Renowned psychiatrist debunks the biggest myths about suicide in a candid Reddit AMA
Dr. Tyler Black hopes his answers make a difficult topic a little bit easier to understand.

Probably the biggest would be that suicide behaviour or thinking is only for people with mental illness.
If you or someone you know is struggling, know that there are immediate resources available if you're in a crisis. There are many organizations to become familiar with, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline , the Crisis Text Line (text "HOME" to 741741), and the Trevor Project 866-488-7386.
Suicide is one of the hardest topics to discuss.
That's why so many of us have such a difficult time recognizing signs of suicidality or responding to them.
Add to that the myths we're told about suicide — "just talking about is dangerous," for instance; or that people who are contemplating suicide always show outward signs — and it becomes even more difficult to navigate. Even as several high-profile celebrity passings, and rising suicide rates re-affirm that the discussion is now more important than ever.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, an expert took to Reddit to make the conversation just a little bit easier.
Dr. Tyler Black is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Medical Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Department at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, where he's worked with thousands of families during his nine-year tenure.
Aside from the work and research he does at the hospital, Black is passionate about educating others about the science of suicide. And because he knows that the world's got questions, he set up an "Ask Me Anything" to give people a chance to further their understanding of suicide in order to reduce its rates.
One question makes it clear we need to rethink how we view suicide.
When one user posed the question of what one misconception Black wants others to stop believing, the doctor dropped some real knowledge that does away with the belief that only those with serious mental health issues become suicidal:
Probably the biggest would be that suicide behaviour or thinking is only for people with mental illness. Risk factors and protective factors don't work like that. Just like all humans are at risk for heart attack (some, very very very low compared to most humans, some very very very high), all of us have various risk factors that push us towards suicidal thinking and protective factors that push us away. Mental illnesses add to our suffering but so do physical illnesses, stressors, bad news, poor sleep, etc etc. There are hundreds of risk and protective factors that all work in different directions to influence suicide risk.
This misconception, Black explained, allows us to ignore risk factors until they're at crisis levels. It also allows us to not think about suicide until a person shows outward dysfunction. But for many people, suicide isn't often predated by a long period of mental illness.
That's why it's so important for us to be aware of the emotional states of our friends and loved ones, check in on them regularly, and make an effort to be there for anyone we care about.
What can you do to help others? Show up.
One of Black's most important points is this: Often, we undervalue the impact we have in others' lives. We think that psychiatrists are the only ones who can help those who may be contemplating suicide, but as Black notes — mental health professionals are just one piece of the puzzle.
Recognizing that we have the ability to help others, only if it's just by listening, is a powerful way to let those we care about know they're not alone. So if you've been thinking about calling a friend who is struggling, or just saying hi to someone you haven't seen in a while — now's a good time to reach out. Of course, no one's expecting us to single-handedly change a person's entire outlook on life, but making contact can make a huge difference.
This article originally appeared on 09.11.18
- Here's What Morgan Freeman Had To Say About Racism, And Here's A Guy Explaining What He Got Wrong ›
- 5 years ago, historians proved the time 'when men were men' never really existed ›
- Guy's wonderful TikTok video destroys the myth that women are more talkative than men - Upworthy ›
- Woman's video before her suicide attempt is a jarring reminder - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.