Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
Fear has new meaning after losing a loved one to suicide. The first year without my dad was one of the most difficult. At first, I thought it was because he left this world in such a violent manner. Yet, as I look back I realize that my pain was enhanced by the energy I put into running from my pain. The guilt, the fear, the sadness, the pain; it was all too much. I believed that if I ran fast enough, the pain would eventually diminish. ...
Six months prior to losing my dad to suicide, I graduated with my Master's in Clinical Psychology. I entered the field working in community mental health where I received my first dose of reality when it comes to the stigma of mental illness. Working alongside individuals with chronic illnesses such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder One (yes, there are different kinds), and Major Depressive Disorder showed me firsthand how our society treats ...
As survivors, I think we often underestimate our own strength. We fail to acknowledge our strength after loss. We are told by others how strong we are, but deep down inside we feel like we are falling apart. We are critical of ourselves, critical of the way we grieve. We often think we should be further along then we are. We beat ourselves down, overwhelmed with guilt wondering if there is more that we could have done to prevent our loved ...
It's been five years since I lost my dad to suicide. I often think to myself, "how has it been five years?" And that's when it hits me. That gut wrenching knot in my stomach reminding me that my dad took his life. A reminder that he's gone. A reminder that I will never again hear his voice or receive one of his hugs. Those hugs were best. Sometimes while talking to my husband I find myself asking him, "did that really happen?" Because it ...
When I first read this quote, I questioned if it was appropriate for motivational Monday. It seemed a little sad and somewhat depressing. So, are you saying the pain never ends? Then I sat down to think about it, and here I am posting it on our site today. I think one of the problems with grieving is the expectations we set for it. We expect to get it over it. We expect to forget. What happens when we don't meet our own expectations? We ...
