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The 55-year-old lives in Kansas City with his partner and children.

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(He also includes an extensive appendix of self-help resources.)

I dont know why it didnt occur to me to write about it before.

This is something Ive been thinking about all my life.

When the piece came out and was co-published with HuffPost, the response was overwhelming.

Hes still a bit worried that hell be deluged by people wanting help when the book is published.

Often, depressed people do reach out to him.

He always tries to always answer.

Recording the audiobook was especially brutal.

I do find it therapeutic, honestly, to write and remember what happened.

Its easier to forgive myself, but it also has to do with having a sense of humor.

Youre more somebody whos slightly ridiculous than you are somebody whos so evil or whatever.

I always tell people, just do what I do.

I dont know why exactly it does, but for me it does.

The most controversial chapter of the book, Drinking Myself to Death, was published in part inHarpersin 2011.

Hes less worried about backlash this time around.

He also has a problem with how some groups reject the use of all psychopharmaceutical drugs.

Martins willingness to be at all publicly ambivalent about the program resulted in backlash that shocked him.

I really think thats part of the problem.

The same philosophy applies when it comes to self-harm.

When Martin talks to his philosophy students, hes open with them about his attempts.

And a lot of people have this kind of chronically in their heads.

And I explain to them a little about that.

And then I say, And I just want to tell you that Im here for you.