Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
After losing someone to suicide you can find yourself combing through every moment of the past, questioning whether you missed the signs. Every memory holds new meaning. What if I would have paid more attention that day? What if I would have questioned their thinking, or pointed out something that didn't seem right? Would they still be here today? Questions like this often contribute to the overwhelming presence of guilt we feel in the ...
I’ve noticed a personal phenomenon lately as I scroll through my Facebook News Feed – I avoid or quickly bypass stories that make me feel uncomfortable. This is a highly subjective practice, knowing everyone has different emotional “triggers” - a term I learned in online forums. (I actually hate the word triggers since my dad took his life with a gun.) But, now I’m wondering if my avoidance of these tragic topics is making me a hypocrite. After ...
Since losing my dad to suicide, the winter holidays seem to exacerbate my feelings of anxiety. His absence and the dramatic way his death impacted our family traditions becomes painfully clear this time of year. Coupled with this are coincidentally-timed stressful events that only fan the flames of my worries. (For instance, in December 2014, I panicked about returning to work post maternity-leave and felt a bit of déjà vu again this year.) At ...
What words comes to mind when you hear the phrase “survivor of suicide?” Until recently, I hadn’t given this question much thought. Even as I write this, I don’t know how I’d answer it. Yet, twice in the last month, someone has called me “brave” after I’ve shared my loss story and that honestly surprises me.
I’m an open-book person by nature. It’s a trait I inherited from my father. When something’s on my mind, it feels only right to talk ...
Powerless and helpless; two feelings that I don't think anyone enjoys experiencing. Anyone who has experienced a loss by suicide can agree that these two feelings contribute to the utter devastation you feel in the aftermath. Suicide does not just shake the ground a bit; it completely shatters the foundation. We are left feeling completely powerless and helpless.
In our state of powerlessness and helplessness we often find ourselves deep in ...
