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“I have made two attempts to kill myself. At the time I really felt there were no other options and that people would be better off without me” says Maxine Williamson
Through her twenties, she battled depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Like most people, she believed suicide was a selfish option. But once you reach that point, misery masks itself like logic and you can come to some warped conclusions. “I actually thought it was the least selfish thing to do.”
The distressing root of her illness made her feel she couldn’t talk to her family. She felt like she was a burden. When you’re moving to a big city or starting university, friends can be difficult to find. Tougher still to find ones who you feel able share things with that you’ve never put into words before.
Suicide amongst students is a problem. There has been a 49% increase in student suicides between the years 2007-2011, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Whilst male student suicides were up 36%, female student suicides almost doubled in the same period. It is likely those numbers are even higher now.