First, you are not alone. There are many of us. We are brothers, sisters, moms, dads, friends, lovers, husbands, and wives. We are part of all nationalities, religions, and sexual identities, young and old. We come from all political affiliations, rich or poor. We are everyone.

You see, the devastation left behind by these actions knows no boundaries and can impact us all. What could have seemed to be an extraordinary and wonderous life can quickly be darkened by the results of these losses.

I won’t throw numbers or stats at you. The only hope that ever comes from them is that others will wake up to the enormity of this issue in our society. Besides, does it really comfort people to know how many others’ lives are dealing with this tragedy? I don’t think so. What does seem to help is connecting with others who understand how they ache. Who have gone down the same path and can relate to them because they know at least some of what they are feeling.

There is hope. Yes, there is always hope. It starts with taking a stand not to let this become the whole of your life. You are so much more, and you deserve to live that life while you learn to control your grief.
If you are looking for support groups for Survivors of Suicide or grief counseling, contact your Community Mental Health Center. Our center MHCGM is located in Manchester, NH 603-668-4111. For a directory of who and where your center is in New Hampshire, call the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association at 603-225-6633 or visit their website @ nhcbha.org. You can also get more current information on these groups by calling the National Association of Mental Illness New Hampshire (NAMI NH) for up-to-date contact information: (800) 242-6264 or (603) 225-5359 or visit their website @ naminh.org. there are also groups specifically for youth like Friends of Anie right here in Manchester, NH. They can be reached at 603-669-1120 ext. 6002

Sometimes life gets to be too much. Occasionally we can all use some support. Get yours today and start to relive your life.

Rik Cornell, LICSW
VP of Community Relations