Half a Sorrow Foundation: www.halfasorrow.org

Book a Talk with Dennis Gillan: https://halfasorrow.org/book-a-talk/

Make a Donation: https://halfasorrow.org/support-our-work/

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HASF2020

Camo Hat Club: https://halfasorrow.org/the-camo-hat-club-half-a-sorrow/

In this episode of It's a Tough Subject, Dennis and Jessica get real about something many of us feel but rarely say out loud: how exhausting, lonely, and triggering the holiday season can be—especially after a suicide loss.

They share candid stories about:

• The first holidays after losing a loved one to suicide

• How anniversaries, survivor day, and family dynamics can reopen old wounds

• Why sleep is one of the most underrated mental health tools

• Insomnia, 3 a.m. racing thoughts, and practical sleep tips (dark room, cold room, white noise, routines)

• The impact of social media, doomscrolling, and constant notifications on anxiety and depression

• Setting boundaries with the internet and creating healthier habits in 2026

• The Camo Hat Club – a men's group built around connection, breakfast, and NOT suffering in silence

• How to move from just surviving to actually thriving after loss

Through humor, honesty, and hard-won wisdom, Dennis and Jessica remind us that:

"You don't just want to be a survivor. You want to be a thriver."