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Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s wasn't always the carefree adventure we remember.

While Generation X was riding bicycles, watching MTV, and surviving the Satanic Panic, America was confronting a growing teenage suicide crisis.

Television movies, after-school specials, public-service announcements, and songs like Rick Cua's "Don't Say Suicide" attempted to address the problem. But there was something many of us struggled with: we were told to ask adults for help, even when we didn't trust those adults enough to tell them what we were going through.

In the first episode of Things We Never Talked About, But Should Have, we examine the history of teenage suicide during the Gen X years, the cultural response, the stigma surrounding mental health, and why so many young people felt safer talking to their friends than to parents, teachers, or religious leaders.

I'll also share a personal memory of a friend I lost, and reflect on what our generation can learn from the conversations we wish we'd had.

This isn't about blaming an entire generation of parents. It's about understanding the world that shaped us—and asking how we can do better for the generations coming after us.

If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. What subjects were difficult or impossible to discuss with adults when you were growing up?

Please keep the conversation compassionate and respectful.

Support resources: If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in the United States, or visit https://988lifeline.org. If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

Research and further reading:

CDC — Suicide Among Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, 1980–1992
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00031525.htm

CBS television's response to teenage suicide (1984)
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/10/08/TV-WorldTwo-CBS-movies-look-at-teenage-suicides/9802466056000/

The Trevor Project — Acceptance From Adults and LGBTQ Youth
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/research-briefs/acceptance-from-adults-is-associated-with-lower-rates-of-suicide-attempts-among-lgbtq-young-people-sep-2023/

#GenerationX #GenX #MentalHealthAwareness #TeenSuicidePrevention #1980s #MightyPhilbert