How Suicide Prevention Messaging Affects Surviving Families
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Last year, during September 2018, my father-in-law died by suicide. The day after his unimaginably tragic loss, I logged into Facebook to be greeted with messages about suicide prevention. These messages from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline urged me to #BeThe1To help save a life.
In the immediate aftermath of losing someone to suicide, these messages poked in all of the hurting parts of my soul and heart, making me feel responsible for his death. Of course, the messaging is important. There are warning signs of suicide. They are important to know for both your own mental health and wellness and for those in your lives.
However, the messaging brings up feelings of guilt those left in the wake of a death by suicide. We refer to these people as suicide survivors, while those who have attempted suicide and survived are suicide attempt survivors.
I am both.
When I wanted to die in 2014, my husband didn’t have a clue as to the depth of my depression and anxiety at that time. He knew I regularly attended therapy, took my medication as prescribed, and engaged in physical activity like running to fall in line with the recommended self-care regimens those struggling with mental illness are…
