Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
As I continue to analyze the reasons my dad chose to take his life, I have learned and read a lot about some people simply being more “predisposed” to suicide. This has come up during conversations with my grief counselor and I remain intrigued by the possibility. I also want to better understand what this predisposition actually means. (I found this article about “The Genetic Basis for Suicidal Behavior” in Psychiatric Times, but haven’t made my ...
On television's "The View" this morning, the hosts briefly discussed the apparent suicide of Mick Jagger's former girlfriend, L'Wren Scott. I did not catch this segment in its entirety; however my attention was drawn to the TV when one of the hosts stated, "You need to reach out to someone, as there are always other options." Since the segment aired this morning, I have found myself thinking about the treatment available for the suicidal. I ...
Until my dad died, I had never heard the concept of a “new normal.” Ok… I guess I had heard it in my marketing life as a way to describe the way consumer behavior changed after the recession. But, I didn’t expect it would take on an entirely different connotation in my own life. Days after my dad took his life, I began attending Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide (LOSS) support group meetings. During those gatherings, I heard many attendees ...
In a previous post, I wrote about the Stages of Grief after suicide and how they relate to survivors (click here to revisit the post). I challenged the notion that these stages apply to a survivor in the same manner that they apply to someone who loses a loved one "naturally." As a psychotherapist, I understand that the stages are a blueprint to be used to help others understand their grief journey. However, as a survivor I continue to question ...
These past two weeks have been mentally draining for me. Last Tuesday, February 11th, would have been my Mom's 60th birthday, and Monday February 17th would have been my Dad's 57th birthday. Since my Dad passed in 2011, February has been a rough month.
Last week, I did not think I was that stressed about their birthdays, but by Friday my face completely broke out, I binged on a ton of sugary food (which is very unlike me) and have felt ...
