Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
One question that I have been asked by many survivors is, "When will the guilt end?" I see the desperation in their eyes, and remember the overwhelming weight that I carried on my own shoulders following the loss of my father. We question what we could have done differently to prevent the tragic outcome that has become our reality. I have spent a great deal of time thinking about the element of guilt. I have written many posts on the topic, ...
In a matter of days, the semicolon tattoo has become an overnight sensation. For those who have not heard of the The Semicolon Movement, it was created on Tumblr "to restore hope and confidence in people who are troubled by addiction, depression, self-harm, and suicide." It is a way to tell the world, "my story isn't finished yet." Since its introduction, many have chosen to permanently place the semicolon tattoo on themselves as an everyday ...
One of the main reasons this blog was created was to offer a different perspective on grief. Prior to my dad's death by suicide, I had only experienced death by natural cause. While any loss is painful, the loss of my father introduced me to a deeper pain than I had ever known. In the months following my dad's death I remember feeling so alone. How could anyone TRULY understand the intense emotions I was experiencing within. It simply isn't ...
Religion and suicide. Two words that are often not found in the same sentence. My religious beliefs and my faith have always brought me comfort. I never stressed about it. I never felt that I needed to explain it. I certainly never felt that I would need to defend it. Then my dad died by suicide. This is a topic I have yet to write about. I think it is time to go there...
Faith is often turned to in times of need. Faith gets many ...
More often than not, I’ve heard survivors say they were blindsided by their loved one’s choice to take their own life. I said the same after my dad’s death. Sure, he seemed to be a little down but we never would have imagined something so extreme was on his mind. He was functioning at full capacity and never mentioned he was feeling suicidal. He had even “warned” us decades earlier as kids that there was nothing so bad in life that we would ever ...
