Part 2 of 3:
by Audia Fraley, Suicide Prevention Educator
Saturday, November, 21, signifies the 17th Annual International Survivors of Suicide Day. Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the suicide prevention community comes together to support those who have lost a loved-one to suicide. This type of loss can be deeply impactful and may make the journey toward healing feel like a lonely and daunting task. While digging beneath the surface to unearth courage may not easily, it is a journey that does not have to be taken alone. Here are some ways that you may choose to be supported in your journey toward healing:
- Connect with other survivors through a Support Group
- Ask for and seek professional help
- Be a champion for the cause – Volunteer for a crisis hotline; attend community mental health events; or influence public policy
- Participate in community, religious, or spiritual activities
- Share your feelings and thoughts openly to those with whom you have chosen to stay in contact
- Read – Educate yourself on mental illness or simply explore poetry and stories from other survivors
- Get creative – Keep a journal, write poetry or music, make art
- Engage in positive and patient self-care
If you are grieving a suicide, we are sincerely sorry for your loss.
Let the healing begin. SOS Advocacy at HelpLine provides help and support to those grieving a suicide with their loss, pain, questions and journey to healing. Survivors can receive one on one guidance to help find local SOS groups, counseling, reading materials and other resources to cope with their loss.
To participate in a community gathering near you, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website.
