Don’t F*cking Kill Yourself
Jeff Romig
In February 1996, Jeff Romig’s father died by suicide.
Until that moment, there was no sign that his father had been contemplating suicide. Steve Romig was always so driven. Hard-working. Successful. No sign of the inner turmoil of anxiety and depression Jeff was also feeling at 18 years old.
In Don’t F*cking Kill Yourself, Jeff Romig details his own battles against anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation while sharing his stories about the people, passions, and experiences that have kept him alive through mental illness, divorce, alcoholism, cancer, and the legacy of his father’s suicide.
In Jeff’s own words, this is not a self-help book. It is a memoir in service of two potentially life-saving ideas: that we can reduce the stigma around suicidal ideation by sharing our stories and that we can push through our darkest moments of suicidal thoughts by connecting our minds with the passions, people, and experiences that define the best parts of our lives.
Press & Praise
A soulful and meditative memoir about mental illness and loss. Romig's whip-smart journalistic mind has us riding shotgun on his journey to measure the sum of his life as he mourns and tries to make sense of his father's suicide. DFKY is a story of resilience, forgiveness, and the strength we must summon as we reckon with the past. This narrative offers a unique and unflinching look at pain, how it shapes us, and how, ultimately, our memories, no matter how seemingly small, remind us that there are tiny miracles hidden inside of our ordinary, marvelous lives.
Jeff somehow manages to blend his searing account of mental illness with a captivating tour of Georgia history through his lens, giving his grateful readers astonishing insight into the worlds of journalism, sports, and politics. The triumphs and hardships are just part of the journey, and Jeff's unflinching writing style and snappy prose left me wanting more.
Through his book, Jeff shows us that grief is our most powerful pathway to finding purpose in our lives. His honest reflection of his own loss and struggles reminds us that life is always a journey, and in that journey lies opportunities, experiences, and emotions—some we seek and some we do not. By sharing his own grief so candidly, Jeff has ensured every reader will find a piece in this book to connect to. And never before in our lifetimes has that particular connection and community been so important.
