How Mark Turnipseed Beat Suicide and Addiction

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Mark Turnipseed and his struggles with suicide and addiction

For Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, addiction, suicide survivor, model and happy gay man Mark Turnipseed shares how he’s managed these challenges. For more inspiration, download the 5 Building Blocks of a Happy Gay Life here.

Our deep discussion with Mark Turnipseed

Mark Turnipseed’s insight on suicide ideation

Mark Turnipseed is an LGBTQ activist, addiction recovery advocate, and model. He is also the author of the Amazon bestseller My Suicide Race: Winning Over the Trauma of Addiction, Recovery and Coming Out, a memoir that explores the relationships among addiction, suicidal ideation, and the trauma of coming out. In sharing his story, Mark is on a mission to help those of us with similar struggles.

On this episode of Queer Money®, Mark joins us to share his life-long fight with suicidal ideation, explaining when he realized he was gay and why he believed that wasn’t okay. He opens up about the factors that contributed to his struggle with addictive behaviors, describing how triathlon training helped him experience self-acceptance and as a result helped him realize that he has power over his thoughts. Listen in for insight on how Mark’s finances exacerbated his depression and in addition get insight around what to do if you or someone you love is living with suicidal thoughts.

Topics covered on suicide in the LGTBQ community

When Mark started to realize he was gay and why he believed that wasn’t okay
How lying about who we really are isn’t exclusive to the LGBTQ community
The factors that contributed to Mark’s struggle with addictive behaviors
Why Mark has struggled with thoughts of suicide his entire life
How Mark’s substance abuse began as an identity and evolved into a physical and emotional need
How training for triathlons helped Mark experience self-acceptance on a new level
What Mark does now to navigate suicidal thoughts
How Mark’s finances exacerbated his depression and suicidal ideation
Mark’s advice on purposeful spending to break the debt depression cycle
How realizing that he was not alone helped Mark see his way out of depression
How being approachable and sharing your story can save someone’s life