Friday, January 3, 2014

Aftercare cleans up after suicide in Franklin, Williamsburg and Richmond, Virginia



My dear friend,

How I hate you right now! You stole future memories and plans I had for our friendship.  That trip to Mexico for the summer or our snow trip to Austria.  Who will come with me now? There is just a void now in the space of my life that you once filled.  I keep thinking why didnt I do something, anything but what could I do?  You were smiling one day and gone the next. I never knew just how much your smile was a mask covering the pain deep inside your soul.  Why didnt you tell me?  I could have helped, couldnt I.  Was I never that good of a friend that you couldnt tell me that you were hurting?  Did I contribute to your hurt?  I will never know the answers to any of my questions and that is why I hate you! Your suicide has left me questioning everything I thought I could count on.  Please come back.

Love always your friend on earth.

Sometimes there are no answers to why.  The death of a loved one by suicide is one of the hardest deaths to grieve and understand.  You dont Just get over a suicide.  The grief of a suicide can take years to process and the hurt may never be forgotten.   There is no letter from heaven explaining why and even if there was, the answers may never help. 

The process of grief after suicide is a slow inch by inch process.  The period of mourning and grief is different for each person and there is no universal scale or measure on how long or intense that pain will be.  Once the initial shock has subsided the range of emotions and feelings is extensive.  You may experience the following:

           Shock, numbness, denial
           Guilt
           Anger/blame                                                              

           Des pair
           Loneliness and disconnection
           Depression
           Shame
           Searching for the reasons why?
           Thoughts of suicide yourself

Be gentle with yourself during the grieving processing and take each day as they come by:

           Keep in touch with friends and accept support - counter the feelings loneliness and isolation associated with grief
           Honor the deceased person - Talk about the memories, share photos and memories or keep a journal
           Take your time - It is OK to do something nice for yourself while you grieve, get a massage or even a day at the beach
           Ask for help if you are struggling - Seek professional help and speak with family and friends for support and ways to cope.
           Look after yourself - Ensure you eat well, get some exercise and sleep.  Try to avoid drugs and alcohol which will only compound the grief.
           Join a support group - Talking with others who have shared similar experiences will help you not feel alone in your experience.

The journey through the grief of the lose of a loved one is a gradual process and can lead to a deeper understanding of life and your own humanness.  The grief slowly gets integrated into life.
 If you need professional suicide cleaning call Aftercare at (757) 535-4367

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