Fight Hard, Love Much

In this Episode Pam shares a few things she is still learning about grief, shaming, and brain health.    The learning never stops when experiencing grief.   

This is the talk I gave at the BYU grief conference a few months ago.   It was a honor to speak to so many who have also lost loved ones.  

It is also available on you tube with the power point slides I used.  

https://youtu.be/_y2CLe3xp2g

In part 2 with Tiffini, she discusses being there as a mother and wife during mental struggles.   How she takes care of herself while supporting them.   

Tiffini Montague shares the lessons she has learned from the loss of her youngest brother when she was a teenager and losing her only son at birth.     She works at turning her pain into helping many others face their own loss of a child. 

After losing her daughter to suicide in 2019, Emily worked to learn how to help her daughters and herself.   The lessons she has learned have helped her heal and become a better mother.    

What are the little things that you are thankful for?  Pam shares a few that she is thankful for and that bring her happiness.   

Suicide prevention month is not my most favorite thing.   A reminder of all the pain and trauma.   But it is also needed to help shed light on those around us who are suffering.    In this episode I shares a few thoughts about improving our mental health and also how to be there for others.     

Travis joins me to answer questions sent in by our listensers.  

Questions 1:  What do you do if you feel like you're stuck in this depressing endless rut or loop of life that you just cannot seem to get out of no matter what you do or try to get out of?

Question 2:  I get trapped in thoughts of losing people and things that make me happy that I have a hard time enjoying my time that Ido have with them.  And then I can only focus on losing them that it triggers thoughts because nothing will last.  How can I best overcome that?

Question 3:  I would like to ask a question about depressive disorder and what it can lead to (self-harm and suicide risk).   Personally, I suffer of these problems, but despite this, during the day I am able to laugh and joke with my friends,  I am described as a "sunny and always cheerful girl", I excel in study and nothing would suggest my real mental state.  How does this happen?  Why do some patients manage to laugh, seem happy, have good social relationships, but once they get home, they withdraw into themselves, cry and fall into self-harm or bad thoughts?

Question 4:  Unfortunately, mental illness is still stigmatized in 2024; it isn't considered as a physical illness.   We are told that it's only in our mind, that it doesn't exist, to fight our problems alone.  I write from Italy, at least in my country, the average conception regarding mental health issues is this.   And that hurts, when you suffer but everyone downplays the problem.   Would there be a way to make people understand the seriousness of a mental illness?   That is, it isn't a joke, or game but a serious concern to be controlled with therapy and medical care, like physical illness.

traviswebbtherapy.org

My husband joins to share his experience with losing a son.    He shares lessons he learned, moments he treasures, and how to help others.   

Tigger warning:  talk of suicide.

Therapist Travis Webb will join me in a future episode to answer questions sent in by our listeners.    

Send in your questions by July 26.   Email them to [email protected] or send them by message on Instagram @fighthardlovemuch.