Young schoolgirl commits suicide over mild autism diagnosis

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It seems that no one here has a monopoly on bleak and painful childhoods.

What can we do to keep this from happening again?

How can we recognize someone in need, and approach them without making things worse?

Excellent questions. I can only imagine that an evolution of the human race towards unity and kindness would be in order. How do we know someone is in need? In this girls' case she was basically told that what she felt (about her diagnosis) was wrong. I think it might start with actually seeing someone's issue as it is rather than try to convince them of another alternative view before addressing it.

Maybe as well some discretion, did Elsbeth NEED to know about her diagnosis? Could that have been kept from her, perhaps at least until she got through one of her more difficult phases? I know of mother's who don't tell their children of mental disorders, one anecdotal case of a friend of mine with a clinically depressed daughter who never told her she was depressed but simply started treatment, told her to take her medicine and talk to the lady psychiatrist... in that one case she got better on her own, without a label. I don't know, what do you think?

This goes deeper than just the diagnosis. She no doubt had issues long before the DX. Also, (I believe) suicide rates among aspies is relatively high to begin with. It's really too bad that she wasn't able to talk more about it.

I can completely relate to this girl, I am currently in the same position. I was officially diagnosed with Aspergers at age 16, after years of being considered eccentric and strange, constantly struggling to function normally, being envious of peers able to live normally... I am finally handed a piece of paper, citing the diagnosis of a syndrome / disorder that is viewed negatively by the vast majority of society, a disorder that is stigmatised and treated as "curse" by many - the many times I have over heard people say they'd rather abort than allow someone like me to live, is far too numerous. Thanks a lot A$.

I will have to live with a disorder that is currently used perjorative, the term 'autism' is now synonymous with alleged acts of ignorance and stupidity.. I will have that attached to me, for life. On top of the other issues I have, I will have to deal with ignorance and lack of understanding for life. That in itself is depressing to me. There have been many moments where I have sat down and tried to weigh the positives and negatives of being alive. I will have to live in a world, that I don't uunderstand, in a world that doesn't seem to understand people like me. There are moments where having ASD feels like a burden, there are moments where I can overcome it and use it to my advantage. For now, I have decided to grieve the lost hope of gaining a semblance of 'normalcy'.

I can completely understand and sympathise with Elsbeth. It is very sad, that this world is a cruel place to live. It is sad, that collectively as a society, we choose to shun, isolate, ostracised and treat people who are slightly different like defects that should be removed from the gene pool. It is sad, indeed.