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Dear Editor;
The death of a loved one is heart wrenching and changes certain aspects of your life forever. This is amplified if the death was due to suicide. With a suicide there are always those questions of, "Why didn't I notice?" or "I should have said..." or even, "Why didn't they come to me for help, I could have stopped this." These are questions that will never be answered and will haunt the family, friends, co-workers and loved ones of a suicide for the remainder of their years. A lot of times the loved ones that are left behind to burden this grief feel like they can't talk to others about it because they may not understand, they may be ashamed of the suicide or they can't find the words to express what they are feeling inside. Honestly, with the stigmas in our communities that stereotype suicide, these are all very common and natural responses. Yet, there are a couple different options for these families, friends and loved ones it is a support network called, "Survivors of Suicide" (SOS). There are meetings that are held locally in Madison on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month from 7:00pm-9:00pm at Journey Mental Health, Dodgeville on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 7:00pm-9:00pm at Health and Human Services Building, Platteville 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month from 5:00pm-6:30pm at 1 University Plaza on UW-Platteville Campus and in LaCrosse on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm-9:00pm at the Franciscan Spiritual Center. More information on these groups can be found on www.Suicide-IowaCountyWi.org under the tab, "Get Help". It has been mentioned that a group is not the type of environment some people may feel comfortable in telling their story and possibly becoming emotional. That is okay, groups are not for everyone and having the possibility of someone you may know in the group that could be uncomfortable is also understandable. That is when people that are struggling with grief need to take advantage of a free online service offered by American Foundation of Suicide Prevention which is a Peer Support for Survivors of Suicide loss officer via video call, phone or e-mail. This resource is also on www.Suicide-IowaCountyWi.org under the tab, "Get Help". The services are explained as, "American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers resources to help loss survivors cope, connect, and heal in time. Our trained peer support volunteers are all suicide loss survivors who know firsthand how difficult it can be to find your way in the aftermath of a suicide. Upon request, they are available to speak with you by phone, by video call (Google Hangout, Skype, Facetime). When you contact us to request a visit, we will ask you some questions about your loss so that we may match you with a suitable volunteer who has experienced a similar loss. Your peer support volunteer will contact you to schedule a visit at a convenient time (resource: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website "outreach program"). If you or a loved one are struggling with the aftermath of a suicide, it is so important for you to talk to a trained professional that understands what you are going through. This is the perfect opportunity to freely express yourself with confidence that your story and struggles will remain confidential, known only by a stranger.
Sue Springer Judd,
Ridgeway WI