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We must talk openly and honestly about suicide to overcome the stigma attached to it.
Last week my mother took her own life.
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Last week my mother took her own life.
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The pain of surviving a loved one& #39;s suicide is unimaginable. For days, I had to pro-actively remind myself to breathe in and out because my body& #39;s automatic respiratory impulse shut down.
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I& #39;ve felt profound, indescribable sadness, punctuated by moments of confusion, guilt, resentment, anger, and more guilt surrounding that anger. It would not be hyperbole to say the experience has been traumatic.
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And yet the world around me continues as normal as I watch others smile and laugh in daily life. I am constantly reminded of the inequity of being human.
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Everyone I& #39;ve spoken to about it means well and I am forever grateful for their support. But please don& #39;t take it personally when you find that whatever you say cannot even begin to solve the loneliness of surviving a loved one& #39;s suicide.
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Why am I telling you this? It& #39;s not for sympathy. It& #39;s because I want you to understand that suicide is often a symptom of mental health problems, as was the case with my mom. And mental health problems can be treated.
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So reach out to your loved ones right now and ask, R U okay? And don& #39;t just ask them today. Ask them every single day. I will never get another chance to hug my mom, but many of you can still hug yours.
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I love you, mom. I miss you more than anyone.
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