Bestselling author Jessica Lahey spoke to a group of students, staff and faculty interested in wellbeing on September 26, 2024, toward the end of National Suicide Prevention Month. Espousing a “deep disdain for euphemisms,” Lahey spent an hour sharing her own personal experiences – ranging from growing up in the secrecy of a family afflicted by disordered alcohol use to confronting her own alcohol use disorder to challenging implicit and explicit considerations in childrearing – and honoring the memory of Mary Moore Parham, Lahey’s close friend and classmate at UNC School of Law and a bright, compassionate, kind and exuberant human being whose death from suicide prompted Lahey to reflect on the importance of saying something.
Lahey encouraged participants to consider methods to improve mental health and well-being. She pointed out that evidence-based strategies exist for harm reduction and addiction prevention but noted that societal and cultural norms may get in the way. In fact, only 57% of US high schools implement any addiction prevention strategies – and of those, only 10% are evidence-based. Recognizing that taboos can make it hard to discuss “delicate” topics – and using her own relationships with people suffering from mental health challenges as examples – Lahey also pointed out that “saying something” can let someone in distress know that you care. Citing statistics that 22% of teens and young adults report contemplating suicide at some point in their life, information she had gathered in the process of writing The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation, Lahey emphasized the critical importance of three things for an individual’s well-being: 1) self-efficacy, 2) compassion; and 3) being seen for who you are.
Lahey took the opportunity to highlight the importance of efforts to prevent substance use disorder and spoke knowledgeably about the challenges and privileges of seeing others for who they are and thus permitting them to flourish and thrive.
Jessica Lahey lives in Vermont with her husband, a 1998 alum of Duke University School of Medicine. Le Well is grateful to Lahey for her generosity in offering her time, expertise, authenticity, and experience to provoke thoughtful discussion and open dialogue.
Le Well has a mission to centralize support services for students in health professions programs, with an emphasis on health services, learning support, and community building. Invited speakers may bring awareness or advocacy on topics of relevance to the community and are intended to foster curiosity, connection, and community. Le Well also hosts Wednesday Wellness Workshops and collaborates with Duke Arts Create to bring twice-monthly arts workshops to TSCHE during the regular academic year (e.g., September through April). We are always interested in your ideas for speakers, topics and workshops! Please email lewb@duke.edu or stop by Granola with Gagliardi (TSCHE 2nd floor, 2-3 p.m. on Wednesdays; IPE Building, main floor, 12-1 p.m. on Fridays) to share your thoughts and brainstorm ideas to promote your wellness.