Joanne Harpel, who lost a brother to suicide and wrote Reflections of a Suicide Survivor at the top of this thread, will be the guest speaker at the United Nations on World Suicide Prevention Day. Sept. 10th of this year.

I'm happy to say we got on the list to hear her.

alffe, doody, LindaM, SeamsLikeStitches, Addy

Where else but here, SOS, can everyone share the experiences, their thoughts and feelings, no matter . . .

I think that I'm the only one of the family who knows the details of my grandmother's suicide. Then there was my first cousin's son and later my third cousin's son. That is one on my mother's side and two on my father's. Absolutely there is some type of gene or heredity at play -- why would all medical questionnaires include mental health issues?! I've wondered whether my family considers suicide a "choice," and that is why they refuse to talk about it. I'm considered the weak one, the one who is "weird and screwed-up."

I'm glad that I have the family here who listens and accepts me as I am and actually celebrates my survival, something my siblings don't even acknowledge.

(alffe) Michael is so proud of you. It won't ever make losing him any less painful to you, but your journey since his death is helping others to survive.

Thank you for that reyn...I think that is what survivors do to try to give "life" to their loved ones who died by their own hand. I'm not sure about choice..I waver on that one.

And you are a perfect example of what we "do" in the family...we wait, and hope that everyone comes "home". You are a cause for celebration!

And another bump!