Articles

Beyond the stigma
After a loved one takes their life

The exponential rise of suicides especially among the young and elderly in recent years provokes questions: “Why,” “What can we do about it?” or, when personally involved, “What could I have done to prevent it?” The temptation to feel a sense of guilt is obvious, but the advice of experts is clear: behind it there is an illness that leads to death, just as other illnesses do. Still, it comes with a stigma; but many are working to correct that perception and find new ways to help individuals and families go through the pain, which at times is overwhelming. Frequently those who have had a direct experience with such a loss are the most effective ambassadors in the effort to transform such profound suffering into a healing process.