Speaking of Suicide

Key Takeaways

1. Escapism and Isolation: Dean’s gambling began as an escape from heartbreak and emotional pain — but it quickly turned into the very thing that deepened his despair and pushed him into isolation.
2. Addiction and Accountability: Years of hiding and lying brought him to breaking point, culminating in suspension from the police and prison. Only when he accepted gambling as an illness did recovery begin.
3. Recovery and Purpose: Through GA, mindfulness, and helping others, Dean discovered lasting happiness that isn’t based on money or possessions — but on real human connection and inner peace.

In this deeply moving episode, Pennie Stuart speaks with Dean, whose honest and raw account of his gambling addiction reveals how quickly escapism can turn into destruction.

From his early experiences with fruit machines as a student, through a police career that spiralled into secrecy, shame and prison, Dean’s story is ultimately one of resilience and hope. He shares how therapy, mindfulness, and the support of Gamblers Anonymous (GA) helped him rebuild his life — and shows that even in the darkest times, there’s always a glimmer of light.

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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“Living your life in two cultures, mentally and physically, is a huge burden to carry all your life.”

Key Takeaways:

1. Suicide and mental health exist in every community — even when they’re hidden

Mental health struggles and suicide are not confined by geography, gender or ethnicity. Within Sikh and Punjabi communities, stigma and silence can make these issues almost invisible — but absence of statistics does not mean absence of pain.

2. Living between cultures can quietly intensify mental distress

Many people grow up navigating two worlds: traditional cultural expectations at home and mainstream Scottish society outside. This constant balancing act — across generations — can create inner conflict, isolation and pressure that often goes unspoken.

3. Cultural understanding is essential for effective support

Mainstream mental health services do not always recognise cultural nuances such as extended family dynamics, honour, and stigma. Support works best when people feel understood — not explained to. Inclusion, representation and trust‑building save lives.

Suicide does not belong to any single place or population.

Host Pennie Stuart is joined by Trishna Singh OBE, founder and Managing Director of Sikh Sanjog, Scotland’s only Sikh family support charity. Drawing on decades of lived and professional experience, Trishna speaks candidly about mental health, suicide, grief and silence within Sikh and wider Punjabi communities.

Together they explore why suicide bereavement is often hidden, how shame and family honour can prevent open conversation, and the devastating impact this has on grief, vulnerability and support. Trishna also reflects on the lasting effects of migration, intergenerational trauma, discrimination, and the strain of living between cultures.

This is a powerful, compassionate conversation about why multicultural Scotland needs multicultural mental health approaches — and why listening, understanding and culturally informed care are essential if we are serious about suicide prevention.

Useful sources of support:

Black, African and Asian Therapy Network

Scottish Asian Counselling Services

Sikh Your Mind

Sakoon Mind

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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“I’m in control of my mind. My mind’s not in control of me.”

In this raw and moving conversation Linda shares her journey through identity loss, marital breakdown, job loss, bereavement, severe mental illness and a planned suicide attempt.

What began as a gradual loss of confidence spiralled into overwhelming paranoia, intrusive thoughts and the terrifying sense that she was harming those she loved. After surviving a suicide attempt and spending time in psychiatric care, Linda slowly began to rebuild her life.

Determined that no woman should feel as alone as she once did, she founded Linda’s Ladies in Perth — a safe, non-judgemental support group where women can openly talk about their mental health.

Eight years on, Linda speaks with remarkable self-awareness and honesty about recovery, resilience, lived experience, and learning to take back control of her mind.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mental health can unravel quietly — even when life looks ‘perfect’.

Linda had what many would describe as the “ideal life” — family, home, career. But internal struggles don’t always match external appearances. Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, and it doesn’t need a visible reason.

2. Silence deepens suffering — connection saves lives.

When Linda became almost non-verbal, isolation intensified her distress. The power of being heard, validated and not judged can be life-changing. A safe space to talk is not a luxury — it’s vital.

3. Recovery isn’t about being ‘fixed’ — it’s about building tools.

Through lived experience, Linda learned that while others can support you, only you can rebuild your inner resilience. From visualising unhelpful thoughts floating away in a red balloon to reframing negative thinking, she developed her own mental health toolkit — and now helps other women build theirs.

If you want to contact Linda's Ladies join their Facebook group

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Speaking of Suicide is produced and presented by Adventurous Audio in Scotland

“Suicidal ideation in perimenopausal women is seven times higher at this stage of life than at any other point in a woman’s life.” – Dr. Sam Whiteside

In this powerful episode of Speaking of Suicide, host Pennie Stuart speaks with Dr. Sam Whiteside of Whiteside Wellbeing, a GP and menopause specialist, about the overlooked ental health consequences of perimenopause and menopause.

