EAU CLAIR, Wisconsin (WEAU) – Today is International Suicide Victims Day. To support those affected by suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention hosts hundreds of events around the world.
One of these events was held in the Chippewa Valley. This event and other initiatives work to spotlight the importance of mental health.
Community members who lost loved ones to suicide gathered at The Center in Eau Claire to share their experiences. Her host of the event, Janelle Moneypenny, shared the importance of bringing people together.
“I wanted to enter this day with the intention of having a safe place to feel and process that loss and get that support from people who can empathize with you on that level,” said Moneypenny. Told.
This is a particularly difficult time for suicide victims.
Moneypenny said, “It can be very lonely in the midst of grief and loss, and the loss can be a little stronger during the holiday season.
Moneypenny also said that losing someone to suicide comes with a unique set of struggles. People want to know why, she said, and often ask how they could have done things differently.
“Death is hard and it’s always hard no matter how you lost that person, but they want you to know what a death by suicide feels like for all the questions you’re left with. I know,” said Moneypenny.
Being together gives survivors the opportunity to not only heal, but celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
“Just because they’re no longer with us doesn’t mean we don’t still have beautiful or happy memories of the people we lost. Sometimes I forget all the beautiful memories I have,” said Moneypenny.
She said sharing personal experiences is one way to debunk mental health struggles and hopefully prevent suicide.
“The first step is to be able to talk about it. You have to be able to have these conversations,” Moneypenny said.
At HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, staff are also working to make suicide conversations more common and mental health services more accessible. To work towards that goal, the hospital recently sponsored suicide prevention training.
Melissa Ives, Community Health Outreach Specialist at HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospital, said everyone should be involved in suicide prevention and awareness.
“The really important thing to remember is that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility. You can’t have a trained mental health professional on every street corner. , we need people who know how to recognize and respond to potential suicidal thoughts and behaviors,” said Ives.
HSHS Sacred Heart will be scheduling more training sessions in the community. Future classes are website.
If you or someone you know needs support, please call or text 988 to contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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