Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
This week we welcome guest blogger, Erika Barber, who talks about settling into uncertainty after being diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is amazing how a diagnosis can bring us back to our grief. Erika lost her sister to suicide when she was a teen, and her father a couple short years ago. Erika is a board member for the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the author of Letters from a ...
`Guilty until proven innocent?
In the aftermath of suicide, most survivors discuss their grief at some point. (If you haven’t gotten that far and are reading this post, that’s ok.) Some discuss anger and feelings of betrayal. The guilty feelings, that I assume some feel, are swept to the darkest, furthermost corners of our minds, never to be spoken. The place that you only allow yourself to go occasionally, because the thought is too painful for ...
I was looking through old paperwork the other day and came across a note that I jotted down a little while back. I wrote, “Can hope alone be enough?” I can’t remember what was happening in the moment when I jotted that down; however, I do know that I was reminding myself to reflect on the question that was clearly on my mind. The beginning of a new year brings forth ambition and excitement for many. Yet for those who have a lost a loved one to ...
It is amazing to me, that it has been seven years since I lost my father to suicide. I am not sure how, but the day I lost him feels both like a lifetime ago, and just yesterday. So much has changed since that day. I wanted to take a minute to reflect on how my life has changed as a result of his loss. 7 reflections, 7 years after my dad's suicide:
I lost myself, and then I found myself. I have spent more time reflecting on myself in the ...
The holiday season can be a difficult time for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. The cards that feature happy (and complete) families, the upbeat carols everywhere you go, the memories of holidays past, are just a few of the things that magnify the pain of a suicide loss. I have had several people tell me that the only thing they want to do is hibernate until it is over. Unfortunately, hibernating is often not a choice. What can we do ...
