachs zooms in on a variety of “last days” — some that end tragically and others that have become powerful testaments of survival. Through first-person story-telling, thoughtful conversations, and in-depth collaboration with the mental health community, Last Day features diverse stories, rich in humanity, with an ongoing quest for solutions and solace.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Season 2 of Last Day is created in partnership with The Jed Foundation. Transitioning into adulthood can bring big changes and intense challenges. The Jed Foundation (JED) empowers teens and young adults with the skills and support to grow into healthy, thriving adults.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kind Of, Sort Of, Very, Extremely Intense Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

It’s National Suicide Prevention Week, and that means you’re probably seeing a lot of triggering content. We can relate. The Last Day team is hard at work producing season 2, which is all about the rising rate of suicide episode in this country. Why are more people at risk? What can we do to help? And how can we take care of each other when things feel so hopeless? Season 2 arrives Wednesday, October 14th.

If you are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide, tell someone who can help right away