With an estimated 400,000 women in Scotland navigating midlife hormonal change, this conversation explores the science behind mood changes, anxiety, brain fog and suicidal ideation during perimenopause. Drawing on research highlighted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and data from the National Records of Scotland, the episode reveals a stark reality: suicidal thoughts can increase significantly during this stage of life.

Sam shares both clinical insight and her own lived experience — including sudden panic attacks, brain fog and frightening intrusive thoughts — helping to normalise conversations many women feel too ashamed to start.

Three Key Takeaways for Listeners

1️ Hormones and Mental Health Are Deeply Connected

Perimenopause and menopause aren’t just about hot flushes and sleep disruption. Fluctuating levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone directly affect serotonin, dopamine and other brain chemicals that regulate mood, anxiety and cognition. Emotional symptoms are biological — not a personal failing.

2 It’s a Perfect Storm — Not “Just Hormones”

Midlife often brings multiple stressors: teenage children, ageing parents, career pressure, relationship shifts and identity changes. Hormonal changes amplify these stressors. Holistic support — lifestyle, counselling, peer groups, medical input — is key.

3 Suicidal Thoughts Can Be Hormone-Driven — and Intermittent

For some women, suicidal thoughts may appear suddenly and disappear just as quickly. This can feel frightening and confusing. The good news: they are treatable, often responsive to HRT, therapy or medication, and support is available.

This episode covers:

* The biological link between hormones and mood

* Why perimenopause can feel like “puberty in reverse”

* Risk factors for perimenopausal mood disorder

* The role of HRT, therapy and lifestyle interventions

* Where to seek urgent mental health support

This is a conversation about survival, identity, grief, biology — and hope.

Find Whiteside Wellbeing on Facebook

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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“Our quilt is redressing the balance. It’s about how our loved ones lived their lives — and how we remember them.”

In this deeply moving episode of Speaking of Suicide, Pennie Stuart meets Susan Finlay and Sue Henderson from Lothian Speak Their Name to explore a remarkable community project: a touring memorial quilt honouring lives lost to suicide.

Each of the 49 squares has been lovingly created in memory of an individual — not to dwell on the manner of their death, but to celebrate who they were. From mountains and music to herons and sunflowers, every stitch speaks of love, pride and identity.

Now touring Scotland — including a display at Inverness Cathedral from 30 March to 25 April 2026 — the quilt is opening up conversations about grief, stigma and suicide in a way that feels accessible, warm and deeply human.

The episode explores:

• Why suicide bereavement can silence families

• How community crafting creates safe spaces

• The courage of those who contributed squares

• The unexpected community formed through shared grief

• The power of “speaking their names”

This is a story about remembrance, courage, pride — and the radical act of celebrating a life.

Three Key Takeaways

1️ Suicide Loss Is About a Life — Not Just a Death

Too often, conversations after suicide focus solely on how someone died. The Lothian Speak Their Name quilt shifts the narrative to celebration, love and legacy — reminding us that every person was more than their final moment.

2️ Creativity Creates Safe Space

Sitting side by side, stitching and crafting, allowed people bereaved by suicide to talk — or not talk — in a stigma-free environment. Doing something with your hands can unlock conversations the heart struggles to start.

3️ Remembering Saves Lives

The quilt has already prompted powerful conversations across Scotland — and even helped at least one man seek help instead of ending his life. Visible love, visible remembrance and visible community matter.

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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“I felt like a pair of scissors that was split in half and you just couldn't do anything… every single decision, every single part of your life is intertwined with Alan. And then to not have that, I just felt completely lost.”

What does it mean to become a widow at 31?

In this deeply raw episode of Speaking of Suicide, Lisa shares what life has looked like since her husband Alan died by suicide in March 2023. There was no note. No warning signs. No final conversation to explain why.

Left to raise their three young children alone, Lisa was suddenly navigating single parenthood, suicide bereavement, complex PTSD, intrusive thoughts, and the stigma of being a young widow, all while grieving the love of her life.

From the moment police knocked on her door to the fog of the first year, Lisa speaks candidly about anger, numbness, guilt, loneliness and the unanswered questions that never go away. She opens up about how grief showed up in her body, her parenting, and her identity — and how peer support, counselling, and creating The Widow Diaries on Instgram and Tik Tok have helped her slowly rebuild a life she never imagined living.

