Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
On Saturday, a handful of my friends and family participated in the AFSP's Out of the Darkness Walk. The AFSP is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and all throughout the country they organize "Out of the Darkness" Walks in which suicide survivors can raise money in honor of their loved ones. Quoting their website, "AFSP funds research aimed at improving our understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it as well as educational ...
In the days, weeks and months after losing a loved one to suicide, it’s common to experience fleeting suicide grief attacks. These can be characterized as unexpected waves of severe grief that strike out of nowhere or even without prompting. They can present as depressing thoughts or full-on, tear-filled panics. Generally, they lessen in frequency over time, but they can occur even years later.
I remember a few of my most “severe” cases. The ...
Fall brings with it some of the most wonderful holidays of the year. However, Halloween is one that can be difficult for many survivors to face. We already experience enough insensitive gestures and chatter in everyday life. This holiday is built around potential emotional triggers, making Halloween after a suicide especially hard. On the surface, it’s an innocent day, centered on costumes and candy, but some of the elaborate and gory decorations ...
This week (Oct. 6-12) marks Mental Illness Awareness Week and I was thrilled to take part in a unique event
hosted by the global non-profit organization, NØSTIGMAS. I learned about NØSTIGMAS shortly after we launched this blog and was really moved by their efforts to raise awareness and erase the stigmas of suicide and mental illness. They collect and share stories of hope and inspiration to help educate the general public about mental ...
Have you ever felt that tinge of guilt when someone tells you they’ve recently lost a loved one to something other than suicide? This has happened to me a few times this year, usually in response to hearing about a loved one’s hard-fought battle with cancer or even the passing of an elderly grandparent. Before my dad died, I only experienced my grandparents dying from old age. I’ve now started to experience “suicide guilt” when talking to people ...
