Dr. Kent Corso speaks with Amber, a suicide loss survivor, about the importance of open dialogue surrounding mental health and suicide. She opens up about her profound sense of loss and her post traumatic growth after her son Teagan's suicide in 2021.
Amber shares her the details of her own journey for healing following the tragic death of her son. She introduces the concepts of ‘clean grief’ and ‘messy grief,’ providing listeners with a framework to understand the different facets of their emotional experiences and suggesting how they might consider coping with it. Her journey underscores the importance of managing feelings of guilt and regret while also affirming the potential for growth and healing in the aftermath of loss.
Amber's heartfelt account as a suicide loss survivor reveals the complexities of loss and suicide and the imperative need for open dialogue surrounding mental health. She discusses a few ways that people treat suicide loss survivors differently than those who lose a loved one to other causes of death. Her reflections emphasize the importance of connectedness and talking about suicide with one's family and community. As Amber recounts her experiences, she confronts the societal stigma surrounding suicide, noting how it often overshadows the lives of those who choose that permanent path. She offers hope, encouraging those suffering from loss and from suicidal thoughts that everything is "figureoutable."
Excerpt from Ambers Eulogy to Teagan
Teagan struggled with things that as a society, we don’t talk enough about. Mental health, substance abuse, addictions and eventually suicide. There’s a stigma attached to these things. There is shame, there is judgment. By ones self and toward them from others. I know that Teagan was desperately seeking a peace that he had tried so hard to find here on earth. I know he felt then there was no other answer, but I know he would not want anyone else to ever take the same actions he did. I feel a personal responsibility and that Teagan too, would want to spread awareness for the sake of every struggling human, especially teenagers and young adults. You are loved. You have worth. You have potential beyond your wildest imagination. There is hope. There is help. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that isn’t figuroutable. In Teagan’s name and on Teagan’s behalf, I will do my best to spread awareness, to love, to help and to lift and I invite all to do the same.
Takeaways:
- The podcast underscores the importance of open dialogue surrounding suicide and mental health challenges, emphasizing that such conversations can foster understanding and healing.
- Amber, a suicide loss survivor, shares her journey of grief and highlights the necessity of recognizing the underlying pain behind seemingly defiant behaviors in children.
- The episode discusses the distinction between 'clean grief' and 'messy grief', illustrating the importance of managing one's thoughts and emotions in the aftermath of loss.
- Listeners are encouraged to acknowledge their feelings of regret and guilt, while also recognizing that they did the best they could with the resources and knowledge available at that time.
- Amber emphasizes the power of creating community and connection as a means of support, advocating for a proactive approach in discussing mental health issues.
- The conversation concludes with a poignant reminder that every life is valuable, and those struggling with suicidal thoughts should be reminded of their worth and the impact of their absence on loved ones.
For more information on mental health support, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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