Topics covered in this episode:

1. Young widow grief
2. Losing a spouse to suicide
3. Parenting after suicide
4. Suicide bereavement support
5. Complex PTSD after traumatic loss
6. Intrusive thoughts and grief
7. The stigma around suicide
8. Peer support and widow communities
9. Social media as a force for healing

Follow Lisa online: https://linktr.ee/the_widowdiaries

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Speaking of Suicide is produced and presented by Adventurous Audio in Scotland

Key takeaways from this podcast

1. Serious mental illness doesn't happen overnight, its a slow emergence
2. We need to re-think how we work with families and loved ones
3. An inspirational example of turning grief into positive conversations for change

Jacqui lost her son Will to suicide in July of 2024.  At the time he was an in-patient at New Craigs psychiatric hospital in Inverness, being treated for schizophrenia.  Will’s mental ill health didn’t come overnight, it was a long slow and painful road full of anxiety for his family who battled to support him for years until it became clear that Will was seriously unwell.  When he was finally diagnosed and started being treated, the family and care team tried to keep Will believing there was hope of a better life ahead but for Will, who loved the outdoors and was singularly determined, the cage of being sectioned in a secure hospital was too much.  Since losing Will, Jacqui has turned her grief into a drive for change, taking part in the review into Will’s death and working alongside the NHS to come up with a plan and timeframe so that more families are supported and fewer have to ever experience the pain of losing a loved one to suicide when they’re receiving hospital care.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/funding-research-into-schizophrenia 

Call to Action...

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Speaking of Suicide is produced and presented by Adventurous Audio in Scotland

"I think it's really important if people are struggling and they have reached out that you take that time. I try to be as kind and caring and compassionate as I possibly can be"

Key takeaways from this podcast

• We need to build in time, space and compassion to our lives to help and support people who are struggling. We all have a part to play in that in our lives.
• We can have these courageous conversations with people we are concerned about it and you will make a difference by opening up the conversation.

What if a conversation about suicide could save a life. That life might a friend, a family member, a loved one. So how would you start it? What words will you use?

A new campaign from Suicide Prevention Scotland wants us to do exactly that, start the conversation. It’s a campaign aimed at normalising the idea of talking about suicide - and giving all of us the confidence to do so. Because here’s the thing, talking about suicide is the best way to prevent it.  

Haylis Smith is the National Delivery Lead for Suicide Prevention Scotland – she’s the one leading this campaign which is based around people’s lived experiences of suicide and it’s something that sits very closely to her heart having lost her uncle Joe to suicide when she was a teenager.

Discover more about Suicide Prevention Scotland

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Counsellor Shona Macpherson's key takeaways from this podcast

1. The shock of losing someone to suicide can be utterly physical. Don't be surprised if your body shuts down in order to protect itself from the pain of grief.
2. Friendship groups can be incredibly important to get you through extreme grief. There is a huge amount to learn from how Charlotte's friends coped in the aftermath of losing their great friend.

Charlotte and Amelia had been friends since they were at school.  They were part of an incredibly tight friendship group throughout their teens.  In spite of being really different in character, the two friends had a wonderful relationship and Amelia was a constant in Charlotte’s life, becoming her bestie in all things.  They talked every day and shared everything they were going through.  So when Amelia started struggling when she first went to University, Charlotte was well aware of her troubles.  Even though they shared so much when Amelia left University for a second time, returned home and took her life, the shockwave through Charlotte and all the friends’ lives was massive. 

Since losing Amelia 2 years ago Charlotte has been processing her grief and, in this frank and deeply heartfelt conversation, Charlotte provides extraordinary insight into the pressures of student life and how she’s coped in the dark days since losing the friend she loved so very much.

Call to Action...

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Maike’s father died by suicide when she was 21. For the following 30 years she has been not just coming to terms with the impact his death had on her, her mental health and wellbeing, but following a path of acceptance about his death.

This journey to acceptance isn’t to hold guilt or shame herself, but to allow the impact of her life trauma to be contained. By accepting her situation and circumstances and not continually seeking all the answers, Maike has found her way to peace.

Be aware, this conversation on Speaking of Suicide discusses sexual abuse.

To find out more about Maike and her journey to acceptance visit her website: https://www.maikemullenders.com/

Find you local Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Group

If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.

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Speaking of Suicide hosting is supported by D and D Paving Ltd.

Speaking of Suicide is produced and presented by Adventurous Audio in Scotland